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About this blog

After more than 25 years operating a trial consulting practice together as co-founding partners of Magnus Research Consultants, Inc. and Magnus Graphics, Inc., and more than 30 years of marriage, Dr. Melissa Pigott and David Fauss decided to share some of their thoughts, experiences, pet peeves, and perspectives on operating a small “mom & pop” business. The intended audience for their writings is other business owners, as well as employees of small businesses. Trial consulting is a professional service business, as was David’s photography business. There are many unique issues faced by professional service providers; Melissa and David share some of their insights on running a successful business.

Facilitating Fraud: Part 2

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 27, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

Shame on Bank of America. It happened again. I guess it is different day, different tricks for the criminals in this world. Recently we learned the hard way how easy it is for criminals to commit check fraud using the modern convenience of mobile banking. I could not believe it when I saw an employee […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 27, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Getting the Job Done, Small Business Success

The ability to perpetuate this fraud is simple enough for almost anyone to figure out; that is, anyone except modern day banking institutions. The person who stole from my company by electronically depositing a photo of my company’s check, then cashing the same check at her local grocery store, was an uneducated woman from a […]

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See what is there to be seen

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 25, 2015

Category: Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Litigation Tips, Small Business Success, Travel, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

Just as many people are unable to listen, really listen, many people look without really seeing. I have always been a keen observer of my surroundings, including people and places. If I have gone to a place once, I know how to get there again. To place it in medical terms, I am oriented times […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 25, 2015

Category: Careers, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Litigation Tips, Small Business Success, Travel, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

As a photographer, I try hard to see what is there to be seen. This can be difficult when one doesn’t know what one is looking for. But, with a little effort, what is there to be seen emerges, on a macro or micro level. I have heard people say, “the Everglades are boring, there’s […]

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“You never know what a jury will do…”

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 20, 2015

Category: Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

I was recently a plaintiff in a lawsuit. I have been the client of lawyers a few times – a real role reversal for a trial consultant – and it is eye opening to see how the attorneys interact with their clients, and how the process works. The nature of my case is not important […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 20, 2015

Category: Getting the Job Done, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

The point of this post is “know your audience.” I was present when the mediator assigned to David’s case made the remark about settling the case due to never knowing what a jury will do. Although it is technically true that no one, included experienced jury and trial consultants such as myself, will know with […]

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Listen – really listen

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 18, 2015

Category: Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

As a psychologist, I am a paid listener. I listen more than I talk. I learn far more from listening than from talking. Most people, in my opinion, talk far more than they listen (and rarely do they have anything of great importance to say!). If one listens, really listens, there are many details that […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 18, 2015

Category: Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Tips, Trial Consulting

It is interesting to be an observer both of people (like our mock jurors) and of people’s listening skills (like our attorney clients). Attorneys are paid to talk, to argue, to persuade. But, when they come to us and we do mock jury or mock arbitration research, they have to utilize their listening skills when […]

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“I won’t make that mistake again”

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 13, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

Magnus’ first employee suffered from a lack of foresight. She was unable to think through to completion the results of certain actions. She certainly had many positive traits, but this was not one of them. I do not know how many times we heard her say, “well, I won’t make that mistake again.” While it […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 13, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success

There is nothing inherently wrong with learning from one’s mistakes, but there are unavoidable costs associated with making these mistakes. Some of the costs are related to lost time, from expending efforts that are largely unproductive, while other costs are monetary. As small business owners, David and I often bear the brunt of our employees’ […]

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Fort Myers connection & Magnus: Mike Corso

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 11, 2015

Category: Business personalities, Business Relationships, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

In a recent post, David wrote about a client who verbally and physically assaulted him when David made a “courtesy call” to this attorney’s office without an appointment. As David mentioned, this has never happened in our decades of doing business. In fact, most clients are happy to have us stop by for an impromptu […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 11, 2015

Category: Business personalities, Business Relationships, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Melissa and I obviously admire those clients about whom we have posted recently. These posts are about clients whom we have gotten to know in ways beyond the lawsuits and clients for whom they are working. Mike is remarkable to us in how multi dimensional he is. Because of his expertise in engineering, we first […]

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Wish Them Well

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 6, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Relationships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

As a final post, hopefully ever, in the series on unprofessional lawyers, I am borrowing some lyrics from my favorite rock band, RUSH. Written by Rush’s lyricist and drummer extraordinare, Neil Peart, and featured on their most recent album, Clockwork Angels, the song entitled, “Wish Them Well” is about realizing there is sometimes a need […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 6, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Relationships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

David finds a lot of inspiration from his favorite band, RUSH.  Unlike the lyricist for RUSH, Neil Peart, I have difficulty wishing well to someone who has harmed me.  However, wishing someone well is probably the healthiest attitude one can take upon being wronged.  The few clients with whom David and I have had an […]

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Fort Myers connection & Magnus: Tom Chase

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On August 4, 2015

Category: Business personalities, Business Relationships, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Among the amazing attorneys with whom I have had the pleasure to work is an attorney who lives and works in my hometown, Fort Myers, Florida. Although this series of posts has been about attorneys in Fort Myers, there is no other attorney, indeed, person, who is like the one I am going to write […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On August 4, 2015

Category: Business personalities, Business Relationships, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Meeting Tom for the first time, about 20 years ago, I wasn’t sure what to think. His vivid story of one of his cases, which was one of those “truth is stranger than fiction” stories, has stuck with me forever, as it has with all who have heard it. It was not just the story […]

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Unprofessionalism in law

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 30, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Relationships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

As trial consultants, we are generally hired on “big” cases which have enough complicating factors that the attorneys and their clients need our help to figure out. In other words, when the stakes are high, our help is needed. Because of this, perhaps, we have very rarely interacted with unprofessional attorneys. There have been some […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 30, 2015

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Relationships, Careers, Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

I am a “peace and love” aficionado and, as a social psychologist, my people skills are slightly more elevated than those of the attorneys with whom I have chosen to spend my career. It has always amazed me that some attorneys, who are paying me for my help, do everything they can to alienate me, […]

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Fort Myers connection & Magnus: Pat Geraghty

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On July 28, 2015

Category: Business personalities, Business Relationships, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Soon after starting my company, Magnus Research Consultants, with my spouse/business partner, I had the opportunity to meet an attorney in my hometown, Fort Myers, Florida, named Patrick Geraghty. Since that time, Pat has been a great friend, a loyal client, and a source of endless information about a variety of topics. I have had […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On July 28, 2015

Category: Business personalities, Business Relationships, Common Courtesy, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

As the one who was learning about my spouse’s hometown, finding out the back story on much of what happens in Ft. Myers has been interesting. And, Pat Geraghty is a man in the know, therefore, he and Melissa have had much to discuss over the years. I know there are power brokers in every […]

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