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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.

If you know an employee is drinking on job, tell the boss!

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 24, 2016

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

Many years ago we had a secretary working for us who had a secret; let’s call her “Polly.” And, the secret manifested itself in a strange way. For the first few months of her employment we had no issues. Then we started noticing that she performed okay in the morning, but not as well in […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 24, 2016

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

Drinking alcohol on the job is never a good idea (unless one is a professional wine taster or something similar).  I have worked with many, many people over the years who were intoxicated on the job or who were experiencing the ill effects of intoxicants they consumed prior to reporting for work.  I have also […]

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Be kind to animals

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 22, 2016

Category: Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Work-Life

I am an animal lover. I like animals, particularly cats, more than I like many people. (I like dogs, as well as other kinds of animals, but I have a special affinity for felines of all breeds, including big cats, such as jaguars.) In my encounters in life, I have discovered there are lots of […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 22, 2016

Category: Common Courtesy, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Work-Life

I have known people, including one of my grandmothers, who were deathly afraid of animals due to a bad experience in childhood.  But, thankfully, I have been around many more people who loved animals and saw them, whether dogs or cats, as their best friends.  I grew up with lots of dogs and cats around, […]

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Help the boss – it is why you have a job

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 17, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Over the years we have had a few employees who failed to comprehend that Job # 1 was helping the bosses help the clients. Regardless of what we as bosses are doing, we need the employees to be “support staff.” More than 1 employee has been fixated on a task to the point that we […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 17, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

I have never understood why some employees fail to realize their only purpose is to work for their employer.  And further, I do not understand why some employees fail to realize that working for their employer means performing job duties requested by their employer.  For me, the only point of going to work is to […]

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Care about something

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 16, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work

At first glance, this may seem like an unusual topic for this site, however, in my interactions with people, and in the world at large, I have found there are many people who care about little, or even nothing. There are some people who have a general disdain for humanity, and their fellow human beings, […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 16, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work

As we have pointed out in these posts is that the scheme is one of us thinks of a topic and becomes the 1st writer.  The other of us responds.  As a result, I sometimes have to think about the topics and why they resonated with Melissa.  This is one of those but, as I […]

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Not your first gig; Not your first day on job

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 10, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Everyone who works had a first day on the job. A first time to interact with customers, a first sale, a first something. For my partner and me, when new employees are hired, they are trained and they ultimately participate on their first jury research project. New employees cannot be expected to know enough from […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 10, 2016

Category: Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

Magnus Research Consultants has employed many people who are working in their first professional job following their graduation from college.  Some of our employees have worked during high school and college, while others have never been employed prior to working for Magnus.  David and I have spent considerable time over the years coaching these eager, […]

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Living & Dying in 3/4 time

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 8, 2016

Category: Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Work-Life

For the reader who is not a Jimmy Buffett fan, “Living and Dying in 3/4 Time” is the name of an album (or vinyl, in today’s lingo), as well as part of the lyrics of the song “Nautical Wheelers” (from the album titled, “A1A”). The expression, living and dying in 3/4 time has meaning to […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 8, 2016

Category: Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Work-Life

For Melissa and me, music often takes us away to other places.  Sometimes literally, when we travel to a concert in another city, state, or country.  More often, figuratively as we contemplate the lyrics and music that move us.  Jimmy Buffett, especially for those of us who don’t mind sand between the toes on a […]

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Make ‘em look good

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 3, 2016

Category: Business Relationships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

One aspect of our work as trial consultants is to evaluate cases so that our attorney clients learn how their case will be perceived by jurors, judges, arbitrators, or mediators. We always learn things that the attorneys and our other clients did not know or did not anticipate. The truth is, we may not have […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 3, 2016

Category: Business Relationships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Managing Employees, Small Business Success, Trial Consulting

There are many ways an employee can help his/her boss look good.  In the days when I worked for a large corporation and did not perform administrative tasks, I had a secretary.  (I actually had a series of secretaries in the early days of my career, which dates back to the time when being a […]

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Gum chewing

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 1, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Common Courtesy, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Work-Life

Almost everyone has a bad habit or more than one bad habit. And, people being people, most people with a bad habit prefer to perceive their bad habit as merely a habit, or a routine, or a preference, absent the negative connotation associated with the expression, “bad habit.” My habit, bad, good, or otherwise, is […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 1, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Common Courtesy, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Work-Life

Some of these posts are just fun to think about, and one thing the reader may be wondering is, “Why are they writing that”?  As we contemplated our blog, we started listing topics, a handful came to us quickly.  This one is #99 on Melissa’s list.  So, my response to her both on choosing the […]

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It’s obvious to you, it’s your company

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 25, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees

In our posts we have often written about things some of our employees have said, without thinking first. Or, maybe in some instances they didn’t think enough. One such utterance was this: “It’s obvious to you; you own the company…” said in defense of an employee’s mistake when she attempted to deflect blame from herself […]

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Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 25, 2016

Category: Business personalities, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Getting Through Life and Work, Managing Employees

A lot of things are obvious to me when they are not obvious to other people.  There are several fundamental differences between many people and me.  Most people spend too much time: (1) being self absorbed; (2) not paying attention to their surroundings; (3) using only one of their five senses, to the exclusion of […]

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When not to park in a disabled parking place

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 23, 2016

Category: Common Courtesy, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Work-Life

Just as there are people who need to park in disabled parking place, there are people, most people, in fact, who do not need to park in a disabled parking space. Prior to co-owning our business, my spouse and I had the unpleasant experience of working for a person who had a particularly vile penchant […]

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Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 23, 2016

Category: Common Courtesy, Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Work-Life

I, too, hope karma, or something, will have a way with the person Melissa references.  I don’t know if it will, but neither of us had ever experienced anything like we observed with this person Melissa mentions.  One hears stories about people who abuse parking privileges such as this, and though at the time of […]

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