by Gary Mitchell | Jun 20, 2022 | Coaching, Growing your firm
OnTrac(R) Coach has been named in The Top Ten Business Coaches and Mastermind Groups to help You Grow Your Law Firm, from Smith AI.
“The legal industry is highly competitive. It can take decades to build a strong reputation and a solid firm that gets the kind of business that you’ve always dreamed of or the clientele whose cases you’ve always wanted to assist with. What if you don’t want to wait decades, though? The good news is that today, you don’t have to.
There are several tools and resources out there today to help you accelerate your law firm’s success, including business coaches and mastermind groups that can teach you all the ins and outs of running a law firm and taking care of the “business” aspect of things. Law school is great for learning the laws, but no one prepares you for the business of running a law firm. Not the way you should be prepared, anyway.”
“…The critical case for a business coach
In case you’re still trying to figure out why now is the right time to hire a business coach, think about things like:
- A business coach holds you accountable. They will work with you to set reasonable, appropriate goals and ensure that you can take the steps needed to achieve those goals. They don’t care about feelings or anything else. They care about results, and they will ensure that you get them.
- A coach is going to be honest. Again, they’re not worried about hurting your feelings or being your friend. They will give you the truth and make sure that they are authentic in doing so. No one is going to give you a sugar-coated anything because that’s not going to help you here at all.
- Perspective is another perk that you get from hiring a coach. You get an outside perspective, but you also get the perspective of someone who has been in the industry and knows how to build successful practices. It can give you the chance to re-focus and get your firm back on trac
- Forward-thinking coaches will ensure that you think about the long-term success of your law firm. They will look at things like 5, 10, and 20-year plans, exit strategies, and potential challenges and goals that will come along the way. This is stuff that you might think isn’t important yet, but it can set you up for success.
- Coaches know how law firms succeed, but more importantly, they know how they fail. That kind of insight isn’t easy to come by. There are so many things you can learn by keeping up with those who came before you, including the ones who didn’t make it. Sometimes, that advice is more valuable than the advice about what does work.
- Increased performance will be seen across all areas of your law firm. Whether it’s a solo practice or you’ve got a whole team of attorneys, the firm operating better means that the people will work better. This will continue to help grow your firm and build your reputation.
These are some of the critical reasons that you should consider a business coach. There are so many different providers out there today, from business pros to legal experts and everyone in between. Make sure that you find the one that fits your needs. To help with that, here are the top 10 coaching options for your law firm or practice.”
Read the full article including the top ten list here.
by Gary Mitchell | Mar 29, 2022 | Growing your firm, Growing your practice
As I wrote in the preface of my latest book, Growing a Law Practice during Covid-19: “Just a short while ago the concept of allowing lawyers and support staff to work from home seemed like a pipe dream. It could never work. The sky would fall. Nothing would get done. And then along came Covid-19 and kicked the world and the legal industry in the ass! And the sky didn’t fall. And the work got done!”
Basically, COVID-19 forced the legal industry out of the dark ages, into the 21st century, and pretty much, overnight. There was resistance, of course. But as time went on, people adapted, the glitches and challenges were worked out. And, what many people discovered is that their productivity went up, and they were able to create more balance in their lives.
In case you are considering taking your practice or firm virtual, here are some things to consider.
Expanded client pool
How large a market do you want to serve? You don’t have to be restricted by geographical limitations anymore. You can be licensed in one province or state and work from anywhere. Clients are also used to working with their lawyers virtually. So, it no longer means limiting your business development and marketing to your neighbourhood.
Read the full article here.
Book your free consultation here.
Until next time, wishing you success in your entrepreneurial pursuits.
Gary
by Gary Mitchell | Feb 16, 2022 | Business development, Coaching, Growing your firm, Growing your practice, HR
After years in development, we have released the OnTrac Practice Builder App for Lawyers. It will take you through the A-Z of growing your practice or firm. In the media here.
Designed for the self-learning lawyer, this App was built upon 16 years of coaching Lawyers in various practice areas, at various stages of their careers, and from far and wide geographical locations. Learn more about the App here.
Associates and Partners alike will find the App invaluable in growing their practice or firm. It covers everything from Practice Management to Leadership and HR.
Looking for more support? Book a consultation with me to discuss how personal coaching can take you there. There being wherever you have set your sights on. Book now.
Until next time, wishing you success with The Business of Law.
by Gary Mitchell | Nov 9, 2021 | Becoming more strategic, Coaching, Coaching results
Recently I was interviewed for Authority Magazine.
Here is an excerpt.
The coaching industry is now tremendous. It is a 15 billion dollar industry. Many professionals have left their office jobs to become highly successful coaches. At the same time, not everyone who starts a coaching business sees success. What does someone starting a career as a life coach, wellness coach, or business coach need to know to turn it into a very successful and rewarding career?
In this interview series, called “Five Things You Need To Create a Highly Successful Career As a Life or Business Coach” we are interviewing experienced and successful life coaches, wellness coaches, fitness coaches, business and executive coaches and other forms of coaches who share the strategies you need to create a successful career as a life or business coach.
In this particular interview, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Gary Mitchell.
Gary Mitchell is the CEO of OnTrac Coach. He’s worked with some of the biggest law firms and lawyers in the country for over 15 years. His business coaching enables clients to understand how business and law are connected, and become more efficient in their work.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and what brought you to this particular career path?
I’ve had a whole host of different backgrounds, as entrepreneurs often do. I started my first business when I was 25. In the years following I found I was always drawn to roles and businesses that focused on helping others.
It was when I was managing a political campaign, and giving a ton of advice to the candidate that I had a real ‘aha’ moment! I was coaching him on everything — from shaking hands to public speaking, debating, and going on live TV — and I began to watch this person grow and develop before my eyes. It was so exciting to see the advice and tools I imparted on them pay off!
It just so happened that the politician had a lawyer friend who encouraged me to look into the legal industry for coaching, as they have very similar soft skills needs. So, I did some research and found that this was true.
From there it all came together very quickly. I landed my first client within a year of starting down this path. And here we are 15 years, 3 books, and 1 app later!
Read the full article here.
by Gary Mitchell | Nov 3, 2021 | Practice management
The Coach: Where to start with practice management, part one I Gary Mitchell
(October 5, 2021, 8:30 AM EDT) — One of the most common challenges I witness my clients deal with is that they never seem to have the time, or find the time, to properly devote to business development and marketing to grow their practice or firm. So, I start my coaching program by looking at their practice management skills to find ways to improve them, and in turn, find the time for business development and marketing.
It’s about becoming more efficient, more productive and more focused. This will save you time and lessen your stress. And when you save time, you find more time to focus on your marketing and business development efforts to grow your practice or firm.
Read the full article here.
