A Completely, Wholly Fascinating Wonder Woman in Business, Betsy Munnell

Elizabeth “Betsy” Munnell

She is a Harvard College and Harvard Law School graduate, a wife, a mother of three, a sister, an aunt, a godmother and now, my friend. I had the great and distinct pleasure of chatting with Betsy Munnell on our “Wonder Women in Business” podcast today — but why? Why Betsy?

You see, I had connected on LinkedIn with Betsy because she reached out to say she liked what I was doing to move the needle for women in business, specifically in legal. I was touched by her support and we agreed to have a phone conversation. It was one of the most amazing phone conversations I have ever had.

Betsy lives in New England, where my son was born, and where my friends and some family still reside. It was my home was for nearly twelve of the most powerful, life-changing years of my fifty-two. We have a lot in common. We enjoy much of the same humor and we share many of the same pains. Betsy and I spoke of her years as a supremely successful practicing lawyer and my years in financial services.

This woman, Betsy Munnell, is quite fascinating. Beyond quite, frankly. As I journey through this new venture of lifting women up, I am connecting with some of the most authentic, colorful, creative, brilliant female minds I have ever come to know. Betsy is one of these women. She is a rare gem, who, while raising three children with her husband (also a lawyer), caring for aging parents, and recovering from a mid-career diagnosis of bipolar disorder, still built and grew a robust and successful transactional law practice. Some of her fondest memories are of those years in practice, before she had any idea she would have the good fortune to found and grow a firm of her own in business development coaching.

I believe that in a setting such as the practice of law at one of the country’s finest firms and then her own, Betsy was a survivor. She has endured some of life’s greatest challenges and come out on the other side, a stronger woman, living by example for others.

In her recent LinkedIn article, Betsy writes:

I am a lawyer, and now also an advisor to other lawyers. I have led a rich life. A lucky life. A good life.

Over the past eight years I have deployed all the hard won skills, savvy and wisdom accumulated in these many roles to become the best of the best in a new role, and in my third-- most meaningful-- career.

I am a patient advocate. I have neither business cards nor website. I have only one client. I provide my services pro bono but am richly compensated. I am very good at what I do.

The story that follows is a heart-wrenching tale of her courageous journey as a patient advocate for her husband, best friend, soul mate. The tale, as told by Betsy, will move you, I am sure. It is a tale of resilience and restraint, of living in gratitude as a coping mechanism, and of, as Betsy puts it, “Taking pleasure — every day, all day — in doing the job better, and being braver and tougher, than you ever thought possible.”

I had the pleasure of interviewing Betsy for this podcast. She is all abuzz and “on” the entire time. Her energy is high and her enthusiasm, infectious. I hope you enjoy the podcast as much as I did. Betsy is clearly worthy of the title, “Wonder Woman,” of this I am sure.

Enjoy the podcast.

Wonder Women in Business, Betsy Munnell

Elizabeth “Betsy” Munnell is a business development coach and consultant for lawyers and law firms. She is also the co-creator of a case study driven business skills training program for law firm associates.  Before forming EHMunnell in '09 she practiced law for 30 years, 24 as a partner at Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge (now Locke Lord LLP), where she was one of the founders of EAPD's Boston office and its nationally recognized media and communications debt finance, private equity and M&A industry practice group. Betsy serves on the Board of the ABA’s Career Center. She is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard law School.

Betsy can be reached at:

EHMunnell
Cambridge, Massachusetts
617.596.9031 | emunnell@ehmunnell.com
Website | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Blog

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Hashtag: Be A Roy Sexton

Roy

Sexton

#BeaRoySexton

Podcast Here

Enjoy our conversation!

Tell me a little about your background and the services you offer:

I’ve worked in health care and legal – strategic planning, communications, and marketing. While I have a theatre background (and an MA in theatre from Ohio State), I also hold my MBA from University of Michigan, and I think my career has been defined by helping companies define their brand through narrative and audience. If you think about marketing, it is really storytelling and, more importantly, connecting the right audiences with the narratives that mean the most to them.

My current firm and the one I’m joining are both corporate firms. Kerr Russell has the unique attribute that 20% of the attorneys are also CPAs so they have an interesting consultative approach to the work, and Clark Hill has been in such a growth mode with a strong leadership commitment to redefining the way legal services are delivered. It’s exciting stuff! 

What compelled you to get into legal marketing in the first place?

I truly enjoy helping attorneys find their brand voice and positioning. I think marketing strategy can be a lot of fun in a professional services environment.

What are a few things lawyers should know?

1. I hope that I can help them find their individual and firmwide point of view - one that differentiates them from their competition

2. Don't be discouraged after a few attempts that don't seem to succeed - we are creating a presence and awareness that will yield dividends

3. There is no silver bullet - it takes time to market yourself

If lawyers do not use your services, what might they expect?

No one will know who they are or how special they are. I love telling their stories and helping people discover what makes them tick.

What actionable advice or tips can you give lawyers?

Be patient. Listen to those with experience in areas that are new or foreign to you. Don’t be afraid to be your authentic self. People WILL respond.         

It’s been said that you are quite the digital influencer and I would agree. Heather Morse wrote about you in her blog, “The Legal Watercooler” seen here: The Roy Sexton Effect or How to win friends and influence content?

How can people get in touch with you?

Connect with me on social media and check out my website: 

Look for Roy on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and his website: www.reelroyreviews.com

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 About Roy Sexton

Roy Sexton is responsible for leading Kerr Russell's marketing, business development, communications, and strategic planning efforts. He has nearly 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, business development, and strategic planning, having worked at Deloitte Consulting, Oakwood Healthcare (now Beaumont), Trott Law (formerly Trott & Trott), and St. Joseph Mercy Health System. He has been heavily involved regionally and nationally in the Legal Marketing Association as a board member, content expert, and presenter. He is treasurer-elect currently for the Legal Marketing Association’s Midwest Regional Board of Directors. He was named a Michigan Lawyers Weekly "Unsung Legal Hero" in 2018.

He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Wabash College, and holds two masters degrees: an MA in theatre from The Ohio State University and an MBA from the University of Michigan. He is a graduate of Leadership Detroit and Leadership A2Y, was a governor-appointed member of the Michigan Council of Labor and Economic Growth, and was appointed to the Michigan Mortgage Lenders Association Board of Governors in 2012. He served as an at-large member of LMA's Midwest Regional Board, served on the advisory committee for Strategies Magazine, and was a member of the Social Media SIG steering group. He has been involved on the following nonprofit boards and committees: First Step, Michigan Quality Council, National MS Society, ASPCA, Wabash College Southeast Michigan Alumni Association, Penny Seats Theatre Company and the Spotlight Players. He currently sits on the boards of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Ann Arbor, Royal Starr Film Festival, Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, and encoremichigan.com. He is a published author with two books Reel Roy Reviews, Volume 1 and Reel Roy Reviews Volume 2.

#BeaRoySexton

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"Wonder Women in Business" Podcast with Gina Passarella

Wonder Woman

Gina Passarella

Our "Wonder Women in Business" podcast serves to raise awareness about the great things incredible women in business are doing to survive, thrive and serve others. Everyone has a story and we give a voice to the women whose stories are meaningful, moving, and compelling. We share their story with the world so that in their shining, they give permission to others to shine, as well. Gina Passarella, Editor-in-Chief of ALM's Global Legal Brands certainly shines brightly and we were lucky to have her as a guest on our show today. 

About Gina Passarella

Gina shares about her background, education and current role which she has held for four months. Along with serving as Editor-in-Chief of The American Lawyer, Gina works with the EICs of ALM's global legal brands, including Corporate Counsel, The National Law Journal, Legal Week and China Law & Practice, to connect the deep insights of ALM's niche audience segments, building communities across the entire legal industry.

Gina speaks to us about her proudest professional accomplishment, who her inspiration has been. She candidly shares with us advice to other women to support women in business. She even shares her greatest challenges and how she overcomes. In true generous Gina style, she graciously gives thanks to Hank Grezlak, editor-in-chief of ALM's regional legal brands and theme desks, who gave her the big break, Chief Content Officer Molly Miller, her current boss, and beautifully, to her mother Sandi and daughter Aria.

Enjoy the podcast here:

Get in touch with Gina

Gina Passarella

Editor-in-Chief, Global Legal Brands (The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, The National Law Journal, Legal Week, China Law & Practice)

Editor-in-Chief
The American Lawyer

150 East 42nd Street, Mezzanine Level, New York, NY 10017
NYC: 212-457-9624  *   PHL: 215-557-2494  *  Mobile: 202-302-0565

gpassarella@alm.com

Follow Gina on Twitter @GPassarellaTAL

www.americanlawyer.com

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For more from Freeman Means Business tune into our Freeman Means Business Podcasts

Susan Freeman hosts three podcast shows: Freeman Means Business "Peer Podcast," "Wonder Women in Business," and "Things of Interest."

"Peer Podcast" is a segment where twice monthly, Susan welcomes brilliant and talented colleagues in the professional services industry to share how they can help the listeners, grow and protect the practice, firm, or company.

Susan also hosts the "Wonder Women in Business" podcast to raise awareness about the great things incredible women in business are doing to survive, thrive, and serve others. 

"Things of Interest" is a podcast that serves the greater good in the business community, such as issues surrounding the #MeToo Movement. Susan writes about the podcasts on the blog on her website and then shares then with social media. They are carried by more than ten different channels.

Listeners can tune into “Freeman Means Business” on more than ten channels including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor, Google Podcasts, Breaker, and RadioPublic.

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The Importance of CSR with Pamela Cone

Corporate Social Responsibility

Pamela Cone

Why is social responsibility important to a business?

According to Chris Murphy at Investopedia, Corporate Social Responsibility has become increasingly important to companies over the last several years. Whether it's by empowering women, helping the environment, or trying to end poverty, more and more companies are incorporating social responsibility into their overall business strategy. The social issues may be local, national, or global, but a concern for the health and wellness of others that do not involve sales can be seen as commendable. There are many reasons why a company might engage in social responsibility...

Improving the Company's Brand

Being a socially responsible company can bolster a company's image and build its brand. The public perception of a company is critical to customer and shareholder confidence in the company. By projecting a positive image, a company can make a name for itself for not only being financially profitable but socially conscious as well. Also, by being active in the community, a company's employees are engaging with potential customers and in doing so, indirectly marketing the company in the process. 

Engaging Customers

Building relationships with customers is the cornerstone of a successful company and having a social responsibility policy can impact the buying decisions of customers. Some customers are willing to pay more for a product if they know a portion of the profit is going to worthy cause. Also, if a company is active in the local community – for example, a bank that offers loans to low-income families – the company will be viewed positively by the community and perhaps boost the company's sales as a result. In short, building a positive relationship with customers and their communities can lead to increased sales and rising profits. 

Retaining Top Talent

Many employees want to feel like they're part of something bigger. Social responsibility empowers employees to leverage the corporate resources at their disposal to do good. Some public corporations' employees number in the tens of thousands, and when they get behind an initiative, the results can be amazing.  

Furthermore, being part of a strategy that helps the greater good can boost employee morale and lead to greater productivity in the workforce. Knowing a product and service is also helping with social causes can create a sense of pride and that pride shows in relationships with customers and fellow employees.

Helping Companies Stand out from the Competition

When companies are involved in the community, they stand out from the competition. Building relationships with customers and their neighborhoods help improve the brand's image. For example, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Inc. (TSLA) has bridged the gap between the corporate world and his socially responsible vision by offering electric-powered cars and environmentally friendly automotive products. 

The Bottom Line

When social responsibility is recognized as part of a company's business model, it can attract positive publicity, help attract and retain top talent, and improve relationships with customers and their communities. The benefits can be far and wide, including client retention, improved sales, and financial success. 

As Pamela Cone states in this segment of our "Peer Podcast"...

1. Social Responsibility Now Becoming Table Stakes -- Clients and Employees Expect More From Their Service Providers

Operational Risk - Lost business from clients requiring greater commitment, compliance, and transparency. Difficulty in recruiting and retaining employees.

CSR mitigates risk by identifying the hidden operational risk, which has become increasingly important with clients and employees.  It also makes CSR integral to the company’s value proposition.

2. Stakeholders Want Greater Transparency

Operational Risk - Loss of brand trust, boycotts, divestment

CSR mitigates risk because it knows what and how to communicate to internal and external stakeholders to maintain engagement and brand trust amidst complex and evolving social issues

3. Formerly Voluntary, Social Responsibility Is Now Becoming More Regulated.

Litigation Risks - Because efforts are siloed, transactional, and not part of enterprise risk management; standards are not consistently met or measured effectively.

CSR Mitigates the risk through faster development and deployment of compliance programs and by getting ahead of the curve to ensure consistent compliance on emerging regulations.

If you'd like to contact Pam to learn about how she can help your firm develop a robust CSR program or even best practices on promoting your current CSR program, please email PamelaCone@AmityAdvisory.com. Pam is also on LinkedIn and Twitter. Connect with her!

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PODCAST: A Little Bit About a Whole Lot About Legal Business Development

Dina: Believe it or not, you are a salesperson, Lawyer. Yeah, I heard. Lawyers don’t sell.  But, really? 

Dina: Lawyers sell their ideas and theories on behalf of their clients.  We are always trying to persuade someone to do something, right?  So, why then, are lawyers so reluctant to sell?

Dina: That’s a great question that my guest who is an expert in business development for lawyers sets out to answer in our fun interview.  I love bringing you experts who think the way I do about growing your law practice.  It’s a business. You need to use business tactics and resources.

Susan Freeman

Jaffe | Freeman Means Business

Can you please tell me a little about your background and the services you offer?

I have over 20 years of business development and communications in the financial, legal, and technology areas. I am a master trainer, coach and public speaker, laser-focused on building positive and meaningful relationships and helping others become trusted advisors to their clients. My clients learn more about various communication styles and business development tools that attract new business, retain current clients, and expand on existing client relationships. The goal is to create not only satisfied clients – but loyal ones!

Why did you decide to offer your services?

Business development done properly is a win-win outcome where both parties walk away feeling good about the process. But women and men communicate differently in the workplace setting and often struggle to share visions. How women engage in relationship selling is different than how men engage. Raising awareness of this dynamic is the key to success.

How can professionals benefit from your services?

I help women learn how to engage in business development best practices by communicating effectively with other women — and with men, especially when delivering a value proposition, assessing client needs, and engaging in a long-term relationship where both parties feel good about the exchange.

Name 3 things that people may misunderstand and set the record straight.

1. Behind every good business developer, there is a series of analytical, methodical steps that will get you closer to closing a deal. Meaningful marketing is not about logos on golf balls.

2. Business development requires not only IQ but EQ — and that’s a challenge for many INTJs.

3. I will help you attune communication so your message reaches your audience in the way you intended it to and helps you:

• Demonstrate credibility

• Connect emotionally

• Frame goals based on common ground

• Vividly reinforce your position

• Close with grace and shared advantages

• Gather meaningful client feedback

• Get referrals and testimonials

• Engage in ongoing excellent client service

• Become a trusted partner to your clients

• Bring in new business and create raving fans

If people don’t use your services what can they expect?

Lose market share and ultimately profits and people.

What’s the best actionable advice you can give?

Ask powerful questions of the client and then actively listen so that you can afford a meaningful solution.

Do you have a special offer you’d like to share? If so what is it?

Happy to assess your needs and host an initial best practices session free of charge.

How can people connect with you? List 2 social outlets

FreemanMeansBusiness.com or find me on LinkedIn at in/susancfreeman or Twitter @susfree

Wildcard - What’s your favorite food or beverage & why? 

Avocados. Are. The. Best. Fruit. In. The. Whole. World. Fruit, you say? Why yes… it may be hard to believe, but that tasty green thing is not a vegetable, but a fruit — a berry, to be exact. Honestly, there might be something slightly wrong with you if you don’t like avocado. I could happily eat it every day.

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