Susan Freeman

April 14, 2019

Podcasts

Wonder Woman in Business, Badass Lady Legal Marketer, Katie Barnard

Susan Freeman

April 14, 2019

Podcasts

Katie+Barnard.jpg — Katherine Hollar Barnard

CEO, Firesign Marketing

Katherine (Katie) Hollar Barnard, Chief Executive Officer

Firesign | Enlightened Legal Marketing

Katie started Firesign to help legal industry clients attract, win and retain business. She draws upon more than 10 years of experience at two of the nation’s largest law firms to build brands that connect and business plans that deliver.

As the chief marketing officer at Lathrop & Gage, and then Shook, Hardy & Bacon, Katie led all business development and marketing communications for the national Am Law 200 firms. She started the client feedback program at Lathrop, now in its ninth year, and launched the award-winning agribusiness practice. Her full-scale rebrand of Shook earned “Best Identity” from the Legal Marketing Association’s Midwest chapter. During her Shook tenure, she also created a business development dashboard to show pitches and wins in real time, and most relevant to Firesign clients, her department brought in eight figures of new work.

Katie’s in-house marketing teams won recognition for branding, websites, internal programs and other tactics, but she may be more proud that she outlawed stock photos of gavels, law books and the scales of justice at both organizations.

Her experience extends beyond the discipline of marketing into the business of law; she is adept at marshalling resources, staff and technology. She has advised on leadership transitions, mergers and acquisitions, and office openings and closings.

A former journalist, Katie previously covered legal issues for the Associated Press and three newspapers. As a reporter, she learned to deliver under deadline, simplify complex ideas and wield a ruthless grammar standard.

Presentations

Young Lawyer Essentials: Biographies and Social Media, Johnson County (Kan.) Bar Association - May 2018

Professional Development Workshop, Hispanic National Bar Association LGBT Leadership Summit - September 2017

Artificial Intelligence: Harnessing the Power of AI and Selling It Internally, Legal Marketing Association Annual Conference - March 2017

The Power of Brands, International Association of Defense Counsel Midyear Meeting - February 2016

Keeping it Legal on Social Media, Social Media Club of Kansas City - January 2016

CMO Roundtable, Legal Marketing Association - Kansas City Chapter - October 2015

Avoiding Public Humiliation on Social Media, Public Relations Student Society of America Summit, Kansas City - September 2014

Taking a Traditional Business into the Social Era, Social Media Club of Kansas City - April 2014

Law Firm Technology and What Clients Want: IT as a Catalyst, LEGALTECH - February 2014

Social Media for Law Firms, Association of Legal Administrators – Greater Kansas City Chapter - October 2013

Why the CMO is the CIO’s Best Friend, International Legal Technology Association Annual Conference - August 2013

Yikes! We’re a Meme, Public Relations Society of America – Greater Kansas City Chapter - January 2013

Career 2020: Take Control of Your Destiny, International Legal Technology Association Annual Conference - August 2012

The Next Sanjay Gupta? Expertise, Content and Engaging with the Media, Legal Marketing Association Annual Conference - March 2012

Client Feedback: The Essential First Steps, Legal Marketing Association’s Client Feedback Webinar Series - September 2010

**Enjoy the podcast.**

Katherine Hollar Barnard, CEO, Firesign Marketing

Picapalooza Just For Fun

Focus

As a woman in business, it's good to channel your inner Katniss. I own two recurve bows. I only shoot at targets, not living things, and I'm far from deadly, but it's a fun exercise in focus. Ava joined me for this round.

Family

I'm blessed to have a family that goes along with my crazy ideas for group photos. This was our holiday card from last year -- me, Dave and the girls: Ava, Remy and Kate.

Gold AMPS Award

Last summer, Firesign earned a Gold AMPS Award from the Social Media Club for "Best Email Campaign." I accepted the trophy with my husband/general counsel, David, at my side.

Lessons Learned

I underestimated how fulfilling it would be to launch a business with three young ladies in the house. My bonus daughters -- also lovingly referred to as the interns -- were there when the website went live, and they were there at the ribbon-cutting. They have been so encouraging, and I'm glad they get to see firsthand a woman making her own way (and learning from her own mistakes).

Wall Street

Black Swan of Wall Street....just a random visit to the New York Stock Exchange.

Happy Anniversary

Last month, March, 2019, we celebrated Firesign's second anniversary - this is our team: Katie McNeil, Erin Curtis-Dierks, me and Amy Nouri. While you CAN see my bump here, what you CAN'T see is the setting: For the anniversary celebration, we went axe-throwing, along with our husbands. And of course the tiny blonde dominated everyone.

Connect with Katie

T: 913.225.7707

E: khb@firesignmarketing.com

LinkedIn: in/katherinehollar

Wonder Women in Business FINAL_Oct 2018.png — **FreemanMeansBusiness.com**

Susan Freeman

April 4, 2019

Podcasts

Wonder Woman in Business, Patricia K. Gillette, Esq.

Susan Freeman

April 4, 2019

Podcasts

Pat G.png — **Patricia K. Gillette, Esq.**

Pat Gillette is one of the country’s leading experts and most sought-after speakers on gender diversity and equality. She speaks regularly at law firm retreats, conferences, ABA meetings, State Bar meetings and industry events.

For most of the 40 years over which Pat practiced law, she was rated as a top employment litigator and trial lawyer by Chambers and other organizations and was a leader and rainmaker in her firms, At the end of 2015 she resigned as a partner at Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe, LLP to pursue her passion for empowering women through keynote speaking and writing. She was also invited to join JAMS to mediate employment cases and now has a successful mediation practice.

Pat’s newest book, ”Rainmakers: Born or Bred” is filled with practical tactics and strategies that can be easily implemented to enhance business development skills and books of business. The book highlights the nationally acclaimed Rainmaker Study and includes helpful tips from rainmakers and clients across the country. This groundbreaking study, coupled with Ms. Gillette’s insights from her own experiences, brings a fresh perspective and approach to business development.

Rainmakers: Born or Bred

Stripping back the negative associations many lawyers have with the ‘S’ word – selling – is a crucial step in redefining a lawyers approach to business development. This book explores the benefits to stepping out of the safety net of simply being a great lawyer – which, in today’s market, is a given. Successful rainmakers know how to truly engage with clients, to understand their business needs and challenges, and how to make their lives easier. These are the skills that attract and build sustainable, rewarding client relationships.
**Rainmakers: Born or Bred** helps you to identify those seemingly intangible aspects of selling that many lawyers think are unachievable, and provides you with practical ideas to implement as you set out on your journey to improve your business development skills. Packed with opinions and advice from actual clients and rainmakers alike, it will help you to make the most of the business development opportunities that present themselves every day – while staying true to your own personality.

Pat has been widely recognized for her work to advance women in the profession. Most recently, she was chosen as the 2018 recipient of the ABA Margaret Brent Award, the highest honor given to women lawyers for professional achievements and advancing the interests of women in the profession. She has also received the ABA Golden Hammer Award, the California Women Lawyers Association’s Fay Stender Award, the Transformational Leadership Award as one of the Top Women Rainmakers, and the Barristers Association of San Francisco Award of Merit.

Pat is the co-founder of the Opt-In Project, a nationwide initiative focused on changing the structure of law firms to increase the retention and advancement of women. Her team at the 2016 Diversity Lab Hackathon created the Mansfield Rule, requiring that 30% of all candidates for leadership positions be women or minorities. The Mansfield Rule has been adopted by over 60 firms nationwide and is increasing the visibility and pipeline of women and minorities for leadership positions in firms and organizations.

Pat has been a Commissioner on the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession, a member of ABA’s Gender Equity Task Force, Co-Chair of the BASF No Glass Ceiling Initiative, a member of the National Women Lawyers Association Board and Foundation, and she serves on several non-profit boards dedicated to protecting and promoting women, including Equal Rights Advocates and DirectWomen,

Pat is the proud mother of two successful and enlightened sons and lives in Kensington, California with her husband of 40+ years. She was an elected official in her town and is active in political and community organizations and activities. We had a fantastic and quite robust conversation on our recent podcast. Enjoy the conversation here…

**Enjoy the podcast.**

**Patricia K. Gillette, Esq.**

Pat is available for engagements ranging from Keynote Addresses to Boardroom Consultations. She has delivered talks to premiere institutions and organizations throughout the country.

To Connect with Pat:

Visit Pat’s website: patriciagillette.com
Visit Pat’s LinkedIn page: in/patriciagillette

Susan Freeman

April 3, 2019

Podcasts

Wonder Woman in Business, Deborah Farone -- and Her New Book Too!

Susan Freeman

April 3, 2019

Podcasts

Best Practices in Law Firm Business Development and Marketing

Best Practices in Law Firm Business Development and Marketing is a unique resource for law firm leaders, practicing attorneys, legal marketers, consultants, and educators who want to uncover the best marketing practices in the legal profession. Find out how the most successful law firm leaders are creating and developing firm cultures to encourage business development, and how smaller firms and single practitioners are executing on marketing plans to make an impact.

This book uncovers the best practices in the wide arena of legal marketing and covers topics including:

the most successful ways to create long-term relationships with clients
how personalities, leadership, and collaboration contribute to a firm’s culture and brand
what characteristics management should look for when hiring a CMO
how compensation, firm culture, training, and coaching can support and incentivize business development
steps to take to build an individual reputation and brand, including the use of press, speaking engagements, and social media
the essential approach to support women lawyers with business development — including ideas on networking, mentorship versus sponsorship, and authenticity in marketing
how new technologies are being applied to deliver better service, attract clients, and generate business
the important role of legal operations, the procurement professional, and legal process outsourcing
practical methods for evaluating AI solutions to business needs such as billing, e-discovery, and technology-assisted review

Culled from scores of interviews with law firm leaders, chief marketing officers, and legal innovation visionaries, Best Practices provides actionable advice and real-world thinking. Each chapter is filled with information that can be scaled to apply to a single-person law practice as well as a large international law firm. In addition, the book features special “Think Pieces” from some of the nation’s leading experts in legal marketing.

Deborah Farone has had the unique opportunity to play a role in developing the best practices in professional services marketing by working with the most respected and demanding professionals in the world.

DF 2.jpeg — Part of marketing involves educating and coaching. Ms. Farone has enjoyed doing this in the academic arena as well as professionally. She has served as an adjunct Assistant Professor at New York University and has taught several courses, including “Effective Marketing and Public Relations for Professional Service Companies” and “Marketing and Public Relations for Law Firms,” the first courses of their kind offered by a major university.

Over the past two decades, Ms. Farone has carved out a niche by distinguishing herself as the chief marketing officer of two of the country’s most successful law firms and the founder of both firms' business development and communications departments. But before entering into the legal marketing profession, she sharpened her communications and business development skills by working at a global management consulting firm. When she applied for her first position out of college, she didn’t take no for an answer when applying to the PR firm she had her eye set on for her first job. After receiving numerous letters stating the firm was not hiring, the third letter she submitted to the firm along with a press kit demonstrating her experience did the trick. She was hired as a coordinator in the firm’s new business department.

Career

Most recently, Ms. Farone was the CMO at the law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. On the business development side, she worked with colleagues to create a business and industry intelligence unit to help generate business opportunities, craft practice development plans and prepare partners for all forms of presentations. She also spent a large part of each day working with individual lawyers on their own business development plans. On the communications side, she dealt with crisis communications, as well as strategic public relations, social media, the Firm’s website and all marketing communications. Prior to joining Cravath, Ms. Farone was the chief marketing officer at Debevoise & Plimpton. Working with professionals at these extraordinary firms, with their talented lawyers and staff, and focusing on innovative practices, has allowed her rare experience into how to craft effective marketing programs geared toward growing business.

Ms. Farone joined Debevoise & Plimpton from Towers Perrin (now Willis Towers Watson), where she coordinated national press relations and marketing efforts. Prior to joining Towers, she worked at Ketchum Communications (now Ketchum, Inc.). While she started off in the new business department at Ketchum, she was quickly promoted to work on accounts for both investor and public relations clients. Her clients included publicly-held and private companies in the financial, professional services and consumer product sectors.

Speaking Engagements

Deborah is a sought-after keynote speaker at conferences and retreats throughout the U.S. and in Europe. She currently serves along with Brad Karp of Paul Weiss as the co-chair of PLI’s annual “All Star Business Development for Lawyers” and as a co-chair of American Lawyer Media’s Legalweek conference. As a former adjunct faculty member at New York University and former President of the New York Chapter of the Legal Marketing Association, she is well-versed on exciting ways to capture an audience’s attention and provide them with actionable take-aways. She is also a regular speaker at programs hosted by LMA, Thomson Reuters and Ellevate.

She presents to law firms and associations on a variety of topics, including:

Legal marketing trends
Rainmaking for new partners
Best practices of superstar rainmakers firm culture
Women and rainmaking

Outside Activities

Ms. Farone is a founder of the CMO and CIO Roundtable, an invitation-only group of the county's leading law firms that meets annually to discuss best practices and stay abreast of trends in the legal profession and in marketing. She is a past President of the Legal Marketing Association’s New York Chapter and past Chair of the New York City Bar Association's inaugural marketing communications committee. Ms. Farone is a charter member of the Luxury Marketing Council and a member of the National Investor Relations Institute, Elevate and the Council of Protocol Executives.

Ms. Farone has served as a Sponsor Vice Chair for The New York Public Library’s Spring Luncheon. She has also served as an appointed member of the International Trademark Association’s public relations task force, as Chair of the New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America’s “Meet the Media” committee and an officer of PRSA’s professional service committee. Mrs. Farone also serves as an Advisor to the Chair of the Lawyers for the Library Committee of The New York Public Library.

Honors

As a recent recipient of the Legal Marketing Association's Legacy Award, in recognition of making a distinguishable mark on the profession as a whole, Ms. Farone feels strongly about helping others achieve their success. She has been honored at the YWCA’s Women Leader Lucheon and serves as a member of the organization’s Academy of Women Leaders. For many years, Ms. Farone had served on the Board of Directors of The Girl Scouts Council of Greater New York.

Education

Ms. Farone has a B.S. in Marketing and Mass Communications from Boston University’s College of Communications, where she graduated magna cum laude. Upon graduation, she was the recipient of the College’s Alumni Award for Student Excellence and a member of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology.

Some Favorite Instagram Photos

https://www.instagram.com/deborahfaronebestpractices/

Contact Deborah:

Farone Advisors LLC

1185 Avenue of the Americas

Third Floor

New York, NY 10036

917-697-7055

LinkedIn: in/deborahfarone

Susan Freeman

April 2, 2019

Podcasts

Girl's Got Game: “Wonder Woman in Business,” Anne Ahola Ward

Susan Freeman

April 2, 2019

Podcasts

Ann Aloha Ward 2.jpg — Anne Ahola Ward

CEO,
**Veritoken Global**

Anne Ahola Ward, CEO of Veritoken Global, first Woman to Launch an STO Under the ERC884 Standard

Anne Ahola Ward is chief executive officer at Veritoken Global. Dubbed "The Mother of Startups" by CNN, Ward is an entrepreneur, futurist, and published O'Reilly author. As CEO of Veritoken Global, Ward has led the way for updates in blockchain technology, specifically utilizing previously underappreciated technology known as "Non-Fungible Tokens" (NFTs) to help alleviate global suffering for the unbanked.

In a career that spans more than 15 years, Ward has thrived in most areas of technology, having mastered nearly every role in web development including DBA, webmaster and developer. Ward was an early entrant into the field of search engine optimization and in 2009 co-founded digital marketing agency, CircleClick, which has worked with world-renowned companies including Apple and Samsung. Ward was named one of Entrepreneur's "27 Top Masters of Marketing that everyone can learn from" in 2014, and "Top 50 Inspirational Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2017." Ward frequently tours as an IoT Influencer with the elite IBM Futurist Program.

Anne has been quite busy these days…

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Veritoken Global today announced the start of its SEC-approved ERC-884 security token offering (STO) to further the company’s mission to bring data control, privacy, and protection to U.S. investors. Veritoken is facilitating adoption of non-fungible tokens (NFT) to the blockchain by establishing new industry standards, as outlined in their recently published Veritoken Global Bill of Rights. The company’s mission and its patent-pending NFT solution represent a path to ownership of individual data on the blockchain, enabling humans to determine what data is private, public, and the terms under which it may be used. The Veritoken STO offering begins April 3, 2019, the first to be led by a woman CEO.

FULL PRESS RELEASE HERE

Long gone are the days of being able to easily rank in Google. The market has radically shifted towards mobile search and local search, and each have their own factors that influence optimization of results.

While the market has changed, both mobile and local present great opportunities for those who understand how they both differ from traditional search. There are some simple factors that can assist you in targeting both.

Anne offers readers top SEO diagnostic tools in her most recent book…

SEO Battlefiend.png — ***ORDER NOW***

***The SEO Battlefield***

Check out a special edition, “Wonder Women in Business” podcast…

with Anne Ahola Ward, CEO Veritoken Global

**Enjoy the podcast.**

Anne Ahola Ward, CEO
**Veritoken Global**

CONTACT ANNE:
Anne Ahola Ward, CEO

T: 415-886-5530

E: anne@veritoken.io

W: www.veritoken.io

Twitter: @VeriToken_io

LinkedIn: in/annebot

Susan Freeman

March 27, 2019

Podcasts

Wonder Woman, Sheenika Gandhi, Brilliant and Beautiful in So Many Ways!

Susan Freeman

March 27, 2019

Podcasts

GANDHI-SHEENIKA HI 2018-01-16.jpg — Sheenika Gandhi

Director of Marketing & Business Development,
Payne & Fears, LLP

Sheenika S. Gandhi leads the development, oversight and implementation of the firm’s strategic marketing and business development objectives.

She is a strong project manager, creative thinker, and a trusted advisor for the firm’s attorneys and management. Her recent notable projects include: an integrated thought leadership strategy, a business development coaching program, and centralized budget and operational processes.

Prior to joining Payne & Fears LLP, Sheenika led the digital marketing strategy for five years at an AmLaw200 firm.

Sheenika received her J.D. from California Western School of Law and her B.A. in Business Administration and International Relations from University of San Diego. Sheenika is a licensed California attorney.

Sheenika is an active volunteer with the Legal Marketing Association, the leading association for legal marketing. She currently assists with programming, communications and sponsorship in her role as Vice-Chair of the Southern California Local Steering Committee.

Committed to helping cultural non-profit organizations grow in their membership and marketing, she has volunteered as a former Co-Chair for both the Young Jains of America and Young Jain Professionals, and served on committees for the Jain Center of Southern California and the Gujarati Society of Southern California. She enjoys yoga, exploring vegan restaurants and traveling.

Sheenika’s parents, brother and her husband on their wedding day.

Sheenika and her husband covered in colored powder to celebrate the Indian festival of Holi.

Holi Festival in Southern California. Holi, a festival of colors originating from the Indian subcontinent, signifies the arrival of spring, the blossoming of love and overall a festive day!