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Spill The Ink

Spill The Ink

By: Michelle Calcote King
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Welcome to Spill the Ink, a podcast by Reputation Ink featuring growth and visibility experts from professional services firms, including law firms and AEC firms. Career Success Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • The MIT Program: How Strong Habits Drove 82% New Business Growth at One Law Firm

    The MIT Program: How Strong Habits Drove 82% New Business Growth at One Law Firm
    Jul 17 2025
    Many law firms invest in excellent business development coaching, see fantastic initial results, then watch performance gradually decline. Anna Hedgepeth, Chief Strategy Officer at Cranfill Sumner, observed this cycle happening firsthand at her firm and set out to develop a psychology-based system that would produce lasting results. Anna joins Michelle Calcote King on this “Spill the Ink” episode to discuss the “Most Important Things” (MIT) program, which has increased attorney matter originations by 82% on average at Cranfill Sumner. The disciplined 15-minute biweekly meeting requires attorneys to commit to three specific business development actions and leverages peer accountability to ensure consistency. In this episode, Anna discusses the psychological principles behind lasting behavior change, shares real examples of effective MITs, explains her “no assumptions” rule for client development, and discusses the unexpected benefits of cross-office collaboration. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn Why business development coaching often fails after the initial year and how to spot when programs are losing effectiveness. The psychology behind limiting goals to three “Most Important Things” and why this creates sustainable habits. How 15-minute biweekly peer accountability calls outperform traditional solo coaching approaches. The “no assumptions” rule for business development and why questioning beats assuming client knowledge. Implementation advice for keeping programs simple, honoring time commitments and building attorney trust. The science behind written goals and peer accountability in professional settings. How the program creates unexpected cross-office collaboration and lateral integration benefits. Why forward-looking focus beats backward-looking performance reviews for habit formation. About our featured guest Anna Hedgepeth is a dynamic leader at the intersection of law, business development and strategic growth. With a strong foundation in public relations and legal education coupled with extensive experience in law firm marketing and strategy, she specializes in translating ideas into actionable business development plans that drive client engagement and organizational success. As Cranfill Sumner’s first Chief Strategy Officer, Anna plays a pivotal role in shaping the firm’s growth. She serves on the Management Committee, leads the business development and marketing team, and oversees firm-wide strategic initiatives. Anna is an active leader in the legal marketing and business development community. She serves on the Legal Marketing Association Southeast (LMASE) Regional Board of Directors and previously chaired the 2023 LMASE Regional Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Additionally, she has chaired the LMA Raleigh City Group and served on its advisory board. She regularly speaks on various topics including law firm business and development. Resources mentioned in this episode Check out Cranfill Sumner Follow Cranfill Sumner on LinkedIn and Facebook Connect with Anna Hedgepeth on LinkedIn Say hello to Michelle Calcote King on LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms. Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at info@rep-ink.com today.
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    22 mins
  • The Legal Marketer’s Blind Spot: Start Treating Lawyers as Clients

    The Legal Marketer’s Blind Spot: Start Treating Lawyers as Clients
    Jul 7 2025
    You can’t sell a product effectively without understanding it. In law firms, that product is the attorneys. To sell legal services, legal marketers need to invest in not just learning the firm’s clients and industries, but also the nuances of the attorneys they support and the economics that drive their daily decisions. In this episode of “Spill the Ink,” Powers Tanis, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at McAngus Goudelock & Courie and 2025 Legal Marketing Association Southeast Region President, joins us to discuss how grasping attorney pain points, billing pressures and case lifecycles enables marketers to do their jobs better, build stronger relationships and manage expectations effectively. Powers and Michelle Calcote King also explore how to navigate the "say yes to everything" culture by reframing requests instead of rejecting them, and why creating psychological safety for calculated risks is essential in risk-averse legal environments. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn Why treating attorneys as internal clients transforms marketing relationships and leads to better collaboration and realistic expectations. How understanding law firm economics and billing pressures gives marketers the context needed to make strategic decisions. The mentorship strategy that unlocks insider knowledge about the business of law from financial services teams and practice group leaders. How to transition from "yes person" to strategic partner by aligning marketing initiatives with firm-wide goals and objectives. The framework for balancing urgent requests with high-impact projects while navigating law firm partnership hierarchy and management dynamics. Why creating a "fail forward" culture drives innovation even in the traditionally risk-averse legal environment. The scheduling and prioritization practices that separate strategic legal marketers from those who remain stuck in reactive, task-oriented roles. About our featured guest With two decades of experience in branding, strategy and project management, Powers Tanis leads the marketing, client engagement and employee engagement and experience teams at McAngus Goudelock & Courie (MGC), a nationally-recognized insurance law firm with 22 offices across 12 states. As the Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, Powers plays a pivotal role in shaping and executing the firm’s long-term strategic vision. This includes spearheading and managing high-impact projects, developing and managing long-term strategic plans for the firm and its practices and partnering with the management committee on organizational goals and objectives. Powers is also responsible for developing and executing strategic marketing initiatives that enhance the firm’s brand, expand the client base and drive business growth, as well as implementing strategies to foster a positive and inclusive organizational culture. As a strategic communications professional, Powers aims to help organizations tell their stories through branding, digital and traditional media, and organizational culture. Powers has expertise in branding, marketing strategies, event planning, and fundraising, with specialties in social media strategy, graphic design, event planning, brand roll-out, and strategic communications. Powers is dedicated to defining, building and maintaining an organization’s culture, understanding that a well-defined culture is crucial for the success of both the organization and its clients. At MGC, Powers is heavily involved in building and maintaining the firm’s culture through internal employee engagement efforts, community impact, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and leadership development programs. Since 2012, Powers has been actively involved in the Legal Marketing Association, transitioning to the legal sector after nearly a decade in the nonprofit sector. Powers currently serves as President-Elect for the LMA Southeast (LMASE) Regional Board of Directors, and is the past co-chair for the 2022 LMASE Regional Conference and LMA's Regional Conference Task Force. Powers has also served on the Local Steering Committee (LSC), most recently as the LSC Chair for the Columbia group. Additionally, Powers has dedicated over 15 years to the Junior League of Columbia, serving on both the Board of Directors and the Executive Management Team in various roles. Resources mentioned in this episode Check out McAngus Goudelock & Courie Follow McAngus Goudelock & Courie on LinkedIn Learn more about the Legal Marketing Association Connect with Powers Tanis on LinkedIn Say hello to Michelle Calcote King on LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms. ...
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    25 mins
  • Challenging AEC’s Myth That “Anyone Can Do Marketing”

    Challenging AEC’s Myth That “Anyone Can Do Marketing”
    Jun 11 2025
    The misconception that “anyone can do marketing” creates barriers that relegate AEC marketers to tactical roles rather than strategic business partners. In this “Spill the Ink” episode, Michelle Galindez, Director of Marketing and Communications at Syska Hennessy Group, discusses practical strategies for marketing leaders to find their voice, challenge assumptions and demonstrate value in terms that resonate with technical executives. Michelle has spent nearly a decade reinforcing Syska Hennessy's global marketing function into a trusted strategic business driver. She covers actionable tips to help marketers build technical fluency and gain the confidence to reshape conversations with seasoned technical experts, such as prioritizing hands-on learning through site visits, attending technical training alongside firm engineers and systematic relationship-building with internal champions who understand marketing's strategic value. Michelle also shares examples of the advice in practice at Syska Hennessy. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn How to overcome the misconception that "anyone can do marketing" in AEC firms. Strategies for learning the technical aspects of an AEC firm without becoming an engineer. Practical approaches to finding your voice in rooms full of technical experts. How to challenge assumptions and ask strategic questions that drive results. Methods for demonstrating marketing ROI and tying efforts to firm goals. The importance of starting small and building a team of marketing champions. How to transition from order-taker to strategic partner. About our featured guest Michelle Galindez joined Syska Hennessy Group in 2017 to refine, realign and evolve the firm's marketing and communications strategy to establish a best-in-class, in-house marketing agency. This agency supports the firm's technical expertise and thought leaders while serving as a backbone for business development and client care. Previously, she served as the national marketing and communications lead for a global management and consulting firm for engineering services, where she developed and enhanced the brand by creating and implementing successful marketing, staffing, branding, communications and public relations campaigns. In 2016, she was featured in Hispanic Executive for her role in rebranding. She has served as past president of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) and is part of the group's mentorship program. Based in New York, Michelle's areas of expertise include branding, staff development, strategic marketing, communications, public relations, graphics analytics and client care. She holds a bachelor's degree in business management with a concentration in marketing and psychology from City University of New York and attended Shillington College for Graphic Design. She is also a LEED Accredited Professional. Throughout her career, Michelle has successfully navigated the challenge of establishing marketing credibility in technically dominated environments. She's known for her hands-on approach to learning technical aspects, from riding construction elevators in buildings without walls to taking technical training courses alongside engineers. Her collaborative approach has led to innovative successes, including the development of a top-performing app through strategic marketing and technical team partnerships. A born-and-bred New Yorker, Michelle is a passionate Yankees fan. When she's not at a game, you can find her baking and decorating cakes for family and friends. Sponsor for this episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms. Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at info@rep-ink.com today.
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    22 mins
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