The BD Catalyst Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/the-bd-catalyst A podcast for law firm business development and marketing changemakers. © 2026 David Freeman Consulting Group bbb0b1e7-9db0-53fe-94e3-431e644bf397 yes en Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:26:21 -0500 Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:38:27 -0500 https://img.transistorcdn.com/SL3o6tgH9Na443ZpKv5CqK2JE4LO91Gi2BTRyDnx7b8/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS85NGVh/NzliNTczYjliZDc5/ZDM1ZTViNjQ5Yzgy/M2IzZS5wbmc.jpg The BD Catalyst episodic Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder A podcast for law firm business development and marketing changemakers. A podcast for law firm business development and marketing changemakers.. law firm business development, law firm marketing, BD coaching, attorney business development Kristo Sween kristo@lawyerbookbuilder.com No No Mike Mellor, President and Founder of 742Advisors and former Am Law 200 CMBDO 16 16 Mike Mellor, President and Founder of 742Advisors and former Am Law 200 CMBDO full b543e0ba-30f1-47ff-a439-4c4ae81aadab https://share.transistor.fm/s/76d1deb7 Mike Mellor, President and Founder of 742Advisors and a former CMBDO joins the podcast to share his C-Suite experience including the basic blocking and tackling of firm intelligence systems and processes to building trust and creating meaningful change inside law firms. Drawing on more than two decades leading marketing and BD functions at Big 4 accounting and AmLaw 200 firms, Mike talks about building coalitions of the willing and the use of data to expose gaps firms didn't know they had. At the end, Mike and Kristo discuss real, practical uses for AI to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

]]> Mike Mellor, President and Founder of 742Advisors and a former CMBDO joins the podcast to share his C-Suite experience including the basic blocking and tackling of firm intelligence systems and processes to building trust and creating meaningful change inside law firms. Drawing on more than two decades leading marketing and BD functions at Big 4 accounting and AmLaw 200 firms, Mike talks about building coalitions of the willing and the use of data to expose gaps firms didn't know they had. At the end, Mike and Kristo discuss real, practical uses for AI to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

]]> Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:26:14 -0500 Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder 2443 Mike Mellor, President and Founder of 742Advisors and a former CMBDO joins the podcast to share his C-Suite experience including the basic blocking and tackling of firm intelligence systems and processes to building trust and creating meaningful change inside law firms. Drawing on more than two decades leading marketing and BD functions at Big 4 accounting and AmLaw 200 firms, Mike talks about building coalitions of the willing and the use of data to expose gaps firms didn't know they had. At the end, Mike and Kristo discuss real, practical uses for AI to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

]]> law firm business development, law firm marketing, BD coaching, attorney business development No Livca Shin-Kim, MBA, Director of Marketing & Business Development at Donahue Fitzgerald LLP 15 15 Livca Shin-Kim, MBA, Director of Marketing & Business Development at Donahue Fitzgerald LLP full 5302f48b-d03d-4bbb-a504-f57fe0b284bb https://share.transistor.fm/s/aeacbcaa Livca Shin-Kim, MBA, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Donahue Fitzgerald LLP, joins the show and traces her path from an art museum internship to an MBA and nearly a decade in legal marketing. She explains how she's reframed BD for her attorneys as curiosity in relationship-building. A lifelong learner and creative problem solver, Livca shares some of the business development tools and approaches she has used to coach and train lawyers at her firm. Finally, she comes back to the museum with a sponsorship relationship she fostered that turned into new estate planning business for her firm. This is a conversation about the patience, value, curiosity and creativity that make Livca an ever evolving BD Catalyst.

]]> Livca Shin-Kim, MBA, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Donahue Fitzgerald LLP, joins the show and traces her path from an art museum internship to an MBA and nearly a decade in legal marketing. She explains how she's reframed BD for her attorneys as curiosity in relationship-building. A lifelong learner and creative problem solver, Livca shares some of the business development tools and approaches she has used to coach and train lawyers at her firm. Finally, she comes back to the museum with a sponsorship relationship she fostered that turned into new estate planning business for her firm. This is a conversation about the patience, value, curiosity and creativity that make Livca an ever evolving BD Catalyst.

]]> Wed, 05 Aug 2026 11:48:24 -0500 Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder 1373 Livca Shin-Kim, MBA, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Donahue Fitzgerald LLP, joins the show and traces her path from an art museum internship to an MBA and nearly a decade in legal marketing. She explains how she's reframed BD for her attorneys as curiosity in relationship-building. A lifelong learner and creative problem solver, Livca shares some of the business development tools and approaches she has used to coach and train lawyers at her firm. Finally, she comes back to the museum with a sponsorship relationship she fostered that turned into new estate planning business for her firm. This is a conversation about the patience, value, curiosity and creativity that make Livca an ever evolving BD Catalyst.

]]> law firm business development, law firm marketing, BD coaching, attorney business development No Chris Moyer, Business Development & Marketing Manager, Hedrick Gardner 14 14 Chris Moyer, Business Development & Marketing Manager, Hedrick Gardner full 50bac942-6f66-4516-9ed6-ed227c1ca31a https://share.transistor.fm/s/c5383908 Chris Moyer, Business Development & Marketing Manager at Hedrick Gardner, joins the podcast with a set of reframes that attorneys can put to use immediately. Chris prefers the term "relationship" development instead of "business" development. He advocates tracking whether an attorney showed up to a BD activity rather than what came of it and presses his attorneys to take more shots on the goal, giving credit to Wayne Gretzky of course. It's a practical look at lowering the pressure around business development so lawyers actually do more of it more easily.

]]> Chris Moyer, Business Development & Marketing Manager at Hedrick Gardner, joins the podcast with a set of reframes that attorneys can put to use immediately. Chris prefers the term "relationship" development instead of "business" development. He advocates tracking whether an attorney showed up to a BD activity rather than what came of it and presses his attorneys to take more shots on the goal, giving credit to Wayne Gretzky of course. It's a practical look at lowering the pressure around business development so lawyers actually do more of it more easily.

]]> Wed, 29 Jul 2026 22:49:47 -0500 Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder 1907 Chris Moyer, Business Development & Marketing Manager at Hedrick Gardner, joins the podcast with a set of reframes that attorneys can put to use immediately. Chris prefers the term "relationship" development instead of "business" development. He advocates tracking whether an attorney showed up to a BD activity rather than what came of it and presses his attorneys to take more shots on the goal, giving credit to Wayne Gretzky of course. It's a practical look at lowering the pressure around business development so lawyers actually do more of it more easily.

]]> law firm business development, law firm marketing, BD coaching, attorney business development No Emily LaCount, Marketing & Events Manager at Carlton Fields 13 13 Emily LaCount, Marketing & Events Manager at Carlton Fields full a05492f0-0f09-4177-9514-f5ab18caa7ca https://share.transistor.fm/s/db2fec46 Emily LaCount, Marketing and Events Manager at Carlton Fields, joins The BD Catalyst to dig into the ways law firm events work as business development tools and how attorneys are involved from invitation lists to follow-up post-event. She walks through why, post-pandemic, attorneys and clients demand more intentional, high-touch experiences, rather than the old standard "beer, wine, and cheese" event. Emily talks about how her firm pairs seasoned shareholders with associates to teach real networking skills in low-stakes settings, and fosters structured, low-lift follow-up that helps attorneys turn a good event into a great relationship. Events aren't the finish line, Emily says. They're just the opening shot.

]]> Emily LaCount, Marketing and Events Manager at Carlton Fields, joins The BD Catalyst to dig into the ways law firm events work as business development tools and how attorneys are involved from invitation lists to follow-up post-event. She walks through why, post-pandemic, attorneys and clients demand more intentional, high-touch experiences, rather than the old standard "beer, wine, and cheese" event. Emily talks about how her firm pairs seasoned shareholders with associates to teach real networking skills in low-stakes settings, and fosters structured, low-lift follow-up that helps attorneys turn a good event into a great relationship. Events aren't the finish line, Emily says. They're just the opening shot.

]]> Tue, 21 Jul 2026 08:10:33 -0500 Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder 1867 Emily LaCount, Marketing and Events Manager at Carlton Fields, joins The BD Catalyst to dig into the ways law firm events work as business development tools and how attorneys are involved from invitation lists to follow-up post-event. She walks through why, post-pandemic, attorneys and clients demand more intentional, high-touch experiences, rather than the old standard "beer, wine, and cheese" event. Emily talks about how her firm pairs seasoned shareholders with associates to teach real networking skills in low-stakes settings, and fosters structured, low-lift follow-up that helps attorneys turn a good event into a great relationship. Events aren't the finish line, Emily says. They're just the opening shot.

]]> law firm business development, law firm marketing, BD coaching, attorney business development No Marguerita B. Dolatly, Director of Business Development at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP - Part 2 12 12 Marguerita B. Dolatly, Director of Business Development at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP - Part 2 full 31ce2020-ad28-422e-a839-da92f64b1fc5 https://share.transistor.fm/s/f558b2ed In Episode 12 of The BD Catalyst, Kristo continues his conversation with Marguerita Dolatly, Director of Business Development at Katten. Marguerita shares a training session that nearly fell flat and what it taught her and her attorneys about the value of failing and strategies on how to pivot. Marguerita and Kristo also dig into AI's growing role in legal BD, from live networking research to drafting first passes lawyers can make their own, and close with a discussion of Marguerita's core mantra: business development can be learned and taught, it isn't a unique personality trait.

]]> In Episode 12 of The BD Catalyst, Kristo continues his conversation with Marguerita Dolatly, Director of Business Development at Katten. Marguerita shares a training session that nearly fell flat and what it taught her and her attorneys about the value of failing and strategies on how to pivot. Marguerita and Kristo also dig into AI's growing role in legal BD, from live networking research to drafting first passes lawyers can make their own, and close with a discussion of Marguerita's core mantra: business development can be learned and taught, it isn't a unique personality trait.

]]> Thu, 16 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500 Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder 1317 In Episode 12 of The BD Catalyst, Kristo continues his conversation with Marguerita Dolatly, Director of Business Development at Katten. Marguerita shares a training session that nearly fell flat and what it taught her and her attorneys about the value of failing and strategies on how to pivot. Marguerita and Kristo also dig into AI's growing role in legal BD, from live networking research to drafting first passes lawyers can make their own, and close with a discussion of Marguerita's core mantra: business development can be learned and taught, it isn't a unique personality trait.

]]> law firm business development, law firm marketing, BD coaching, attorney business development No Marguerita B. Dolatly, Director of Business Development at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP - Part 1 11 11 Marguerita B. Dolatly, Director of Business Development at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP - Part 1 full 302ce664-ede5-4201-9f85-d862def85caa https://share.transistor.fm/s/11b02c25 In Episode 11 of The BD Catalyst, Kristo sits down with Marguerita B. Dolatly, Director of Business Development at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP. This is part one of a two-part conversation in which Marguerita, a former practicing attorney turned two-decade BD leader, shares some of her coaching mantras and philosophy: no fixed template, no forcing extroverted lawyers into round tables or introverted lawyers onto panels, just helping each attorney find the approach that's actually theirs to sustain. Marguerita and Kristo dig into emotions and personality traits on the way to what Marguerita calls the "glimmer moment," the instant a lawyer sees a suggestion and recognizes it as something they could genuinely do, and how that recognition becomes the seed of a repeatable habit. Coaching lawyers is less about behavior modification and more about self-recognition.

]]> In Episode 11 of The BD Catalyst, Kristo sits down with Marguerita B. Dolatly, Director of Business Development at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP. This is part one of a two-part conversation in which Marguerita, a former practicing attorney turned two-decade BD leader, shares some of her coaching mantras and philosophy: no fixed template, no forcing extroverted lawyers into round tables or introverted lawyers onto panels, just helping each attorney find the approach that's actually theirs to sustain. Marguerita and Kristo dig into emotions and personality traits on the way to what Marguerita calls the "glimmer moment," the instant a lawyer sees a suggestion and recognizes it as something they could genuinely do, and how that recognition becomes the seed of a repeatable habit. Coaching lawyers is less about behavior modification and more about self-recognition.

]]> Tue, 14 Jul 2026 15:34:22 -0500 Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder 1597 In Episode 11 of The BD Catalyst, Kristo sits down with Marguerita B. Dolatly, Director of Business Development at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP. This is part one of a two-part conversation in which Marguerita, a former practicing attorney turned two-decade BD leader, shares some of her coaching mantras and philosophy: no fixed template, no forcing extroverted lawyers into round tables or introverted lawyers onto panels, just helping each attorney find the approach that's actually theirs to sustain. Marguerita and Kristo dig into emotions and personality traits on the way to what Marguerita calls the "glimmer moment," the instant a lawyer sees a suggestion and recognizes it as something they could genuinely do, and how that recognition becomes the seed of a repeatable habit. Coaching lawyers is less about behavior modification and more about self-recognition.

]]> law firm business development, law firm marketing, BD coaching, attorney business development No Alexandra DeFelice, CMBDO at Jeffer Mangels & Mitchell LLP 10 10 Alexandra DeFelice, CMBDO at Jeffer Mangels & Mitchell LLP full f9b22ad0-3c67-4e2b-a833-493f9b412259 https://share.transistor.fm/s/0536808a Alexandra DeFelice, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Jeffer Mangels & Mitchell LLP, joins the podcast to share how she turned a wave of unexpected turnover into an opportunity to elevate her team's roles and educate her firm's attorneys to see the BDM team as trusted and valued partners. The conversation is a masterclass in building talent and fostering trust. By coaching confidence and a consultative approach, Alexandra's team now delivers higher-level solutions and outstanding client service. They are modeling key components of business development that attorneys would do well to emulate. 

]]> Alexandra DeFelice, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Jeffer Mangels & Mitchell LLP, joins the podcast to share how she turned a wave of unexpected turnover into an opportunity to elevate her team's roles and educate her firm's attorneys to see the BDM team as trusted and valued partners. The conversation is a masterclass in building talent and fostering trust. By coaching confidence and a consultative approach, Alexandra's team now delivers higher-level solutions and outstanding client service. They are modeling key components of business development that attorneys would do well to emulate. 

]]> Thu, 09 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500 Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder 1558 Alexandra DeFelice, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Jeffer Mangels & Mitchell LLP, joins the podcast to share how she turned a wave of unexpected turnover into an opportunity to elevate her team's roles and educate her firm's attorneys to see the BDM team as trusted and valued partners. The conversation is a masterclass in building talent and fostering trust. By coaching confidence and a consultative approach, Alexandra's team now delivers higher-level solutions and outstanding client service. They are modeling key components of business development that attorneys would do well to emulate. 

]]> law firm business development, law firm marketing, BD coaching, attorney business development No Laura Gutierrez, Director of Referral Partnerships at JD Supra 9 9 Laura Gutierrez, Director of Referral Partnerships at JD Supra full 38a4d58a-153b-4fe3-8f68-277a7e8c89a1 https://share.transistor.fm/s/65dada19 In Episode 9 of The BD Catalyst, Kristo sits down with Laura Gutierrez, Director of Referral Partnerships at JD Supra, for a conversation about what it's like to grow up inside law firms, literally. Laura's mother worked at a Minneapolis firm for thirty years, and Laura was in the office by age eight, long before she ever considered a career in legal marketing. Laura shares the moment that changed everything, when she saw the data behind a piece of content for the first time and realized the potential when marketing and intelligence work together. She also makes a sharp case for where AI fits in a writer's process and where it doesn't, arguing that when everyone uses the same tools the same way, you just get an average, not the unique voice that actually builds a book of business.

]]> In Episode 9 of The BD Catalyst, Kristo sits down with Laura Gutierrez, Director of Referral Partnerships at JD Supra, for a conversation about what it's like to grow up inside law firms, literally. Laura's mother worked at a Minneapolis firm for thirty years, and Laura was in the office by age eight, long before she ever considered a career in legal marketing. Laura shares the moment that changed everything, when she saw the data behind a piece of content for the first time and realized the potential when marketing and intelligence work together. She also makes a sharp case for where AI fits in a writer's process and where it doesn't, arguing that when everyone uses the same tools the same way, you just get an average, not the unique voice that actually builds a book of business.

]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2026 04:00:00 -0500 Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder 1344 In Episode 9 of The BD Catalyst, Kristo sits down with Laura Gutierrez, Director of Referral Partnerships at JD Supra, for a conversation about what it's like to grow up inside law firms, literally. Laura's mother worked at a Minneapolis firm for thirty years, and Laura was in the office by age eight, long before she ever considered a career in legal marketing. Laura shares the moment that changed everything, when she saw the data behind a piece of content for the first time and realized the potential when marketing and intelligence work together. She also makes a sharp case for where AI fits in a writer's process and where it doesn't, arguing that when everyone uses the same tools the same way, you just get an average, not the unique voice that actually builds a book of business.

]]> law firm business development, law firm marketing, BD coaching, attorney business development No Amanda Bekric, MBA, Marketing Manager at Dady & Gardner, P.A. 8 8 Amanda Bekric, MBA, Marketing Manager at Dady & Gardner, P.A. full a72f5230-3dfe-40b1-a3f4-21ec742d26d7 https://share.transistor.fm/s/f64de277 In this episode of the BD Catalyst, Kristo sits down with Amanda Bekric, MBA, Marketing Manager at Dady & Gardner, P.A., for a conversation about the "old-fashioned" secret sauce behind her firm's success: genuine, deeply human relationships built on trust and authenticity, in a national franchise law practice. Amanda shares how she channels David Kelly's "fail faster, succeed sooner" ethos in her own approach with attorneys by encouraging them to show up authentically, embrace the occasional fumble, recover quickly and let real human connection be what actually wins clients. The result is a firm culture where what clients hear on the phone, see online, and experience in the room are all exactly the same. And that consistency is a metric that truly predicts decades of client retention.

]]> In this episode of the BD Catalyst, Kristo sits down with Amanda Bekric, MBA, Marketing Manager at Dady & Gardner, P.A., for a conversation about the "old-fashioned" secret sauce behind her firm's success: genuine, deeply human relationships built on trust and authenticity, in a national franchise law practice. Amanda shares how she channels David Kelly's "fail faster, succeed sooner" ethos in her own approach with attorneys by encouraging them to show up authentically, embrace the occasional fumble, recover quickly and let real human connection be what actually wins clients. The result is a firm culture where what clients hear on the phone, see online, and experience in the room are all exactly the same. And that consistency is a metric that truly predicts decades of client retention.

]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:46:59 -0500 Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder 1390 In this episode of the BD Catalyst, Kristo sits down with Amanda Bekric, MBA, Marketing Manager at Dady & Gardner, P.A., for a conversation about the "old-fashioned" secret sauce behind her firm's success: genuine, deeply human relationships built on trust and authenticity, in a national franchise law practice. Amanda shares how she channels David Kelly's "fail faster, succeed sooner" ethos in her own approach with attorneys by encouraging them to show up authentically, embrace the occasional fumble, recover quickly and let real human connection be what actually wins clients. The result is a firm culture where what clients hear on the phone, see online, and experience in the room are all exactly the same. And that consistency is a metric that truly predicts decades of client retention.

]]> law firm business development, law firm marketing, BD coaching, attorney business development No Lisa Jones, Senior Practice Development Manager at Miller & Martin 7 7 Lisa Jones, Senior Practice Development Manager at Miller & Martin full c0214e36-cf88-483c-acdf-4e9d4ea7ce57 https://share.transistor.fm/s/0c80cd60 This week on the BD Catalyst, Kristo sits down with Lisa Jones, Senior Practice Development Manager at Miller & Martin, for a practical, grounded conversation about what it actually looks like to move the needle on business development inside a law firm, sometimes one attorney at a time. Lisa shares how pairing consistent coaching with real accountability has helped one of her attorneys go from casting a wide net to building genuine, results-producing relationships over the course of three years. Lisa also talks about why BD professionals who stay close to the process, not just the outcome, make all the difference. Her closing thought is the one that sticks: many of the successes in her career aren't hers alone. They belong to the attorneys she's coached, trained and mentored.

]]> This week on the BD Catalyst, Kristo sits down with Lisa Jones, Senior Practice Development Manager at Miller & Martin, for a practical, grounded conversation about what it actually looks like to move the needle on business development inside a law firm, sometimes one attorney at a time. Lisa shares how pairing consistent coaching with real accountability has helped one of her attorneys go from casting a wide net to building genuine, results-producing relationships over the course of three years. Lisa also talks about why BD professionals who stay close to the process, not just the outcome, make all the difference. Her closing thought is the one that sticks: many of the successes in her career aren't hers alone. They belong to the attorneys she's coached, trained and mentored.

]]> Thu, 11 Jun 2026 06:00:00 -0500 Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder 1882 This week on the BD Catalyst, Kristo sits down with Lisa Jones, Senior Practice Development Manager at Miller & Martin, for a practical, grounded conversation about what it actually looks like to move the needle on business development inside a law firm, sometimes one attorney at a time. Lisa shares how pairing consistent coaching with real accountability has helped one of her attorneys go from casting a wide net to building genuine, results-producing relationships over the course of three years. Lisa also talks about why BD professionals who stay close to the process, not just the outcome, make all the difference. Her closing thought is the one that sticks: many of the successes in her career aren't hers alone. They belong to the attorneys she's coached, trained and mentored.

]]> law firm business development, law firm marketing, BD coaching, attorney business development No Kaley Green, Director of Business Development at Fogler, Rubinoff LLC 6 6 Kaley Green, Director of Business Development at Fogler, Rubinoff LLC full 70ee00c9-a2ef-4dbd-8751-4f1f05e1e4c7 https://share.transistor.fm/s/be4b57a6 In Episode 6 of The BD Catalyst podcast, Kristo sits down with Kaley Green, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Fogler, Rubinoff LLP, for a conversation that ranges from what it takes to build and inspire BD culture at a regional mid-market firm, to what happens when two law firm BDM professionals (who also happen to be Irish dance parents) walk into a podcast. Kaley shares a robust collection of parallels between competitive Irish dancing and lawyer business development. From the power of a first impression to making the case that the same discipline, resilience, and repetition that brings wins in the competition hall is exactly what delivers success in client loyalty and business development.

]]> In Episode 6 of The BD Catalyst podcast, Kristo sits down with Kaley Green, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Fogler, Rubinoff LLP, for a conversation that ranges from what it takes to build and inspire BD culture at a regional mid-market firm, to what happens when two law firm BDM professionals (who also happen to be Irish dance parents) walk into a podcast. Kaley shares a robust collection of parallels between competitive Irish dancing and lawyer business development. From the power of a first impression to making the case that the same discipline, resilience, and repetition that brings wins in the competition hall is exactly what delivers success in client loyalty and business development.

]]> Thu, 04 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0500 Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder 1980 In Episode 6 of The BD Catalyst podcast, Kristo sits down with Kaley Green, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Fogler, Rubinoff LLP, for a conversation that ranges from what it takes to build and inspire BD culture at a regional mid-market firm, to what happens when two law firm BDM professionals (who also happen to be Irish dance parents) walk into a podcast. Kaley shares a robust collection of parallels between competitive Irish dancing and lawyer business development. From the power of a first impression to making the case that the same discipline, resilience, and repetition that brings wins in the competition hall is exactly what delivers success in client loyalty and business development.

]]> law firm business development, law firm marketing, BD coaching, attorney business development No Eldin Johnston, Marketing Director at Elsberg Baker & Maruri PLLC 5 5 Eldin Johnston, Marketing Director at Elsberg Baker & Maruri PLLC full 861868b5-576d-44d3-9943-e5dd8eeb1e4d https://share.transistor.fm/s/f06b1f84 In this episode Kristo sits down with Eldin Johnston, Marketing Director at Elsberg Baker & Maruri PLLC for a candid and moving conversation about authenticity in all relationships. We discuss music, motorcycles and those famous gold shoes from LMA 2026. Eldin shares his coaching philosophy of "freeing people up" by replacing the guilt of missed assignments with open-ended brainstorming that consistently unlocks new ideas. In a world where AI is pulling people further from authentic human connection, Eldin makes a compelling case that the lawyers who will win are the ones who do what most people won't: ask a simple question, listen to the answer, and let the conversation go wherever it goes.

]]> In this episode Kristo sits down with Eldin Johnston, Marketing Director at Elsberg Baker & Maruri PLLC for a candid and moving conversation about authenticity in all relationships. We discuss music, motorcycles and those famous gold shoes from LMA 2026. Eldin shares his coaching philosophy of "freeing people up" by replacing the guilt of missed assignments with open-ended brainstorming that consistently unlocks new ideas. In a world where AI is pulling people further from authentic human connection, Eldin makes a compelling case that the lawyers who will win are the ones who do what most people won't: ask a simple question, listen to the answer, and let the conversation go wherever it goes.

]]> Thu, 28 May 2026 14:45:59 -0500 Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder 1747 In this episode Kristo sits down with Eldin Johnston, Marketing Director at Elsberg Baker & Maruri PLLC for a candid and moving conversation about authenticity in all relationships. We discuss music, motorcycles and those famous gold shoes from LMA 2026. Eldin shares his coaching philosophy of "freeing people up" by replacing the guilt of missed assignments with open-ended brainstorming that consistently unlocks new ideas. In a world where AI is pulling people further from authentic human connection, Eldin makes a compelling case that the lawyers who will win are the ones who do what most people won't: ask a simple question, listen to the answer, and let the conversation go wherever it goes.

]]> law firm business development, law firm marketing, BD coaching, attorney business development No Thomas Keller, Business Development Director at Kerr Russell 4 4 Thomas Keller, Business Development Director at Kerr Russell full 8c0f08e6-9fd4-478b-a620-f9f719985108 https://share.transistor.fm/s/fcdadc30 In this episode of The BD Catalyst, host Kristo Sween sits down with Thomas Keller, Business Development Director at Kerr Russell, for a wide-ranging conversation about the overlap between improv comedy and the art of attorney business development coaching and opportunity spotting. Tom reveals how he spent years quietly using improv as a "secret ninja skill" in his legal marketing career. From using a reporter's mindset and the power of intentionality to unearth hidden opportunities with attorneys, to the firm conviction that in-person connection is irreplaceable for building the kind of trust that actually moves the needle on business development, Tom provides practical wisdom and a few laughs along the way.

]]> In this episode of The BD Catalyst, host Kristo Sween sits down with Thomas Keller, Business Development Director at Kerr Russell, for a wide-ranging conversation about the overlap between improv comedy and the art of attorney business development coaching and opportunity spotting. Tom reveals how he spent years quietly using improv as a "secret ninja skill" in his legal marketing career. From using a reporter's mindset and the power of intentionality to unearth hidden opportunities with attorneys, to the firm conviction that in-person connection is irreplaceable for building the kind of trust that actually moves the needle on business development, Tom provides practical wisdom and a few laughs along the way.

]]> Thu, 21 May 2026 15:01:43 -0500 Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder 2416 In this episode of The BD Catalyst, host Kristo Sween sits down with Thomas Keller, Business Development Director at Kerr Russell, for a wide-ranging conversation about the overlap between improv comedy and the art of attorney business development coaching and opportunity spotting. Tom reveals how he spent years quietly using improv as a "secret ninja skill" in his legal marketing career. From using a reporter's mindset and the power of intentionality to unearth hidden opportunities with attorneys, to the firm conviction that in-person connection is irreplaceable for building the kind of trust that actually moves the needle on business development, Tom provides practical wisdom and a few laughs along the way.

]]> law firm business development, law firm marketing, BD coaching, attorney business development No Emmad Awaad, MBA, Business Development Associate at Bodmin PLC 3 3 Emmad Awaad, MBA, Business Development Associate at Bodmin PLC full aed9d388-2269-4117-86de-41d5701f5e18 https://share.transistor.fm/s/935e6712 BD Catalyst host Kristo Sween sits down with Emmad Awaad, MBA, Business Development Associate at Bodman PLC, for a conversation about what it really takes to build a culture of business development inside a law firm. Emmad shares how leaning into an attorney's passions can unlock unexpected BD wins. From the simple but powerful act of picking up the phone to rekindle dormant client relationships, to the mindset shift he instills in associates that BD starts on day one, Emmad shares his practical, human-centered business development approach that law firm BDM pros can put to work immediately.

]]> BD Catalyst host Kristo Sween sits down with Emmad Awaad, MBA, Business Development Associate at Bodman PLC, for a conversation about what it really takes to build a culture of business development inside a law firm. Emmad shares how leaning into an attorney's passions can unlock unexpected BD wins. From the simple but powerful act of picking up the phone to rekindle dormant client relationships, to the mindset shift he instills in associates that BD starts on day one, Emmad shares his practical, human-centered business development approach that law firm BDM pros can put to work immediately.

]]> Thu, 14 May 2026 15:12:04 -0500 Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder 1650 BD Catalyst host Kristo Sween sits down with Emmad Awaad, MBA, Business Development Associate at Bodman PLC, for a conversation about what it really takes to build a culture of business development inside a law firm. Emmad shares how leaning into an attorney's passions can unlock unexpected BD wins. From the simple but powerful act of picking up the phone to rekindle dormant client relationships, to the mindset shift he instills in associates that BD starts on day one, Emmad shares his practical, human-centered business development approach that law firm BDM pros can put to work immediately.

]]> law firm business development, law firm marketing, BD coaching, attorney business development No Adam Brown, Director of Marketing at FMJ 2 2 Adam Brown, Director of Marketing at FMJ full 850ce659-eacd-499c-badb-7f151d8a6c5f https://share.transistor.fm/s/932f2b93 In this episode of The BD Catalyst, Kristo sits down with Adam Brown, Director of Marketing at Fafinski Mark & Johnson, for a candid conversation about what it really takes to help lawyers grow their practices. Adam draws on his background as a practicing attorney, a professional development leader and a legal marketing director, including his work teaching law students, to share what works and what doesn't when it comes to building a business development culture inside a law firm. Kristo and Adam dig into why individualized BD plans lead to better results, how marketing and business development professionals can show up as confident, valued partners, and how the non-billable nature of the marketing and BD role is actually a strategic advantage when it comes to collaborating with lawyers in meaningful ways.

LMA Members, here's a link to the Associate Business Development Training webinar referenced in the episode.

https://www.legalmarketing.org/Purchase/associate-business-development-programs-a-practical-approach-for-small-teams-with-limited-resources-mch

Kristo and Adam were on a panel with law firm BDM leader Susan Slifer.

]]> In this episode of The BD Catalyst, Kristo sits down with Adam Brown, Director of Marketing at Fafinski Mark & Johnson, for a candid conversation about what it really takes to help lawyers grow their practices. Adam draws on his background as a practicing attorney, a professional development leader and a legal marketing director, including his work teaching law students, to share what works and what doesn't when it comes to building a business development culture inside a law firm. Kristo and Adam dig into why individualized BD plans lead to better results, how marketing and business development professionals can show up as confident, valued partners, and how the non-billable nature of the marketing and BD role is actually a strategic advantage when it comes to collaborating with lawyers in meaningful ways.

LMA Members, here's a link to the Associate Business Development Training webinar referenced in the episode.

https://www.legalmarketing.org/Purchase/associate-business-development-programs-a-practical-approach-for-small-teams-with-limited-resources-mch

Kristo and Adam were on a panel with law firm BDM leader Susan Slifer.

]]> Thu, 07 May 2026 14:23:05 -0500 Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder 1494 In this episode of The BD Catalyst, Kristo sits down with Adam Brown, Director of Marketing at Fafinski Mark & Johnson, for a candid conversation about what it really takes to help lawyers grow their practices. Adam draws on his background as a practicing attorney, a professional development leader and a legal marketing director, including his work teaching law students, to share what works and what doesn't when it comes to building a business development culture inside a law firm. Kristo and Adam dig into why individualized BD plans lead to better results, how marketing and business development professionals can show up as confident, valued partners, and how the non-billable nature of the marketing and BD role is actually a strategic advantage when it comes to collaborating with lawyers in meaningful ways.

LMA Members, here's a link to the Associate Business Development Training webinar referenced in the episode.

https://www.legalmarketing.org/Purchase/associate-business-development-programs-a-practical-approach-for-small-teams-with-limited-resources-mch

Kristo and Adam were on a panel with law firm BDM leader Susan Slifer.

]]> law firm business development, law firm marketing, BD coaching, attorney business development No Ralph Cooper, Jr., BD Manager at Benesch 1 1 Ralph Cooper, Jr., BD Manager at Benesch full 795d4a1f-7710-48e7-bdee-64e1c77d5c85 https://share.transistor.fm/s/0cb9d64c Today I sit down with Ralph Cooper, Jr., Business Development Manager at Benesch in Chicago. Ralph shares success stories and insights he brings to coaching lawyers from his experience as an athlete and coach of youth sports.

]]> Today I sit down with Ralph Cooper, Jr., Business Development Manager at Benesch in Chicago. Ralph shares success stories and insights he brings to coaching lawyers from his experience as an athlete and coach of youth sports.

]]> Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:24:26 -0500 Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder Kristo Sween, BD Coach, Trainer and CGO at Lawyer BookBuilder 814 Today I sit down with Ralph Cooper, Jr., Business Development Manager at Benesch in Chicago. Ralph shares success stories and insights he brings to coaching lawyers from his experience as an athlete and coach of youth sports.

]]> bd coaching, law firm business development, attorney coaching, law firm marketing, No