What You're About with Chad Aboud

Money Truths & the Lego Block Career of a Fractional GC (with Nolan Ritzel)

I used to take others’ career opinions as commandments. But he only took them as data points. And that let him design the career of his dreams. By April of 2023, Nolan Ritzel had done all of the things: - Success in Biglaw - AGC at Shopify - GC at DC Bank Impressive titles. Great money. Proud parents. But something was off. He wanted his career to fit into his life. Not the other way around. So when Brett Colvin and Team Goodlawyer created the Fractional GC offering, Nolan walked away from his impressive title. And bet on himself. In this week’s episode of the What You’re About x Goodlawyer podcast, Nolan shares how he built the Fractional GC career of his dreams. With the type of work he loves, flexibility he wants and as much (or more) money as he made before. If you’ve ever wondered how to design your career around your gifts, values and personal goals, this episode is for you. In this interview you’ll take away: 02:00: When it isn’t enough to achieve all of the things 04:04: A rare LinkedIn post sheds new light 07:05: The best parts of both worlds 11:00: Taking opinions as data points, not commandments 15:00: Focusing on greatest fit, not most opportunities 20:00: Loved ones might not get alternative career paths 25:10: Is there a false sense of security in a full-time job? 25:55: How the money part works as a Fractional Lawyer 29:05: The flexibility of a bottom-line lifestyle (instead of top line) 35:30: What Nolan values in this next phase of his career Episode Resources: Learn more from Nolan Ritzel on how to design your fractional legal career here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-ritzel/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-ritzel/]. Learn more about how Goodlawyer drives the business forward, on budget here: www.goodlawyer.ca [http://www.goodlawyer.ca/].

Intentionality is the antidote to fear (with Angie Jackson & Pam Hinman)

From Anchorage to Toronto in a market crash. And from BigLaw to In-House, to BigLaw and back again. Angie Jackson, Director of Legal at Uber and Pam Hinman, AGC at the University of Calgary know what it takes to bet on themselves. They realized early on that testing themselves was part of designing an intentional career. Careers filled with twists and turns they could never have expected. But that allowed them to grow. And led them to where they are now. In this week’s episode of the What You’re About x Goodlawyer podcast, we have a double interview with two legal leaders proud of their atypical Career paths. They share their struggles, their reflections and what they’d advise their earlier selves if they were doing it all again. If you’re thinking that maybe the traditional paths aren’t for you, this episode has all the inspiration and tools you need to take that step forward. In this interview you’ll take away: 00:55: Lots of overlapping history 03:45: Their first impressions of each other at U of Calgary 06:20: Opportunistic vs. reactive career moves (from coast to coast) 12:00: What mattered most to you in a Law Firm? 17:45: How authenticity is a culture and talent builder 20:45: Signals in interviews that tell you if it's a fit 24:50: Going back to the Firm after being In-House 29:00: Building your own boundaries and dreams 31:45: What creating community does for your Career 36:10: How to figure out what motivates you 39:40: Intentionality is the antidote to fear with atypical career paths 42:40: The scariest part to learn when you go In-House Episode Resources: Learn more from Angie Jackson and Pam Hinman on how to build an intentionally designed career here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelamjacksonjd/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelamjacksonjd/] and https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-hinman-807376109/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-hinman-807376109/]. To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with me here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠ [http://www.chadaboud.com/] Learn more about how Goodlawyer [http://www.goodlawyer.ca/] moves the business faster here: www.goodlawyer.ca [http://www.goodlawyer.ca/]

Betting on your dream (with Manav Deol)

His parents were happy he was working at a prestigious Law Firm. But his dream was always pushing him further. So he ran after it. Figuratively and literally. Down hallways. Through cold calls. And slammed phones. Manav Deol grew up playing competitive sport. And very early on he knew he’d do everything to make sport his Career too. In this week’s episode of the What You’re About x Goodlawyer podcast, we interview the Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel of Vancouver Whitecaps FC, a franchise in Major League Soccer. He’s thoughtful. He’s resilient. He’s living his dream. If you’re trying to figure out how to turn your dream into your reality, this episode is for you. In this interview you’ll take away: 02:20: The day you find out your dream came true 05:00: When your passion is meant to be your profession 10:40: Calling everyone you know to pursue your goal 15:50: Rewiring our minds to recognize our wins 19:50: Your loved ones see it when you love your work 24:04: Navigating family life with an atypical career 27:00: The Future of Law for a GC in a lean legal team 33:55: Best career advice for earlier Manav 38:45: There's more opportunity for Lawyers than you think Episode Resources: Learn more from Manav Deol and about the Vancouver Whitecaps here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manav-d-70435572/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/manav-d-70435572/] and https://www.whitecapsfc.com/. To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with me here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠ [http://www.chadaboud.com/] Learn more about how Goodlawyer [http://www.goodlawyer.ca/] moves the business faster here: www.goodlawyer.ca [http://www.goodlawyer.ca/].

Courage & empathy trump lies (w/ Leena Yousefi)

She’s faced lies, slander and ridicule. But she remains a warrior for the Legal industry. Having no interest in the status quo and proving that empathy and curiosity make money. Leena Yousefi has absorbed more hate than most in the legal industry could ever imagine. Yet she’s turned that negative energy into fuel to become CEO of YLaw, the largest female led Law Firm in Canada, an author, voted Top 25 Lawyers in Canada and one of Canada's 100 Most Powerful Women, ranked Top 10 Innovators in Canada, named 40 under 40 and a Lexpert Rising Star. But Leena doesn’t care about all of that. She cares about shaking up the Legal Industry. Making it a place where everyone feels like they belong. And she won’t stop no matter what the haters say. In this episode, one of the most courageous voices of the Legal industry, shares how she’s fought back from lies and slander to build a Law Firm that leverages empathy and inclusivity to drive growth.   If you’re looking for hope for the Future of Law, this episode is for you. Because Leena is the future right now. In this interview you’ll take away: 02:45: How to be courageous in the face of misinformation 06:45: Taking risks & being unafraid (even when you're anxious) 10:25: How YLaw treats Lawyers better and makes more money doing it 15:20: It's our duty to make the industry better, so give first 21:45: What happens when you share what you care about 26:30: Using your natural gifts & shaking up the Legal industry 30:30: Best advice for earlier Leena 32:30: On lies, slander and mental health 36:30: Acknowledging uncomfortable feelings to move through them 37:15: Creating a safe space to be yourself at work 39:15: Why empathy and inclusivity are business drivers Episode Resources: Learn more from Leena Yousefi and about YLaw here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leena-yousefi-7932b232/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leena-yousefi-7932b232/] and https://www.ylaw.ca/ [https://www.ylaw.ca/]. To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with me here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠ [http://www.chadaboud.com/]

Should Lawyers own Law Firms anymore? (w/ Mitch Kowalski)

If Lawyers have a monopoly on legal services, nothing changes. Many talk about legal innovation. He lives it. Whether it's Mitch Kowalski’s books about how Lawyers can avoid extinction or his international projects with governments and massive brands around the world... he walks his talk. In this episode, as usual Mitch pulls no punches as he shares how the legal industry needs to change to improve client services and lawyer well-being. He also shows us how other countries have already been doing this for decades. If you’ve ever wondered why the legal industry is so slow to change and what we can do about it today, this episode is right down your alley. In this interview you’ll take away: 02:25: Why Mitch left the BigLaw Partnership track 07:00: Being introspective and betting on yourself 10:15: The most meaningful part of being a small firm owner 14:30: What your friends say when you leave BigLaw 16:30: Should Lawyers be the only ones to own Law Firms? 25:30: How to get clients & business teams to love you 36:25: Advice for earlier Mitch: find your people 38:55: Defining your own career success 44:30: How can AI actually help Lawyers right now? Episode Resources: Learn more from Mitch Kowalski about the latest trends in legal industry innovation here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchkowalski/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchkowalski/] and https://kowalski.ca/ [https://kowalski.ca/]. To learn more from Mitch, sign up for the Future of Law Summit here: summit.goodlawyer.ca. It’s virtual and free so there are no barriers to get this year’s most entertaining 4 hours of CLE! To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with me here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠ [http://www.chadaboud.com/]