Beyond Billables Beyond Billables

Meet John Farren, Partner and Co-Founder of Farren McRae Workplace Lawyers & Consultants – and one of the very best lawyers on LinkedIn! As a leading employment lawyer, John saw the opportunity LinkedIn presented to build relationships and leverage his time. Since then, he has made LinkedIn central to his business success. 
John has quite the story, from professional trumpet player to business owner and now leading employment lawyer. John shares openly why he thinks other lawyers need to fully embrace their own stories.
What makes John’s approach to LinkedIn so noteworthy, is that it is achievable for anyone willing to put in the work. We delve into his strategy, his content creation process, and how others like you can start reaping LinkedIn success. 
During the show, you will learn about:
How over 50% of John’s leads originate from LinkedIn,
Practical strategies to grow on LinkedIn for all professionals,
Content ideas and batching content,
How firms can empower their people to grow their brands,
How John and his partner Alison have created a firm culture that rewards success,
Why their firm focusses on senior practitioners, 
Finances and cash flow,
Meditation and exercise
 
Thanks for joining us, John!
 

How come some businesses can scale, and others can’t? Have you thought about advertising, but found it all too complex? On today’s show, I sat down with Lauren Swidenbank, Founder of Cali Social and owner of Collabosaurus. 
 
Lauren is truly a guru of all things online advertising, so I was excited to pick her brain on your behalf over Google Ads, Meta Ads, LinkedIn ads and everything in between. We discussed how critical strategy is, the role of content and your wider brand, and how to measure success. Lauren walked me through each step of the process in determining what type of advertising strategy could work, and highlighted some of the key differences between platforms that business owners need to know. 
 
Today you’ll learn:
 
The key basics of Google Search ads and what you need to know
The type of ads she uses now to promote Cali Social
How Cali Social used advertising to expand internationally 
How to evaluate whether an ad campaign is working
The importance of strategy and getting your messaging right
Why a good ad campaign can take time to bare fruit and the key time frames to be aware of
The power of collaboration and how Collabosaurus empowers businesses of all sizes
The role of AI in online advertising now and into the future 
How Lauren manages to run two businesses and the habits she has had to develop to stay healthy and well. 
 
Thanks for joining us, Lauren! 
 
To find out more about how we help professional services firms with their brand and marketing strategy, brand design, websites and content creation check us out at https://www.beyondbillables.com/
 

Meet Leanne Hughes, self-proclaimed ‘thought breeder’; successful business strategist, author and podcaster! Leanne’s biggest focus? To have a great business, you need a great team – and Leanne is an expert in helping grow them. 
With a background in psychology, and experience working for a range of organisations; Leanne set out on her own as a consultant in 2019 and hasn’t looked back. Her joy lies in helping everyday people create extraordinary experiences – for themselves, their teams, and their businesses and communities. Leanne offers 1-1 training with businesses, as well as courses and public speaking appearances.
 On today’s show, you will learn:
- How to identify organisational and cultural issues in your business that are costing you money;
- Practical steps to build a great team culture and process;
- How Leanne has used LinkedIn to build an international personal brand where 80% of her work is overseas;
- Why you should think about starting a podcast and writing a book;
- The surprising difference becoming a published author can make; 
- How to lean into your strengths and forget about the “haters”;
- How great teams “market” themselves internally in organisations;
- The power of “frentors” and why business leaders need to lean on their peers.
 We’re so grateful to have you join us, Leanne!
 

Meet Steph Taylor, self-confessed corporate dropout turned online business entrepreneur. Steph is part of the Hubspot network; and the host of the Imperfect Action podcast, with over 800 episodes recorded.
 
So what does she actually do? Well, in a nutshell, Steph helps her clients build reliably profitable online businesses so they can spend less time on work and gain more time to enjoy their life. Steph's passion lies in helping other business owners and entrepreneurs become self-made superstars, following the same formula she used.
If you've ever wanted to build a 7 figure online business, while still being able to live the life you want? Then this episode is for you.
 
Today, you’ll learn:
 
What to do when you're just starting out in business,
How shared purpose and connection can save your business,
How to bounce back from a mega flop,
Why strategy is so important when launching,
The secret to building an engaged community,
And so much more!
 
Thanks for joining us, Steph!
 
To find out more about how we help professional services firms with their brand and marketing strategy, brand design, websites and content creation check us out at https://www.beyondbillables.com/
 

Today’s smiling guest is the one and only Jason Malouin.
Jason is a creative wizard, founder and incredible portrait photographer at Super Power Portraits. He also happens to be all around one of the most infectiously positive people I know.
With his incredible energy and commitment to insanely good photos, Jason helps his clients show up at the top of their game. From portraits in Pennsylvania to being booked and busy in Brisbane Australia, Jason shares his incredible journey and the power of a big hearted commitment to helping real people portray themselves with authenticity, honesty and integrity.
Today you’ll learn:
-How to get more clients by communicating what your real skills are
- How to unlock your personal brand super power
- Why imagery is so powerful and how to use it to stand out
- How to make hard, life changing decisions in business and life
- The power of rebranding and refocusing your message
- Why everyone hates photos of themselves, and how to overcome it
- Why mindset matters and how to get through tough times as a business owner
Ever felt a little unsure of your place in the world, and your industry? Know the familiar pangs of imposter syndrome? Buckle up, this episode is for you!
Thanks again, Jason! 
 

Meet Ella Doyle, social media expert and founder of Social Cut agency. Ella may not have intended on being an agency owner, but that’s what happened after she was begged to help with a friend's social content over 8 years ago. 
Can you build a successful agency by accident? Yes! Are there still heaps of opportunities to grow your business using content? Absolutely! Fast forward 8 years, and Ella has quite the story to tell about growing an agency, surviving Covid and recessions, and all the ups and downs that go into running a business.
Social Cut is an organic-first social media content agency. They help a broad range of businesses with content, social media and engagement.
To say we covered some ground on this show is an understatement. When you listen you will learn:
- Types of content for Instagram and TikTok,
- Why professionals shouldn’t be scared to make content,
- Why you need to be strategic across platforms,
- How Ella has never had to advertise because of great social media and SEO,
- Why engagement is so important to build community and connection,
- How to navigate tough economic times.
- How your team comes first and clients second,
- Why getting your team involved in your socials is critical,
- Some great tools and processes for approaching your social media.
Thanks for joining us, Ella!
Want to take your business's brand and marketing to the next level? Download our free “better client” audit and identify the areas of opportunity where you can become more profitable and build a better business. 
To find out more about how we help professional services firms with their brand and marketing strategy, brand design, websites and content creation check us out at https://www.beyondbillables.com/