The Rainmaking Podcast

Scott Love

The Rainmaking Podcast will help you to get more business, better business, and all the business from your clients. This podcast is for professional services firms, law firms, and professional sales people. Discover the secrets of the world's leading experts in client development, business development, sales, closing, prospecting, networking, negotiation, influence, motivation, and achievement. www.therainmakingpodcast.com

  1. 2d ago

    TRP 338: Earning Client Trust with Thought Leadership with Bill Sherman

    Posting on LinkedIn once isn't thought leadership. Speaking on one panel isn't thought leadership. Real thought leadership is a strategy — and most professionals have never been given a clear framework to build one. Bill Sherman is COO of Thought Leadership Leverage, co-host of the Leveraging Thought Leadership podcast, and lead co-author of The Thought Leadership Handbook — the book Scott calls the most intellectually rigorous, practically useful resource on thought leadership he's ever read. In this episode, Bill shares the framework he and his colleagues developed over 20 years of consulting with Fortune 500 executives, professional services providers, and emerging experts who want their ideas to travel further and earn more trust. You'll learn: The difference between being an expert and becoming a thought leader — and why the skills don't automatically transfer Bill's 20-word test: what every core idea must do to earn a "tell me more" The 4 elements of thought leadership: Core Idea, Content Library, Market Offerings, and Platform Identity — explained in full What a content library actually is (and why sticky notes on a wall is a perfectly legitimate starting point) Platform identity: how people talk about your ideas when you're not in the room — and why that matters more than personal brand Why most professionals suffer from "content insecurity" (imposter syndrome's cousin) — and how to push past it The paradox of knowledge-sharing: why giving away your best ideas makes more people come back to you Why the "keep it behind the paywall" instinct is the #1 thing holding thought leaders back How AI is absorbing generic expertise — and what makes your voice irreplaceable 3 action steps to shift from expert to thought leader and start building your platform today Bill also shares how The Thought Leadership Handbook came to exist — from 2.6 million words of podcast transcripts and two co-authors who said they'd never write a book. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/jCFNedZciu4 ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: scott@attorneysearchgroup.com ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ The Rainmaking Magazine helps lawyers, consultants, and professional service providers build thriving practices through smarter business development. 📖 Subscribe to Rainmaking Magazine — free complimentary subscription: https://www.rainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- About Bill Sherman: Bill Sherman stumbled into thought leadership when a Fortune 500 executive asked: "How do I scale the ideas in my book?" That was twenty years ago. Today he's COO of Thought Leadership Leverage and co-host of the Leveraging Thought Leadership podcast. After exploring why experts share their best ideas with strangers, he thinks more of them should. That's why he put his frameworks and tools into The Thought Leadership Handbook. Bill lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Links: Bill's site: https://aha-moments.com/ Book: https://thoughtleadershiphandbook.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-sherman-aha-moments/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    TRP 338: Earning Client Trust with Thought Leadership with Bill Sherman
  2. 4d ago

    TRP 337: [Legal] Law Firm Mergers: Private Equity/MSO Activity with TJ Henry

    Private equity has moved through healthcare, dental, and accounting. Law firms are next — and the deals are already happening. But most law firm leaders don't fully understand the structure, the math, or the risks involved. TJ Henry is the co-founder and managing partner of Federate, a management services organization that launches, operates, and scales law firms. He's also one of the most knowledgeable people in the country on how MSO structures work, what investors are actually looking for, and what law firm founders need to know before they sit down at the table. In this episode — part of the Sometimes Tuesdays legal-specific series — TJ joins Scott Love for one of the most detailed, practical conversations the Rainmaking Podcast has ever had on law firm M&A, private equity, and the MSO model. You'll learn: What an MSO actually is — and why it's the legal workaround that makes third-party investment in law firms possible How 20-year contracts, EBITDA calculations, and per-timekeeper fees actually work in these deals Why a $100M revenue firm doesn't generate $100M in EBITDA — and how to find the real number What realistic deal multiples look like right now (and why low-to-mid teens should make you nervous) Why the lawyers most likely to get a deal done are the ones willing to stay and grow — not the ones looking to cash out and leave The three levers every PE investor needs to pull to run a profitable MSO deal: EBITDA arbitrage, law firm growth, and cost reduction What investors get wrong when they try to buy into law firms without law firm operators on their team The difference between a roll-up model and a multi-firm MSO — and the conflicts-of-interest issue that makes one harder than the other Why small to mid-sized firms are actually better deal targets than AmLaw 200 firms What "law firm in a box" looks like — and how Federate can get a new firm up and running in 60 days If you're a law firm founder, managing partner, equity partner, or investor evaluating the legal services market — this episode is required listening. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/lGP1mVGOMzE ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: scott@attorneysearchgroup.com ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ The Rainmaking Magazine helps lawyers, consultants, and professional service providers build thriving practices through smarter business development. 📖 Subscribe to Rainmaking Magazine — free complimentary subscription: https://www.rainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- About TJ Henry: T.J. Henry is a seasoned legal operations and law firm executive with a track record of helping law firms and legal businesses launch, grow, and scale. He specializes in strategic transformation, operational design, and growth, with a focus on building the infrastructure, teams, technology, and systems that allow legal organizations to operate more effectively. T.J. is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Federate, where he works with law firms and investors across the legal industry. Links: https://federatelegal.com/contact/?utm_source=rainmaking_podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=rainmaking_podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    TRP 337: [Legal] Law Firm Mergers: Private Equity/MSO Activity with TJ Henry
  3. Aug 20

    TRP 336: Your Online Bio with Scott Love

    Scott Love has read thousands of law firm partner bios. Most of them are bad. Most of them read like word-for-word copies of every other attorney at every other firm — and they do nothing to compel a prospective client to pick up the phone. In this solo episode, Scott breaks down the five pillars of a high-performing online bio: the framework he's developed over 30+ years as a legal recruiter that turns a forgettable credentials list into a compelling narrative that makes clients say, "Get me that person." This one applies whether you're a law firm partner, a consultant, a financial advisor, or any other professional services provider whose bio is the first thing a prospect reads before deciding whether to reach out. You'll learn: Why most professional bios fail — and the one question every bio must answer The difference between marketing and business development (and which one your bio actually is) The 5 pillars of a compelling online bio: Key Differentiators, Distinction Points, Value Proposition, Track Record & Proof Points, and Thought Leadership The "so what? so that." exercise that instantly reveals whether your bio is making a real case for you Why in-house experience, prior careers, and unusual backgrounds are your biggest untapped differentiators — and why most people leave them out How to turn a generic credentials paragraph into a narrative that shows what you actually do for clients What thought leadership on a bio looks like — and the specific details that signal authority to a prospect The final bonus tip: 15 minutes a day that separates consistent rainmakers from everyone else Scott also references his co-authored book Rainmaker Confidential (with Henry DeVries and Mark LeBlanc) — a full playbook for thought leadership and client development. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/yP09gNC3SZo ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: scott@attorneysearchgroup.com ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ The Rainmaking Magazine helps lawyers, consultants, and professional service providers build thriving practices through smarter business development. 📖 Subscribe to Rainmaking Magazine — free complimentary subscription: https://www.rainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- About Scott Love: Scott Love is a legal recruiter solely focused on recruiting corporate and finance partners for global law firms in major markets. He is the host of The Rainmaking Podcast, co-author of Rainmaker Confidential, and speaks professionally at conferences on sales, client development, and recruiting. 📘 Book: Rainmaker Confidential — RainmakerConfidential.com 📖 Rainmaking Magazine: free complimentary subscription at TheRainmakingMagazine.com 🎓 Free Webinars: RainmakingSeminars.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    TRP 336: Your Online Bio with Scott Love
  4. Aug 18

    TRP 335: [Legal] Law Firms of the Future with Tim Keith

    The legal industry is about to change faster than most law firm leaders are prepared for. Private equity is coming. AI is already here. And the firms that keep doing things the way they've always been done are going to find themselves squeezed from both sides. Tim Keith is the CEO and founder of Propense AI, an AI-driven cross-selling and client intelligence platform built specifically for law firms. He's watched private equity transform the accounting industry in real time — and he's convinced the same inflection point is coming for legal, faster than anyone anticipates. In this episode, Tim joins Scott Love to lay out a clear-eyed view of what the law firm of the future actually looks like, what separates the firms that will lead from those that will be absorbed, and what managing partners and partners should be doing right now to get ahead of it. You'll learn: Why Tim believes the traditional partnership model will change dramatically within the next five years How private equity reshaped accounting in under four years — and why legal is next Why "we've never done it that way" is the most dangerous strategy in the current market The "one-firm mentality" — why cross-selling is no longer optional and how the best firms are executing it What non-lawyer ownership of law firms already looks like in practice (Arizona's precedent) How the billing model is shifting toward value-based pricing — and what that will look like in practice Why the "black box" of legal work is disappearing and what that means for your competitive position The rise of niche AI-native law firms — and the partners who are already leaving BigLaw to start them Why the middle market is going to get "swallowed up" and what that means if your firm lives there 3 action steps law firm leaders and individual partners can take right now to prepare Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/Ej-q2TZ0eGE ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: scott@attorneysearchgroup.com ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ The Rainmaking Magazine helps lawyers, consultants, and professional service providers build thriving practices through smarter business development. 📖 Subscribe to Rainmaking Magazine — free complimentary subscription: https://www.rainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- About Tim Keith: Tim Keith is CEO and founder of Propense AI. Our AI-driven platform analyzes historical data and market signals, providing firms with the insights they need to anticipate client needs before they arise. By enabling firms to serve with precision, we strengthen client relationships, enhance trust, and ultimately create greater value for everyone involved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    TRP 335: [Legal] Law Firms of the Future with Tim Keith
  5. Aug 13

    TRP 334: Power Under Pressure with Emma Zia

    Pressure is inevitable. But whether it contracts you or expands you — that's a choice. Dr. Emma Zia has spent nine years helping founders, executives, and high performers figure out which voice they're listening to, and how to change it. Emma is a high performance expert, author of Power Under Pressure, and holds a Doctorate in Metaphysical Science. She works with leaders at critical inflection points — when the stakes are highest and the old patterns are loudest. In this episode, she joins Scott Love to unpack the Contractor vs. Expander framework, the six hidden unconscious patterns that quietly cap success, and the practical tools to break through each one. Scott calls this one of the most personally meaningful conversations on the Rainmaking Podcast — one he read aloud to his wife and daughter. It's a little different. And it might be exactly what you need. You'll learn: What the Contractor and Expander voices are — and how to tell which one is running your decisions Why you cannot outperform your inner world (and what that means for your business results) The 6 hidden patterns that keep high performers stuck: Imposter, Overdrive, Chaos, Fortress, Freeze, and Control The Dimmer vs. Inflator — two faces of the Imposter pattern and how to spot them in yourself Why Warren Buffett's success is an argument against the Overdrive pattern The PlayStation level analogy: why you can't skip to the next level without breaking through the current one first Why fighting reality only intensifies suffering — and what acceptance actually looks like for a high achiever How one client went from zero sales for six months to $60K collected in four weeks after a single session The visceral body exercise that tells you in real time whether you're in contraction or expansion 3 action steps to start accessing your power under pressure today Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com YouTube: https://youtu.be/pdS6k1sUZRk ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: scott@attorneysearchgroup.com ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ The Rainmaking Magazine helps lawyers, consultants, and professional service providers build thriving practices through smarter business development. 📖 Subscribe to Rainmaking Magazine — free complimentary subscription: https://www.rainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- About Emma Zia: Dr. Emma Zia is a high-performance expert with over 9 years of experience working with leaders, founders, and teams during periods of growth and transition. She holds a Doctorate in Metaphysical Science and works with the unseen structures that drive success. Her approach blends psychological understanding with Extrasensory Perception (ESP), translating unseen principles into practical tools for becoming your best self in life and business. Links: Website: https://www.emmazia.com/ Book a session: https://calendly.com/emmazia/clarity-session-personal-business Get a copy of my book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GY1C84Z3 Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-zia/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    TRP 334: Power Under Pressure with Emma Zia
  6. Aug 11

    TRP 333: [Legal] Elevating Emotional Intelligence for Lawyers with David Sarnoff

    Research shows lawyers score below average in emotional intelligence compared to the general population. That gap is costing law firms talent, trust, and millions in preventable attrition. David Sarnoff is an ICF Certified Executive Coach, leadership trainer, and former attorney who founded Sarnoff Group LLC to do development work that actually sticks. He's also the co-author of Beyond the Courtroom: Proven Strategies from the Legal Field for Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, and Well-Being in the Modern Workplace. In this episode, David joins Scott Love to break down why emotional intelligence is so hard for lawyers to develop — and exactly how to build it. This is a legal-specific episode from the Sometimes Tuesdays series, and it's one of the most practically useful conversations the show has had on leadership, retention, and what actually keeps great attorneys and staff from walking out the door. You'll learn: Why lawyers as a population score below average in EQ — and what Martin Seligman's research on pessimism reveals about why The connection between low EQ and the legal profession's alarming rates of depression, substance abuse, and burnout Why 70% of what you communicate is nonverbal — and what partners are accidentally telling their teams without knowing it The "three words exercise" that reveals the gap between how you see yourself and how your team actually experiences you What the amygdala hijack is and why it makes otherwise rational lawyers act irrationally under stress The box breathing technique Navy SEALs use to stay calm in chaos — and how one practice group leader used it to stop a blow-up in real time What KKR discovered when they studied empathy in their portfolio company CEOs (it has nothing to do with being "nice") Why people don't leave law firms — they leave partners (and what the data says about attrition costs) How to use the EQI 2.0 assessment to get a baseline and track growth 3 specific action steps to start elevating your emotional intelligence today Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/HrfAyoqt9EQ ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: scott@attorneysearchgroup.com ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ The Rainmaking Magazine helps lawyers, consultants, and professional service providers build thriving practices through smarter business development. 📖 Subscribe to Rainmaking Magazine — free complimentary subscription: https://www.rainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- About David Sarnoff: I founded Sarnoff Group LLC to do work that actually moves people, not just training that gets forgotten by Monday morning, but coaching and development that changes how leaders think, communicate, and show up for their teams. As an ICF Certified Executive Coach, leadership trainer, and former attorney, I bring a perspective most coaches can't offer: I've lived inside the high-stakes, high-pressure environments my clients navigate every day. That background shapes everything about how I work. Links: LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsarnoff/Website:   www.sarnoffgroup.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    TRP 333: [Legal] Elevating Emotional Intelligence for Lawyers with David Sarnoff
  7. Aug 6

    TRP 332: When to Say No to Business with Gina Rubel

    "No is a complete sentence." It took Gina Rubel years of executive coaching — and nearly 25 years of running a top legal PR firm — to fully believe that. In this episode, she makes the case for why. Gina Rubel is the CEO and General Counsel of Furia Rubel Communications, a nationally recognized legal marketing, litigation PR, and crisis communications agency. She joins Scott Love for the Rainmaking Podcast's first-ever episode dedicated entirely to saying no — when to do it, how to do it, and why the most successful professionals in any field have mastered it. This conversation is packed with practical frameworks: red flag checklists, core values exercises, real-world stories from crisis comms and RFP negotiations, and the "yes, and" mindset that turns a firm no into a future opportunity. You'll learn: The 6 most common reasons a professional services provider should turn down business — and how to recognize each one early How to build your personal red flag checklist before you take another intake call Why your core values — not your revenue goals — should be the filter for every new client relationship The RFP negotiation story: how saying "we can't do this in time" turned into a stronger client relationship Why "no" doesn't always have to mean no — and how the "yes, and" approach keeps doors open How to actually say no to a prospect without over-explaining or burning the bridge Why culture fit doesn't mean identical culture — and what the real alignment requirement is The red flag you're probably overlooking: clients who don't value your advice When an existing client relationship warrants a no (and how to handle it with integrity) 3 action steps to start saying no to the right things starting today Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/DHktJ3_6xMw ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: scott@attorneysearchgroup.com ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ The Rainmaking Magazine helps lawyers, consultants, and professional service providers build thriving practices through smarter business development. 📖 Subscribe to Rainmaking Magazine — free complimentary subscription: https://www.rainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- About Gina Rubel: Gina Rubel is the CEO and General Counsel of Furia Rubel Communications, Inc., a nationally recognized legal marketing, litigation PR, and crisis communications agency serving law firms, their clients, and legal industry organizations. Links: https://www.furiarubel.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginafuriarubel/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    TRP 332: When to Say No to Business with Gina Rubel
  8. Jul 30

    TRP 331: Brand Intelligence Through Strategic Listening with Paula Zirinsky

    You think you know your brand. Your clients experience something else entirely — and that gap is costing you business. Paula Zirinsky is the founder of Zirinsky Strategy LLC and a marketing strategist with over four decades of experience helping law firms, professional services organizations, and global companies discover what their brand actually is — not what they assume it is. In this episode, Paula joins Scott Love to unpack brand intelligence, strategic listening, and the brand discovery process that reveals the hidden stories, emotional differentiators, and unexpected insights that separate the best firms from everyone who sounds exactly like them. You'll learn: What brand intelligence actually is — and why emotional differentiation matters more than rational differentiation Why "we know our brand" is the most dangerous thing a law firm can say The single most powerful question to ask a client that unlocks the stories behind your brand How the pause after "tell me a story" often produces the most valuable insight of any interview What the "triage" story reveals about finding a hidden differentiator hiding in plain sight Why process can be as powerful a brand story as personality How brand discovery interviews actually strengthen client loyalty — sometimes just by asking What blocks organizations from implementing brand work successfully (it's not budget) How strategic listening applies to lateral recruiting and partner development — not just marketing 3 action steps any firm can take right now to start listening differently — even without a consultant Whether you're a managing partner, chief marketing officer, or a solo practitioner trying to stand out in a crowded market — this episode will change how you think about what your brand actually is. Visit: https://therainmakingpodcast.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/auqwyRY0NeQ ---------------------------------------- If you are a successful law firm partner or law firm founder and want to hear about other options, please book a time on Scott Love's calendar here: https://calendly.com/scott-736/half-hour-phone-meeting-with-scott Or email Scott to connect with him at: scott@attorneysearchgroup.com ---------------------------------------- 🎙️ The Rainmaking Magazine helps lawyers, consultants, and professional service providers build thriving practices through smarter business development.📖 Subscribe to The Rainmaking Magazine — free 30-day trial: https://www.rainmakingmagazine.com ---------------------------------------- This show is sponsored by Leopard Solutions Legal Intelligence Suite of products, Firmscape, and Leopard BI. Push ahead of the pack with the power of Leopard. For a free demo, visit this link: https://www.leopardsolutions.com/index.php/request-a-demo/ ---------------------------------------- About Paula Zirinsky: Paula Zirinsky, the founder of Zirinsky Strategy LLC, is a seasoned marketing professional who excels in tackling marketing challenges and problem-solving through branding, thought leadership, and intentional marketing initiatives. With over four decades of experience, she possesses a proven track record in identifying growth opportunities for global companies and has a knack for building the necessary infrastructure and teams to drive strategy, branding, thought leadership, marketing, and business development. Paula is also well-versed in content creation, communications, digital programs, and the implementation of technology platforms. Links: https://www.zirinskystrategy.com/about https://www.zirinskystrategy.com/contact Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    TRP 331: Brand Intelligence Through Strategic Listening with Paula Zirinsky
4.8
out of 5
48 Ratings

About

The Rainmaking Podcast will help you to get more business, better business, and all the business from your clients. This podcast is for professional services firms, law firms, and professional sales people. Discover the secrets of the world's leading experts in client development, business development, sales, closing, prospecting, networking, negotiation, influence, motivation, and achievement. www.therainmakingpodcast.com

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