5 Signs Your Law Firm Workflow Stalls Past $1M - #224

It’s wild how the law firm workflow that got you to $1M is the same one trapping you there. Sharon Ramage cracked it. 

If you're stuck rebuilding the same law firm processes that broke you at $1M, this episode shows you the leverage play. Stop hiring more billable staff. Start systematizing what repeats. 

Sharon spent 15 years solo before rebuilding her processes, breaking the bottleneck, and scaling to 24 employees and multi-million dollar revenue. 

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📄 CHAPTERS

0:00 - Law Firm Workflow Wake-Up: Sharon's $1M Stall Story 

2:18 - 15 Years Solo and Stuck: Family Law Firm Operations 

3:19 - The Bottleneck That Broke Sharon's Law Firm SOPs 

7:10 - Building Law Firm Processes (Then Breaking Them Again) 

17:32 - The 30-Day Out-of-Office Law Firm Leadership Test 

23:02 - Stop Hiring: Why Law Firm Automation Beats Billable Staff 

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Transcript

0:00

Sharon was a solo attorney for 15 years. She ended up losing an opportunity to be a judge and that moment transformed her firm. She now has over 20 employees, is doing multiple millions a year in revenue, all because she decided to double down and grow her firm. You're not going to want to miss this episode. Welcome back to the Sterling Family Law Show. The podcast, designed to help law firm owners build the firm of their dreams. I'm your host, Tyler Dolph. I'm also the CEO of our hyper focused law firm only marketing agency called Rocket Clicks. And today we continue our Owner operator series, where we learn from successful law firm owners who are building their practice. They're sharing their lessons learned, and today is no different. Sharon has a wonderful family law firm in McKinney, Texas. She started as a solo for 15 years and then really decided to double down and see what she could do to grow her firm. Initially pass $1 million and now on track to multiple millions. Sharon, thank you so much for being with us today. I'm so excited to learn more about you and your firm and your future. We were talking before the podcast about some of the things that you want to implement later on, but let's let's go back to the beginning. If you wouldn't mind, introduce yourself to us and to our audience and tell us a little bit about your firm. I'm Sharon Ramage and I'm the the founder, CEO and lawyer lead attorney at the law group, where a McKinney based law firm. We specialize in family law as well as special education law. Got it. Helpful. Why did you start the firm? Where are we at You know, the firm in its current state started around just me and a paralegal in about 2000. I was a prosecutor. I've been out of law school over 30 years. I was a prosecutor then went out on my own, did solo work, worked for a law firm for a little bit, and then got married and moved to McKinney and started my solo practice. And from about 2000 till around 2015, it was me and a paralegal and bookkeeper and that's it. So for 15 years it was very small. Very small. Very, very to do the work. I'm going to be the lawyer. I'm going to be the entrepreneur. The whole deal. I did. I thought I could do everything, and that was wiser and realized once I rounded the corner and started growing that it wasn't. And because I was really doing everything I was doing the late nights, the grind. My husband did my books. When we had somebody that came in and did data entry, he did the books, and then we were up late hours. I was sometimes my own paralegal, sometimes my own runner, sometimes I was everything right because it and but the problem with that is, is when I couldn't be the everything, nothing got done because I was the bottleneck. And so I wanted something that went beyond me. I try to foray into politics. I ran for judge. The best thing that ever happened is the other person, one that election because I want my life. And sitting back and looking at how much freedom. I thought I had, even at the time being a solo, but then just really looking at it and seeing how things could change. And I thought, well, maybe I'll hire an associate. So I hired an associate, started growing, and then I joined a coaching group. I worked with a coaching group and really, really began expanding and beyond where I thought I could. I've had little glitches along the way where I've stalled a little bit, as I think most of us do when we're growing, because it's not perfectly linear. And but that's kind of how it started. It was kind of a like, why do I have to be the one to do everything? And, and I can help more people to, you know, just kind of like, okay, this really works. And I was also a special education hearing officer at the time, and I was wanting to go out into representing parents, and that also freed me up to do more of that. And, you know, so it's just grown from there. We're now I think we now have 23 or 24 employees. It's amazing. I mean, to go from a basically solopreneur for 15 years to then have to make the switch. You know, it feels like that kind of not winning the judge was a catalyst moment and saying, okay, well, now I'm going to double down on my firm. Talk to us from kind of the 2015 moment to today. Like, I feel like when you when you go from being a solo to then hiring employees, there's a major shift that has to happen internally as a human right, because you have to become a leader. You have to let go. You have to build process. And that journey sometimes takes people a long, long time. Can you tell us a little bit about your your journey and experience there? sure. Well in 2015 I like I said, I joined a coaching group and started working with some people. And I remember sitting in the room and everybody was wanting to make it to seven figures. That was the goal was to be a seven figure firm, and at the time that was, wow, I think I'm going to do that. And and I don't know what it was one of those people that I always like a challenge. You know, it's the former prosecutor in me, you know, like down the gantlet I'm going to step over it. And so what I did is I started really, really evaluating kind of how I would do things and how things could work without me. We built our processes and things I hadn't thought of that's like, oh, I'll just do it this way. It's easier because I used to tell my story myself, the story. If I do it myself, it's easier than explaining it to someone else in your life. And because you've been there, you know, and and that's just a story we tell ourselves. Because in the long run is not maybe in that very one moment it is, but it's coming to the realization that we've got to live beyond just the current moment, and that I've got to build these processes and we build them, and then you break them, and then you build them again, and then you break them again. And right now we're in a break them again mode. And that's what I found is you go from each stage to the next. What got you one place isn't going to get you to the next. And so you've got to restructure and rebuild. But it's just that willingness to accept that you don't have all the answers and that that's a comfortable place. One of the mantras in my office and anybody in my office, you can ask them and they'll tell you is most a lot of times we're not going to know what works until we know what doesn't. And so making mistakes is okay. It doesn't have to be perfect. And it kind of sets us apart from some of our because employees want it to be perfect. They want the answers, they want it all mapped up. But anyway, that's my mantra is, guys, we're going to make mistakes and just embracing that comfort. I'm writing that down. We're not going to know what works until we know it doesn't. Type it on the wall. And then I have to remind myself of it every once in a while, because you get bogged down in the this is going wrong. And, you know, it's like, okay, this is an opportunity to know what would will work. Yeah, it's changing the filter to like, no, that's progress actually. right. Yeah. Knowing what doesn't work is progress. It's let you go to something different. And so but it causes whiplash sometimes with your team and but I know, I know. And then there are some people that work with you in your earlier stages that they're not going to be the ones that stay on the journey with you. And that was a hard because I've always been one. I think it happens a lot with women attorneys that are solos. You know, your right hand is your your legal assistant, paralegal, jack of all trades, confidant. They do everything. I had one that used to go pick up my kids from school in the middle of the day, bring them back to my office, and you know, you don't live that way anymore. And there are some people that are really comfortable. That's the role. But they start getting uncomfortable as you start growing. And I have found that I've had employees. As we started growing, I had one employee, right as we were approaching the $2 million mark, could not handle it. It was and he was, you know, my office manager. And he's like, we're not going anywhere. We've got to stop, you know, because he wasn't comfortable. That was his number. He wasn't comfortable with it. And so I'm like, no, no, no we're putting the gas. We're we're putting the, we're going to put our foot on the gas and Most of the time that people got you where you are are not the same people that will get you to where you want to And it doesn't mean there are bad people or they were bad. It's just they have a gift that needs to go somewhere else and that you need to open up for people that can help you carry on. And so anyway, it's hard and it's hard as a lawyer because especially as a solo owner, because there aren't a lot of us, right. You know, you go to that, understand the entrepreneurial, really understand the entrepreneurial aspect. You know, you you go to bar events and there's like, oh my gosh, I'm building so many hours and I am writing all this off. I've got all these clients that owe me money. And I tell them I have a 98 collection rate and they look at me like I'm crazy, you know, like, no, we actually collect and and that's not a bad thing. It's not a bad have a and and so it's having to wrap your mind around a whole lot of things and then not allow yourself to be bogged down. The biggest is learning to trust yourself though. And I still have to tell myself that there are some days it's like, gosh. Am I really going to do this? And you know, I don't know where the end of the road is for me, right? You know, at one point it was like I just wanted to get to a million. And then it was two and a half, then it was three and a half. Now it's five going to seven. So, you know, it's those little, you know, those little steps along the way that you've just got to settle into. And sometimes I feel like I'm strapping myself onto a fast moving train. I'm holding on. And you know, sometimes I feel like I'm at the front driving it, but all of its good. That's great. It feels like this coaching program was a was a huge, you know, opportunity and catalyst moment for you. What other things did you learn there that you can impart on our audience that could help them? I think. Well, and I've done a lot of it's not just the lawyer coaching group that I worked with, but it's also a lot of personal mindset development because really a lot of it is what is in between your ears, at your head and getting out of your own way and, and learning to rewrite your script. So for example, did a lot of training with David Neagle I'll put in a plug for him. But anyway, one of the things is, you know, just the laws of the universe, and one of those laws is the law of Polarity is wherever you don't have, where you have lack, where you have plenty is are you looking in the right place? And it's retraining yourself when you get kind of bogged down and like, oh my gosh, what's going on? Well, the solution is here in the same place on the same level playing field. And so I just need to look for it. And once I started, you know, getting out of that lack mentality, there's never enough. In fact, I have to coach my team on it. You know, lawyers like to hoard their work. They don't like to let go of work, delegate, push it down. It's like, well, what they're going to be for me to do. It's like, guys, there's plenty more coming in it. It's not going to end. And so we're still going to be working and helping people. So it's just getting out of that, that mindset that kind of holds you back. And I still have to work on it daily. I mean, I don't think I'll ever stop working on mindset. I do a daily mindset every call. I mean, every morning, daily mindset call. And I've done it since October of 20, 2020. is daily mindset called. Tell me more about that. I have a daily mindset call. I started one group that I did it with and it's just all about mindset. And it's a mindset lesson for the day. How can we apply this in our lives? And I do it now with another group and we it is it's a daily call. And sometimes we are getting on the hot seat and we're talking about what's going on with us. But there will be themes like, you know what? What is profit? What is profit in your life? It's not just cash, although cash is profit, but it's where else can your life be profitable? What are the things that are holding holding you back? What are the you know. And so it's just those types of mindset lessons and mindset application that really helps you along the way. And it surrounds you, helps you, surround you yourself with other like minded entrepreneurs and professionals. Because there are two types of there are two groups. There are a lot of people that call themselves entrepreneurs, but they're really they're really employed by their business and they're kind of a slave to their business. And then there are people that use the business as their tool. You know, they're not a mule to their their business. They're their businesses, their mule. You know, they use it as a tool to do better things, to have more freedom, to create a better life and actually to have a bigger reach. And so that's that different mindset. I have found that it's very important to surround myself with like minded professionals that are all on that kind of same journey and path. That is awesome. How does that group get connected? Is it like if someone is listening to this and they want to Oh, call? How does that don't know if you want me to plug another coaching group so your own, but I worked with how to manage a small law firm and we have a group called the Practical Profitable Mindset. So and that's what we work with. And so I've done that that I've been on for three years. But the first group I was on for two That second one again, the practical, profitable profitable mindset. And it's been very, very beneficial. And there are some mornings I go on and I listen for 15 minutes and I've gotten my boost for the day and I go on. There's some mornings that I'm on an hour and a half, you know, it just depends. And but I right same day, same time, I know that this is what I'm going to do. And then I also did a lot of work with David Neagle. He has a he has a mindset group that meets that's, you know, all on by zoom. And and it makes a difference. It really does. And I knew it really made a difference when my husband started telling people that, you know what she's gone from, don't tell me how to run my business, because that used to be my answer on my mantra when he would try to tell me or give me some advice to me now, actually going to family members, hey, what do you think about this? You know, can we like how how do you how do y'all think this would work? And so and I see my daughters putting those same concepts into their life, you know, the mindset concepts. And so when I see that happening I know that that it it must be helping. So and it keeps you calm in the office when you're. great. One of the most successful entrepreneurs I know who runs a very large insurance business. He grew up and he started his business growing it with the mindset of if it's going to be, it's going to if it if it is to be, it's up to me. Oh that's about to. Except. Right. If it is to be. That's not true. Right. Because you have to delegate. You have to leverage people and people who have strengths where you have weaknesses. And it's so interesting to to listen and talk to entrepreneurs who who find success by just grinding. I'm going to do whatever it takes, and it's going to be me, and I'm going to do the thing. And then they realize and have the moments that you've had where you actually can grow so much faster and go so much further with a team. You way faster and further with the team. I would have never gotten to where I am now without a team. And there are times this is the first year I have not done this, and it has really had an impact on me not doing it. This is what not to do. What to do is take a minimum of 30 days out of office every year away from your business. Emergency contact only most years. For me, it's June and for a variety of reasons. I was not able to do that this year, and it really did impact kind of my my whole outlook. And I'm like, okay, we passed unit, I have not taken a vacation, but I mean, actually getting away and having I have an out of office eight page missive that if this happens, this is what you do. If this this is who you call and it's left with my leadership team and only call. Actually, they're only allowed to call my husband if there's an emergency and he, then he'll decide if it goes to me and. But I get out of office 30 days. We're breaking it up this year over chunks, and I wish we had taken the 30 days. And so next year there will be 30 days. And by me out of last year, we were on a cruise ship part of the time and on a beautiful train through the Canadian Rockies part of the time. So I literally had people could not reach out to me that I was I was out of contact. And then one year it was in Europe and we it was like, and I think the entire 30 days I was gone, I went back at the end of the trip to see how much time I had spent on the phone with my office, and it was less than 60 minutes. Talk about a great opportunity for your team to grow and take accountability and own things, and move things forward and learn how to make decisions. That's a really interesting idea and experiment. You got to have the right you do. And but the even the other thing that it gives you, when you come back, you get a different set of eyes, like, each time I've done this, I've come back and seen something that's broken that needs to be fixed. It's like, okay, this didn't quite go how we wanted it to go, but this is what we can do to make it better because you get a different person, you've stepped away, you're not deep in it, and you all of a sudden see it with any sort of eyes. It's like, okay. Like I came back realizing where we were deficient on because we're family law. And I needed we needed some more in-house Clem property. Right. For example. And so we planned we started our in-house CLE. And last year I came back and sales and marketing were kind of a little bit of a mess. It's like so we had to adjust and it's like, okay, this is this is what happened next year if I'm when I'm gone. Not if I'm gone when I'm gone. And this happens, this is what you need to do. So you get you come back and yeah you might see I call them problem tune of these. Not your, you know you see areas that could normally be problems. But you look at it it's like okay where can we grow from this. And that's what that 30 days out of office does for you. While you take that reset and come back so refreshed and hungry, I'm sure, and eager to like, get get into And I felt guilty about it at first because I'm like, is my staff going to think I don't work very hard because I'm going away for 30 days and they actually prefer it when I'm not in the office? They get more autonomy. They can make decisions. They can they and they can get their work done. I'm not popping in and out of their office and I work done. I'll work from home. This is my home office. I will work from home and get more done because there's not a you know, there's just not a constant in and out of I get, I get bored, I want to get up and go talk to people. And you know, it's not I need to stay home more. I love it. This is yeah, that's such a cool experience to learn about your firm and where you've gone. And I'm just so congratulatory of your ability to to take that next step and really grow your firm from being a slave for 15 years is such a long time to build habits and routines, and then to basically wipe it all away is a testament to to your ability to change and grow. So just want to commend you on that. yeah, I remember when I told people and I was like, I'm going to have $1 million law firm. And I remember some people like, oh, really? And they're like others were like, go for it. That's really cool. And I, I remember the day that we first August 31st of 2017, we actually hit the million mark for the year. And and so that was pretty cool. And then we've grown a lot since then. But the thing I've stalled out a couple of times and then accelerated the kind of leveled out and that's accelerated and. You mentioned just as we close up here, you want to go from 5 to 7. Talk to us about your future initiatives. How are you going to get there? What are you thinking about? How are you going to have to continue to evolve as a leader and owner to, to get your firm there? Well, this is what we're having to do. And some staff under some people understand this concept, some don't. So I'm just going to say just adding more billable staff does not help you grow. It keeps you kind of stuck because it's just it's digging in the same ditches. And so we are having to really think this is where I'm going to more project based billing. We're leveraging a lot. We're very tech heavy in my firm. So we leverage AI and technology as much as we can. So my team can do more with less, you know what I'm saying? You can take an AI pro. You could do an entire podcast on what lawyers do with AI. In fact, there are some of those out there. But you can take an AI driven product as you're launching pad and make it even so much better because you're able to put so much thought and intention to what you're communicating to, whether it's a client, whether it's anybody, a client, a court, anybody by making it, you know, making your own, but using that launching pad. And if we can automate something, my other mantras, if we can do it more than once, we can make it, we can automate it. We just have to automate as much as we can. And and so that's how you grow, because the key is not just adding more and more staff, it's adding more. It's just more and more headaches really, if you do it that way. And. I'm still appreciative of your time. Congratulations on all your success. We are excited to follow you and, you know, be a part of your journey and I wish you only the best. Moving forward.