TRP 245: The Vision of a Rainmaker with Barbara Koenen-Geerdink

[00:00:10] You're listening to The Rainmaking Podcast, hosted by high-stakes headhunter, author, and professional speaker, Scott Love. You're listening to The Rainmaking Podcast, and my name is Scott Love. Our guest today is Barbara Koenen-Geerdink. Now, our topic is the vision of a rainmaker.

[00:00:33] This is going to be an important episode for you to listen to if you've ever wanted to become a rainmaker, or if you are one and you want to continue to grow your practice. Let me tell you a little bit about Barbara. She's a seasoned business development and marketing expert with extensive experience in the professional services sector. In fact, she was the CMO, Chief Marketing Officer, for the largest law firm in the Middle East, where she played a pivotal role in driving the firm's strategic market presence and client engagement initiatives.

[00:01:02] She is the co-founder of Boost, a platform dedicated to empowering business development and marketing professionals with law firms, and she also works as a professional services consultant at Nexel. Make sure you check out the show notes to connect with Barbara directly. No matter where you listen to this podcast, go to the show notes. And as always, 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.

[00:01:30] And now here's my conversation with Barbara Koenen-Geerdink. Thanks for listening. Hey, this is Scott Love with the Rainmaking Podcast. Our special guest today is Barbara Koenen-Geerdink. And our topic is the vision of a rainmaker. Barbara, thank you for joining me on the show today. Well, thank you very much for having me, Scott. I'm excited about what we're going to talk about because everybody likes the word rainmaker. And we all want to know how can we become this rainmaker. And let me ask you this.

[00:01:59] Why do you think it's important for professionals to really have a vision of what they want to become as a rainmaker? I really do love this topic. And it's one that is quite close to my heart because it goes back to business planning, right? It's effectively laying out the roadmap that gears you up to a greater success. And it starts with having a vision. And so we do talk a lot about, you know, we've got visionaries within the legal fields.

[00:02:28] Those are often law firm founders, I suppose, sometimes also managing partners or, you know, partners with great ambition. But it could start very early on already as well, which is something that I basically speak a lot about is, you know, the importance of getting junior lawyers very much geared up to have that level of success of rainmaking success potentially.

[00:02:52] When do you think people in the life cycle of their career as a professional in a law firm, when should they really start thinking about this vision? So let's first agree that, you know, a rainmaker role as such is not for everyone, right? I think it's sort of like instilled within us if we have it or if we don't. And some people are very strong on the business development side. They like to get out there. They like to connect with people and they are natural at doing so.

[00:03:21] There is also those lawyers and, you know, professionals who just clearly don't have that sort of like skill sets or generally they naturally are not wired in a way that connection goes very easily for them. It's sometimes a skill that can be taught, I think, to a certain degree. But it is important to know that there is a clear distinction between a rainmaker and, you know, someone who's basically looking after the billable hours.

[00:03:50] And not everyone can be and has to be a rainmaker. But back to your question, I do believe that if this is something that feels natural to you and something that you want to achieve is it needs to happen from the very early days of your career. Because as you will know, Scott, it takes a long time to build a book of business, right? It doesn't happen overnight.

[00:04:13] So you have to gear up literally making sure that you've got every step within your plan laid out so that you can follow that and that will lead you to success. I've very hardly ever seen anyone just wing it and get there at the very last minute when they decide, oh, yeah, I think this is something for me. I want to be a rainmaker. I want to bring in the business. I'm good at it. So let's go. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. So somebody says, I want to be a rainmaker.

[00:04:40] This is my vision. This is what I imagine my practice to look like. I want to build a team of associates that support me. I want to become well known as a highly credentialed, highly effective specialist within my vertical. And so let's say that's their vision. Where should they go from here? You mentioned the word roadmap, and I like words that have kind of a kinesthetic, tangible sense to them. I know what a roadmap is. I'd be willing to bet most people listening to this probably don't have a rainmaking roadmap.

[00:05:10] So let's talk about that for a little bit. What does that mean? And what's kind of the elements that we can use to construct an effective roadmap? Yeah. So I strongly believe in visualization to get to where you need to be. And that sort of like links into mindset. So we have to make clear for ourselves as to what does that level of success that we want to achieve, because ultimately that's what we're going for, right? That being a rainmaker needs to be associated with something more tangible.

[00:05:38] So what does that look like? Is that a specific, is it a title? Is it a number of clients that you've worked with? Is it a revenue target? Is it, you know, succeeding your billable targets? Or it can be anything, but we have to be very clear on and descriptive of what that is. And as an NLP coach, actually, I, you know, I work with people a lot around getting the right mindsets to set you up for success. And there's so much that we can do.

[00:06:07] So there is actually something to, you know, rewiring our minds that we can be successful as much as we believe that we are going to be. So what I always ask people that I work with to do is effectively the roadmap is a point to take you from A to B. And that could be a business plan, for example, as a part of that roadmap. But it is effectively a, you could visualize it on some sort of a timeline.

[00:06:34] And I usually ask people like, close your eyes, live in the moment. And then we're going to jump from where you are now to the very point where you want to be. And then what does that point where you want to be, look like, feel like? Like, how do you feel in that moment of what to you would be a level of success and live within that moment? So don't say in five years time, I want to be a rainmaker.

[00:06:59] No, in 2030, I am going to be a rainmaker and I will have success with a million dollar plus revenue for five different clients. I work with five associates. I work with two trainees. All the rest of the firm is looking at me because they really praise me for the work that I'm bringing into the firm. I'm a highly valuable member of the team overall. You know, that's the type of thing that we want to want to look at.

[00:07:27] So make it a lot more specific and even to some extent, tangible. And then we're going to basically backtrack what is it that we need to do in order to get there and break that down into easy, manageable and achievable steps. So that links back to setting up smart goals, for example.

[00:07:49] And the reason for that is with every milestone that you set in the way, you want to also celebrate your own level of success because that's highly motivational. If you manage to achieve a piece of that roadmap every single time, then it will just keep you going. And you see the end is inside. That's where you want to be and where you're going to be. And I want to kind of take through what you've just mentioned and kind of go deep in some of these things. You mentioned smart goals. What does that mean exactly?

[00:08:17] And how can somebody implement smart goals? Well, obviously, we need to make sure that the goals that you set for yourself are specific. They're measurable. They are achievable. They are realistic and they are time constrained. So there needs to be some sort of time. It doesn't work if you're just going to say, I want to make $2 million next year. No. How are you going to make $2 million next year? What is it that sets you up for that level of success?

[00:08:46] And the more specific we can be, it's all about action at the end of the day. So the timeline vision and the mindset is a little bit like manifestation, right? We want to manifest something so hard within ourselves that we are going to achieve it. But it's not like the vision and manifestation cannot be confused with dreaming because with dreaming, we're not doing anything. And with the roadmap, we're going to get into action. I love that.

[00:09:15] Tell me a time where you've worked with someone that they had an idea of what their vision was, but they didn't know what to do at that point. And you helped them with this roadmap. You don't have to mention the person's name, of course, but what is it that they wanted to do and how did you coach them and what were the results, Barbara?

[00:09:32] It's been quite a number of people, actually, because I think particularly having worked with lawyers for my entire career, I've clearly seen some sort of common denominators around the characteristics of lawyers in particular, which sort of like doesn't really help to see the commercial side of the business, but rather focus on the lawyering side, which makes full sense because that's what they learned to do in law school.

[00:10:01] Now, working with lawyers who have come to me with very sort of like easy goals, if you like, something along the lines of, okay, Barbara, I'm not as busy now, but and these would be mostly like senior lawyers, senior counsel, like those who would be on track for partnership. A lot of them that I've worked with, interestingly, have most of them been in the corporate departments. So there's a sense of like business.

[00:10:30] We see this with the clients that they work with. So that makes sense. But then they don't really know how to do that themselves. And then it starts even with confusion around, I need to do a lot of marketing, but you can't just throw messages in the ether and just think that someone is going to pick it up. That's not a good strategy. So we bring it back to really understanding what is it that you want to achieve? And they've come to me with as simple as, you know, I'm not as busy. I want to open, I need to work with a couple of new clients.

[00:11:00] I need to bring in work. I want to become, you know, a partner with my own client base. And if I need to do that and I need to reach, I don't know, whatever revenue target was set by that firm. How do I do that? Like, can you help me to get work? And I'm like, well, I'd love to open my drawer and take out a few files for you. But that's sadly, unfortunately, not how it works. I can help you, coach you and guide you as to how you can get there. But you have to do the work yourself. And that's back to the action.

[00:11:29] Like, you can have a desire to be able to do something, but you also need to get doing. And it can start with very small steps. So again, even if the request is small or the vision is small, it still needs to have achievable goals that link into it for us to be able to really make progress on that level of success that we see at the finish line. Right. So let me ask you this.

[00:11:55] Let's say if we look at 80-20 rule, 80% of the results come from 20% of our actions. If I'm a rainmaker and I've got a vision for being a rainmaker and I want to really focus on that 20%, those things that matter the most to me achieving these goals, what do you think those things are that really have the biggest impact to me reaching that goal? Yeah, that's a very good question. And I would always say that keep in mind, is it going to help you to achieve your end goal?

[00:12:26] And if the answer to the question is no, then please just leave it alone. Don't touch it. Don't entertain it. Don't touch it. And apply a level of focus. Focus is key with everything. So it doesn't have to be even like multiple things that we need to do in order to get there. But it's very much stick with your vision, stick with your goals and focus. don't get distracted because all the things that are being thrown our way and there's many of that

[00:12:56] it's life effectively right but then also opportunities that come in from wonderful marketing and sales people that think we they've got like excellent and exciting opportunities to step into but actually if they don't help you to achieve your end goal don't entertain it it's a waste of money it's a waste of time just stick with your focus that's right only go for the things that are going to matter for you and that's something in my own personal life in my career

[00:13:23] lots of opportunities lots of things that come up when i ask myself this question will this take me closer to or further away from my goals and i look at each hour if i spend an hour that is not taking me closer to my goals well that's really about a two maybe even a three hour loss because that's time i spent on something that took me away from my goal and that's time that i did not spend that could have taken me to it so really it's about a two to three now i've got to spend time to catch up

[00:13:51] so it's about a three hour loss so i think you're absolutely right people need to have that clear vision they need to know exactly what it looks like and i think that what you talked about nlp and mindset i'd be willing to bet that might be a solution that's helping a lot of people kind of figure this out what is it that i should think about so tell me about this you said you're an nlp coach is that right and what does nlp stand for and why is that important to potential rainmakers

[00:14:15] yeah so it's called nlp for neuro-linguistic programming and it helps you effectively to rewire a part of our brain and a part of our mindset it's all linked into mindset which is massively important to get things done and we can do things with you know clients around not only professionally but also you know any sort of like habits that people have that they want to get rid

[00:14:40] of so nlp could help you to quit smoking for example nail biting you know habits that may be disturbing the only thing i would say with nlp is that you need to be willing to change and then effectively it can help you to change and professionally it's it's helped me through my career and get to where i am currently because it's all linked back into also telling myself

[00:15:04] this is what i can do i can do it where do i want to be and stick with that plan and do not give up until you have achieved it so it's all about action and tapping into part of your brain that can really help you to develop in that way it's really very powerful and i would highly recommend particularly for you know those who want to become a rainmaker it all is you know just as in professional sports

[00:15:32] for example a lot of it has to do with mindset because you know the times get tough and you need to get through it and there will be as you just said so many distractions it's effectively distractions what you talked about and we need to keep our eyes on the prize we need to keep that goal in mind and only when we do that we can overcome all the hurdles that come our way difficult conversations maybe there is you know you obviously expect to progress in your career but maybe there will be setbacks

[00:16:00] then how do we move forward to still achieving that goal as to what we have in our mind that's great barbara what do you think the pitfalls are that people should avoid as they're trying to become a rainmaker whether it's related to the psychological side the nlp side or actually actions things like that what do you think the pitfalls are that people should avoid i think still just linking back to the previous quick discussion that we had around the distractions effectively don't get distracted

[00:16:29] that's a massive pitfall i think also just focus on your own roadmap don't look at others others might excel in a different way maybe faster than you don't look at it just go for your own race that's effectively what you have to focus on don't get again it's a distraction if you look at others but i see this so often and they would say oh but peter over there you know he's got a great book of work and he will make partner very soon and he's you know the the rainmaker of the company in the making uh where

[00:16:58] am i i'm never gonna make it you know there is so much self-doubt that comes with looking at other people it's completely useless how do people overcome the self-doubt feeling like they're an imposter or they'll never be good enough compared to other people that do what they do if you keep telling that to yourself obviously you will continue to feel that way so again back to the nlp side of things i think it's very important to keep telling yourself and this is what why we do the

[00:17:26] we call this a timeline therapy so we effectively put people at the very end of the timeline where they can sense and feel and that's why it's almost like a meditation type of exercise you close your eyes you live in the moment you feel it you sense it you taste it you smell it everything around it and that basically rewires the brain in such a way that you you feel you're already there in the moment you know so it's very difficult to actually not achieve it because you've you've lived that you've

[00:17:55] been there now the only thing that's left to do is is take those steps to get there and back to sort of like self-doubt you know what it feels like you know that you can do it so there's no need to doubt yourself you are going to get there that's great barbara speaking of action steps let me ask you this as we bring our conversation to a close if somebody listening to this really wants to build this vision they want to get started on some of the things that you shared what would be three action

[00:18:22] steps they can take to really implement these ideas that you shared with us today barbara so very much the starting point is have a vision in place so that you can start to build out your roadmap your goals that relate to your roadmap etc everything that belongs with that vision that's the key step obviously then work on your mindset this is not easy it's just like you know you go to

[00:18:46] the gym to train yourself to get like physically fit you need to get your mind fit in the same time because also being a rainmaker it's not an easy feat right it's hard work and you can get to that stage but then you're there it's only starting for you like there's so much more after that and then obviously finally is just to have that goal in mind and not just one goal but probably break it down in a couple

[00:19:12] of objectives so that you can measure success feel motivated by the stuff that you've achieved and keep going that's great barbara and let me ask you this for all the people that don't know you we're going to put your links and all your information on our show notes so no matter where people are listening to this just go to the show notes but tell us about what you have what you have that you'd like our listeners to know about what you do and the offerings that you have and even the

[00:19:37] book that you wrote thank you yeah the book beyond billable hours i wrote it and published it probably about five years ago now it came as a passion from you know having worked in the legal sector for my entire career and i wanted to bring effectively what we discussed today business planning mindset shifts etc into one book as a resource for as many lawyers across the globe to be able to

[00:20:03] exit it and hopefully it's going to help them in some way or another it's very practical it's not rocket science i read it in easy digestible steps and it brings me back to you know my career spans over 15 years of law firm business development experience across the world but mostly from dubai where i'm currently based i work with nexel who are a great crm tool and much more than that so very much a tool

[00:20:28] to connect with your network super important for rainmakers as it definitely is all i can recommend and i give some of my consultancy hours to other firms and organizations that i like to work with since i departed my previous firm in february this year that's great well barbara thank you so much for being on the show i'd love to have you back on in the future as a guest and i appreciate you sharing your wisdom today well thank you so much for having me on the show scott and best of luck with your

[00:20:57] next episodes as well thank you for listening to the rain making podcast for more information about our recruiting services for international law firms visit our website at attorneysearchgroup.com to inquire about having scott speak at your next convention conference sales meeting or executive retreat visit the rain making podcast.com