Law Office of Justin Stivers September 2018

Law Office of Justin Stivers September 2018

305-704-7266

www.JBStiversLaw.com

September 2018

New Practice, New Future, New Life The Foundation of the Law Office of Justin Stivers

So much of the law industry wants to stay inside a confined box that was designed 100 years ago. Big desks, leather chairs, and intimidating stereotypes still lead the charge for most firms. But society has changed, people have changed, and technology has changed. If lawyers are in the business of meeting clients’ needs, shouldn’t they change with the times too? We live in a digital age, and that doesn’t bother me in the slightest. I started this firm just over a year ago with the intent of harnessing the power of technology and streamlining law processes to be better aligned with the 21st century. People deserve attorneys who have a personal touch and employ a process that isn’t intimidating when they’re going through an emotional time. There are very few areas of law that need this overhaul more than probate, so the decision to focus my attention where I have was an easy call. Not everyone shares the same sentiment. I think there’s a degree of comfort that lawyers find with the traditional process. It keeps them in power and the client at their mercy. But is that really in the clients’ best interest? When I started in law, I often encountered this mentality. After practicing in larger firms that held fast to this mantra, I realized that not only did I want to get away from it, but I also wanted to be my own boss. So I linked up with a colleague, and we branched out to start our own firm. It was an awesome experience, but after a year, I recognized that something was missing. The one person I’ve always relied on to achieve the mission in front of me is myself. From being the first in my family to graduate college to being in the Peace Corps for two years, my self-reliance has pushed me to strive for more. I channeled that self-reliance to help me pursue a career in law, and after building a successful partnership, I realized that I needed

Our practice is relatively new, but we pride ourselves on that. New doesn’t mean bad or inexperienced. New is precisely what we want to bring into the field of law. We do probate quickly rather than dragging it out; we communicate fast so you’re always in the loop; and we take pride in making our clients’ experiences with the law seamless. These are new ideas, and at the Law Office of Justin Stivers, we like new.

to strike out on my own to achieve my goals. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve made, and I’m excited for my future. Thanks to my wife, the direction of my practice isn’t the only thing that makes my future bright. It’s still a little odd for me to utter those words after getting married just a few weeks ago, but I couldn’t be more excited about the possibilities life has in store for us. Our wedding embodied what I love about South Florida. It was at an old-style Spanish church, with just the right touch of glamour that says “South Beach.” Some of her family came from Venezuela, and while the whole process was a massive undertaking, we couldn’t be happier with the result.

_Justin B. Stivers

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The Secret to Lead Conversion IT’S ALL ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP

convert your leads, you’ll want to instill Carnegie’s principles into your sales team. Considering how many quality leads get away, there’s always room for improvement in developing relationships. How can you start building that lead relationship today?

In the business classic “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” Dale Carnegie showed us that the secret to sales success builds on showing a genuine interest in other people and rests in the relationship that develops from there. The concept may not be much of a secret anymore, but it’s as important as ever in the sales cycle — and too many people aren’t following through on it. It turns out that Carnegie was onto something. Did you know that just 2 percent of sales happen during the first touch? Two percent . Let that sink in. That means 98 percent of sales happen sometime after that first touch. In fact, ample research supports that 80 percent of sales happen after the fifth follow-up. If your sales team isn’t following up past that first touch with a prospect, there’s a slim chance they’ll convert. With the direct correlation between touches and conversion, it’s clear how important it is to follow up and nurture relationships with leads. We can look back to our good friend Dale Carnegie and thank him for sharing his wisdom about relationships. If you want to nurture and

FOLLOW UP, FOLLOW UP, FOLLOW UP

It’s all about the follow-up — or lack of follow-up, if you’re wondering why your leads aren’t converting. You’ve probably experienced it yourself: You have a great interaction with a company and express interest in their product, but then you never hear from them again. That company just lost you, a hot lead. You can’t buy if you’re not presented with the opportunity to do so. Make it easy on your consumer base by implementing a follow-up system.

IMPLEMENT A SYSTEM

The habit of nurturing leads stems partly from company culture and partly from systems and processes — it’s something of a chicken-egg

Greg McKeown’s ‘Essentialism’ “If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will,”writes Greg McKeown in “Essentialism:

Doing your best work where it matters and cutting out the superfluous will allow you to better manage your time and increase your performance. As McKeown puts it, “It is about making the wisest possible investment of your time and energy in order to operate at your highest point of contribution by doing only what is essential.” Instead of having their energy spread out in a million different directions, essentialists channel it into what really matters. McKeown also advocates for defining your purpose in order to accurately assess what’s essential and what isn’t. The more a task contributes to your purpose, the more essential it is. Many business owners and leaders struggle to let go of tasks that are best left to other employees. If you’ve ever found yourself struggling to manage a massive workload while resenting the fact that much of what you do is needless, then it’s time to pick up a copy of “Essentialism.”

being lazy, but from allocating their time ineffectively. The impulse to “do it all” keeps folks from spending their time on the things that actually matter. The book, then, serves as a guide to cutting out the extraneous and focusing on the essential. “Life is not an all-you-can-eat buffet,” McKeown says. “It’s amazingly great food. Essentialism is about finding the right food. More and more is valueless. Staying true to my purpose and being selective in what I take on results in a more meaningful, richer, and sweeter quality of life.”This metaphor can be applied to your work life as well. There aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish every task. The essentialist works to spend their time diligently by pursuing what actually matters, rather than filling their days with meaningless busywork. Early in the book, McKeown uses famed Braun designer Dieter Rams as an example of an essentialist. He notes that Rams’ design philosophy can be characterized by three simple words: less but better. This, in essence, is what essentialists believe.

The Disciplined Pursuit of Less.”When he set out to write the book, McKeown wanted to know what keeps skilled, driven people from achieving as much as possible. What he found was that many people suffer not from

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New and Rediscovered Passions in Later Life

A GUIDE TO PICKING A POST-CAREER HOBBY

Aside from financial concerns, the No. 1 question that most impending and recent retirees struggle to answer is how they will fill up all their time. While spending time with family and relaxing are priorities for most folks entering the post-career chapter of their lives, these aren’t enough to fill up the bulk of your newly acquired free time. Cultivating a hobby is a great use of your time at any age, but especially during retirement. As Dick Van Dyke once said, “To me, retirement means doing what you have fun doing.” Here are three questions to help you discover a hobby that’s right for you. DO YOU HAVE A DORMANT PASSION? Work has a tendency to put our other interests on the back burner. Maybe you painted for pleasure during college but put the canvas away to focus on your career. Perhaps you were once a chess fanatic, and today you find your board gathering dust from lack of use. Now is the perfect time to rediscover those once-beloved activities. WHAT HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO DO? Discovering new hobbies is just as rewarding as rekindling old ones. Have you ever heard about a pastime and thought, “I’d love to do that, if only I had the time”? Former NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe opened a winery after retiring from football. While you probably don’t have the financial resources of a professional athlete, there’s nothing stopping you from pursuing a newfound passion at the same velocity as the footballs Bledsoe threw. IS THERE A CAUSE YOUWANT TO SUPPORT? Volunteer work can be incredibly fulfilling, especially when you have the time and energy to devote to it. Many older adults find that giving back to the community adds meaning and purpose to their lives. The best way to figure out how to donate your time is to think about a cause dear to your heart. From there, find a reputable organization that supports said cause, and see what you can do to help.

situation. If you don’t have systems in place to make follow-up part of your sales process, it’s not going to be a priority for your team. And if you don’t have a culture of determination and relationship-building in place, the systems and processes don’t matter. Entrepreneur and business transformer Robert Clay recommends a five-no strategy — follow up with a lead until you’ve heard no at least five times.

ROASTED TURMERIC CAULIFLOWER

Ingredients

• • •

1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons water Chopped fresh basil, to garnish

•

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

• • • •

2 tablespoons coconut oil 1 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Retirement is the perfect opportunity to throw yourself head-first into something you’re passionate about. So what are you waiting for?

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400 F. 2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together coconut oil, spices, garlic, and water. 3. Lay cauliflower across a large baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, and top with mixture. 4. Roast for 30 minutes, garnish with basil, and serve.

Inspired by PaleoHacks

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

305-704-7266 Jbstiverlaw.com 150 SE 2nd Ave Ste 1001 Miami, FL 33131 INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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The Origins of Our Practice The Secret to Lead Conversion A Guide to Workplace ‘Essentialism’ Roasted Turmeric Cauliflower What Have You Always Wanted to Do?

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Get a Head Start on Next Spring’s Garden

Prepare Your Garden Autumn Steps for a Better Spring Garden

CHICKENWIRE After you’ve planted your bulbs, there’s a risk that uninvited guests will dig them up. There are a few ways you can ensure that your bulbs remain undisturbed throughout the fall. One way is to place chicken wire over your bulbs after they’ve been planted. This keeps rodents from digging them up and allows the plants to grow through the gaps in the wire. KEEP YOUR GARDEN TIDY Once you’ve harvested your best fruits and vegetables, go back through and harvest the rest, even if you don’t plan to eat them. Make sure your garden is clear of old vegetables, fallen leaves, and weeds. Leaving decaying

plants in or on top of the ground can spread diseases into the soil and attract unwanted pests to your garden. HEALTHY SOIL Pulling up weeds and all of your vegetables can help keep the earth free from rotting plants, but there are other steps you can take to ensure that your soil stays full of nutrients. Pick up a kit to test the pH levels of your soil. Most gardens thrive in soil with a pH of 6.5. Add compost to your soil supply now to give it time to break down during the winter months.

With fall just ahead, it’s a good time to think about your spring garden. For a beautiful garden next year, begin preparing this fall. Here are a few ways to get a head start! PLANTING BULBS If you want beautiful flowers in April, you should start planting bulbs now. Many flower bulbs need to be in the ground before winter settles in; this helps activate the bulbs’biochemical process that allows them to bloom. Getting the bulbs into the ground before it freezes allows their roots to grow deep enough to protect them from the biting winter weather. Among the flower bulbs you should plant soon are tulips, daffodils, irises, and hyacinths.

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