27+ Years Helping Lawyers Build for Life After Law — Without Sacrificing Today | Clarity • Intention • Legacy | Founder, The Wealthy Lawyer

LET’S BE HONEST.
Law school likely didn’t teach you much about personal finance.

But then you’re thrust into a demanding career — often with a ton of student debt — and suddenly you have a second job:
👉 Managing your money.

Whether you're in your first year of practice or a senior partner, you’re busy building your practice and keeping clients happy.

That leaves little time (or energy) for the things you actually enjoy — time with family, travel, hobbies… let alone planning for your financial future.

And honestly?

Most of the lawyers I speak with have spent more time planning their next vacation than protecting the lifestyle they've worked so hard to build.


That’s where we come in.

Using our Wealthy Lawyer™ Program, we take the guesswork out of financial planning.

We help you:
✅ Protect your family and income from the unexpected
✅ Build wealth intentionally
✅ Prepare for Life After Law


Our clients typically reach out when they:

• Are worried about how their family would cope if they couldn’t work
• Don’t know whether to save or pay down debt
• Feel behind, despite earning well
• Know they need a plan — but don’t know where to start
• Realize they can’t do it all alone — and want trusted guidance


What they’re tired of:

• Being the sole/primary income earner without a backup plan
• Wondering if they’d need to change their lifestyle if a family member got sick
• Stressing about whether they’re saving enough for retirement
• Not knowing how to leave a legacy for their kids or grandkids


After just a few months in the Wealthy Lawyer process, our clients tell us they feel more:

✅ Confident about hitting their financial and lifestyle goals
✅ Prepared to face unexpected life events
✅ Assured that their spouse and family won’t be financially stressed
✅ Clear about the legacy they’re leaving behind


You’re in the business of law — not financial planning.
Let us take the worry off your plate so you can focus on what matters most…

Like that next vacation.

📩 Ready to take control of your financial future?
Let’s connect for a Virtual Coffee Chat —  no pressure, just a conversation

Jeffery M. Lamont

Most people think they don’t need insurance…
until life proves them wrong.

That's what I thought at 23.

Six weeks in a hospital changed that.

I’d just come back from playing pro baseball in Europe.
Best shape of my life.

Nothing could touch me…
or so I thought.

Then I got seriously ill.
Six weeks hospitalized.
Three months off work.

It was a wake-up call I never expected.

And it taught me something I’ll never forget:

Life is unpredictable.
And when things flip, they flip fast.

So here’s the real question:

If something unexpected happened tomorrow, do you have a plan to protect yourself and the people who rely on you?

Here’s the blind spot most people never see until it’s too late:
insurance isn’t about fear...
it’s about keeping your life stable when everything else feels shaky.

Here are three ways it does that:

➡️ Life Insurance:
Gives your loved ones financial stability — mortgages, debts, daily expenses covered.

➡️ Disability Insurance:
Replaces your income so your lifestyle doesn’t have to change if you can’t work.

➡️ Critical Illness Insurance:
Provides a lump sum so you can cover medical costs and focus on recovery, not money.

The best time to get insurance?
It’s when you’re young and healthy.

It’s more affordable…
and it guarantees you’re protected no matter what life throws at you.

Don’t wait for a wake-up call like I did.
 
👉 What’s one thing you thought was unnecessary when you were younger that makes a lot more sense now?

Share below 👇
 
────
I’m Jeffery, the wealth advisor who helps lawyers build, protect, and transition their wealth.

☕ If you ever want to talk through your options, I’m always happy to grab a quick virtual coffee.

No pressure. No pitch. Just clarity.

Helping Lawyers Build for Life After Law — Without Sacrificing Today | Founder, The Wealthy Lawyer

Three years ago, I started on LinkedIn…

And three years ago, I was ready to quit…

I was posting Googleable facts.
Zero personality.
Generic advice.
Safe takes.

And it showed.

That was, until I met Holly Crawshaw Joyner
She called me out…
then helped me find MY voice.

That was a little over year ago.

Since then, things shifted in a way I never expected.
Here’s the difference: 2023 vs 2025 (to date).

📈 Impressions: 100K → 2.2 Million
📈 Engagement rate: 1.1% → 5.1%
📈 Comments: 125 → 16,600

This year I’ve had 6 posts get more impressions — individually — than all of 2023.

But the numbers aren’t the part I’m most proud of.

It’s this:

→ People messaging me saying “It felt like you were talking directly to me.”
→ Real conversations with lawyers and professionals who feel seen — not sold to.
→ And the part I never saw coming: actual friendships with people in parts of the world I never imagined I’d be connected to.

If you’d told me three years ago that LinkedIn would introduce me to people I genuinely care about — mentors, peers, friends — I probably would’ve laughed.

But it has.
And it’s one of the best parts of this whole thing.

This reality is, this stopped being “marketing” a long time ago.
Now, it’s turned into a mission.

A mission to help people build wealth with more clarity…
less noise…
less shame…
and a whole lot less stress.

If you’ve been reading, commenting, DM’ing, supporting, or even just quietly lurking…
thank you 🙏

You helped me turn something small and uncertain
into something meaningful.

And if you’re still in the early stages of your own thing?
Stay with it.

Most good things don’t look good at the beginning.
But they become good because you stayed.


 👉 what’s one surprise you’ve experienced as a result of being on LinkedIn?


────
I’m Jeffery. I help professionals build wealth intentionally so they can live with more freedom and peace.

If you want more clarity heading into 2026, let’s grab a Virtual Coffee ☕

Find the “Become a Wealthy Lawyer” link in my profile.

I write your LinkedIn™ posts + your books || Top 20 LinkedIn™ Expert [Favikon, 2025] || New York Times + USA Today Bestseller

The real flex isn’t making $1M a year.

It’s making $1M a year without:

→ Missing every family milestone
→ Sacrificing your health
→ Living life on autopilot

That’s the real flex.

Jeffery M Lamont

I thought I understood gratitude… until one day changed everything.

As we head into American Thanksgiving, I’ve been thinking about what gratitude actually is.

It’s not comfort.
It’s not ease.
It’s not the good years.

It’s perspective.

I didn’t understand that until 2019.

That was the year I lost my mom
and our house flooded
on the very same day.

One morning changed everything.
And it marked the start of one of the hardest chapters of my life.

But it’s incredible what living in a hotel with your wife, three kids, and a dog will teach you.

In the middle of the chaos, I found myself grateful
not for what was happening… but for what I still had.
My family.
Our safety.
And the lessons my mom left behind.

That’s when it finally clicked:

Gratitude isn’t a reaction to things going right.
It’s the anchor that gets you through what isn’t.

So today, I’m grateful for:

• Quiet mornings with Colleen and the kids (even if the house is a little quieter these days)
• Family, baseball, and the memories that outlast the seasons
• Clients who trust me to help them simplify and protect what they’ve built
• And this community — the conversations, connection, and support

Thanksgiving is a time to hit the pause button.
A moment to look around and realize that even in the mess…
there’s still so much to be thankful for.

From my family to all my American friends — Happy Thanksgiving.


🦃Who or what are you grateful for this week — even if life isn’t perfect right now?


📸 Our family’s tradition of writing what we’re grateful for on pumpkins. I’ve included a photo with one of my mom’s final inscriptions.

Simple. Honest. Lasting.

They say you only get 5% of their time after they turn 18...
Nobody prepares you for that.

I've known the stat.
I just didn’t want to feel it...
until this fall…

That’s when all three of our kids left for university, and the house finally became...
quiet.

And in that quiet, something became clear:

I spent 20 years making sure I was around while they grew up.

So, building the business took a backseat to being a dad first.

No regrets...
Not one.

But now they’re beginning to spread their wings…
and suddenly the space to think...
to really imagine what’s next...
what's possible...
is here.

And here’s the part that's caught me off guard:

I’m not just proud of them.
I'm excited for them...
And to see what they'll become.

At the same time...
I’m proud...
and excited...
for what I’m building too.

Not just Lamont Wealth and The Wealthy Lawyer as they are today…

... but for what they could become tomorrow.

Jack’s studying business and marketing...

Harry — yesterday's birthday boy — is crazy and is leaning into financial planning...

Bridget is a freshman psychology/sociology brain...
with an eye on law school.

Three different kids.
Three different futures lay ahead...

But then nights like last night happen.

It's midnight and Colleen and I were on a four-way FaceTime with them... all of us wishing Harry a Happy 20th Birthday…

Laughing.
Telling stories.
Ripping each other.
And still choosing... family.

Moments like that hit differently now.
They land deeper.
And they force a question:

If this next chapter is truly mine to shape… what do I want to build?

Here’s what I keep thinking:

The foundation is here.
The systems are built.
And now is the time to build:
• intentionally
• decisively
• ambitiously

Whether the kids ever step into it or not isn’t the point.

The point is knowing that the life I’ve built...
the work I’m building...
and the man I’ve become along the way…
is something I’m proud of.

Because when you finally slow down long enough to think, you realize:

The future doesn’t arrive all at once.
It shows up in the space you make for it.


👉 When was the last time you gave yourself real room to imagine what’s next?

If you feel behind at 41, you’re in good company...

Your income rises quietly…
and then, your lifestyle outruns intention even faster.

On my way home from the F1 in Austin a few weeks ago, I ended up in one of those easy airport conversations that starts as small talk… 
then goes a little deeper than you expect.

I was in the lounge half-working when the guy next to me noticed my F1 bag and said he was there for the race too.

We did the usual recap:
the heat, the crowds, the traffic.

He said he was heading home to NYC.
I said I was making my way back to Toronto.

Then he asked what I did.

I gave him the short version:
I help lawyers simplify their financial lives so money feels less chaotic and more intentional.

He nodded and said:

“Well… I practice at [he named a Top100 firm.]”

That opened the door.

We talked about the pace of practice, the hours, the pressure…
and how hard it is to juggle time and money when both feel scarce.

Then he hit me with something I wasn't expecting:

“This is my first full year as an Equity Partner. Still not making a ton yet, but definitely more than I ever thought I’d be making at 41.”

He paused, then admitted:

“And the worst part is… I still can’t get ahead. I thought by now I would be. But I'm not.”

No blown-out budget.
No crisis.

Just the quiet lifestyle upgrades that sneak in when income rises:

• a nicer hotel
• a faster flight home
• Paddock tickets because “why not?”
• and a handful of conveniences that feel harmless in the moment…

But they add up fast.

Then he said the line most lawyers eventually reach:

“I don’t think mine is a money issue…"

And he’s probably right.

Most lawyers don’t run out of money.
They just let lifestyle outrun the planning that’s supposed to support it.

Which is why tomorrow’s 1% Shift is all about timing…
and the tiny change that helps you finally feel ahead before life expands — not after.

More tomorrow.

☕ If you’ve ever hit that “I’m earning more… so why doesn’t it feel like it?” moment, let’s grab a Virtual Coffee.

You’re not the only one — and clarity comes fast once you have a structure.

Most lawyers don’t run out of money…
They just let their lifestyle outrun their structure.

And a conversation I had recently brought it right back into focus.

The partner I met wasn’t being reckless.
No blown-out budget.
No splurges.
No crisis.

Just the same quiet drift I see every single week:

A nicer hotel.
A quicker flight home.
Paddock tickets because “we might as well.”
Conveniences that feel harmless in the moment… and heavy later.

Then he said the line almost every lawyer eventually reaches:

“I’m earning more than I ever imagined…
but I still can’t get ahead. I thought by now I would be. But I’m not.”

And he said it quietly...
the way people talk when they’re tired of carrying it.

Here’s where most people get it wrong:

It’s not a money issue.
It’s a timing issue.

He wasn’t saving too little.
He was saving what was left after living life the way he wanted.
And that will always feel like you’re chasing something that keeps moving.

Savings before lifestyle?
That’s when things finally flip in your favour.

THE 1% SHIFT FOR TODAY

Set up one automatic transfer (15–20% of your net pay) that leaves your account the same day you get paid.

Put it in a TFSA, your RRSP, or a non-registered account
It doesn’t really matter.
The magic is in the automation.

When your money has a job,
your stress drops,
your decisions get cleaner,
and your lifestyle stops silently stealing your progress.

Tiny shift.
HUGE difference.

If you’ve ever asked yourself why you’re not ahead yet…
you’re not alone.

If you want the exact setup I walk clients through,
DM SHIFT.

No pitch.  No pressure.  Just clarity — and the feeling of finally getting ahead again.

Some weeks don’t hit you until Sunday night...

Not because anything dramatic happened.

But because you spent a week managing work, family, pressure, expectations…
and all the little things no one notices unless they’re the ones carrying them.

By the time Sunday night rolls around, the weight finally shows up.

If that’s you tonight, you’re not alone.

Here’s what I remind myself before a new week starts:

Most of us underestimate how much we're carrying…
until we stop long enough to feel it.

Progress rarely feels fast.
Most of the time it’s quiet, steady… almost unremarkable.

And here’s the part we forget:
Those quiet days —
the ones where you just keep showing up —
they’re the ones that move you forward.

Take the quiet win.
You handled more than you realize…
and you’re still here.

Let tonight be the reset.
Not the end of a long week...
but the chance to set yourself up for an even stronger one.


How do I get myself ready?
I keep it simple:

Three “result priorities” — the three things that, if I do nothing else, will make it a great week.

Three “activity priorities” — the actions that help me hit those results and move me toward my year-end goals.

Six lines.
Ten minutes.
A calmer Monday.

Tomorrow’s yours to set the tone.

Walk into it with clarity, conviction,
and a refueled tank, ready to win the week.


👉 What is one thing you want to accomplish this week to make it a real winner?


If financial clarity is something you want more of as we head into 2026, grab a quick Virtual Coffee using the link in my profile.

Nobody tells lawyers this…
but the quietest 20 minutes of your day might save your entire week.

This time of year moves fast.
December hits differently —
deadlines, year-end pressure, family stuff, expectations.

But here’s the shift I’ve seen work for partners, senior associates, and firm owners:

Build one quiet pocket of time each day.
Just one.

Even 20–30 minutes.
No meetings.
No emails.
No Slack.
No pressure to accomplish anything massive.

Something happens when you do that:

You stop reacting.
You start steering.
Your decisions get cleaner.
Your week softens around the edges.

Lawyers underestimate this.

They look for more hours…
when what they actually need is one intentional one.

So if this week already feels like it’s sprinting away from you, try this:

Choose the one 20–30 minute window that gives you breathing room.

Not to get ahead.
Not to catch up.
Just to get calm.

👉 When does that quiet pocket actually fit into your day?

—
I’m Jeffery, the advisor who helps lawyers build more margin, more control, and more calm in their financial life.

☕ Want help building financial breathing room? Grab a quick Virtual Coffee Chat (link in my profile).

Protect your income first…
Everything else depends on it

If you read my post from yesterday,
you saw how quickly life can flip…
and how painful it is to discover you’re underinsured at a time you need it most.

Every lawyer wants to build wealth…
but almost no one starts by protecting the thing all else depends on:

Your ability to earn an income.

If that stops, everything downstream gets shaky fast.

And the cracks usually show up in the same places:

• Group disability that barely covers half the lifestyle
• No critical illness plan
• Life insurance that was “temporary”… a decade ago
• Partners assuming success = invincibility

Here’s your 1% Shift for today:

→ Action: Review your insurance — or ask an advisor to run a quick Insurance Audit.

That’s it.

One audit.
One hour.
Massive clarity.

You’ll know what’s locked in…
and what needs attention before life forces your hand.


💭 When did you buy your first insurance policy?


If you want a quick check-up,
DM “Audit” and I’ll walk you through it.


No pitch.  No pressure.  Just clarity.

Most lawyers don’t have a money problem...
they have a “things won’t happen to me” problem.

Most lawyers I meet aren’t careless.
They’re just, shall we say...
optimistic.

• Optimistic that income will stay steady.
• Optimistic that health will hold.
• Optimistic that nothing unexpected will knock them sideways.

Until something does.

And that’s the moment
“I’ll get to it later”
turns into
“I should’ve done this sooner.”

Because it only takes one thing...
• one phone call
• one appointment
• one test result...
for “later” to become “too late.”

And here’s the part no one likes admitting:

Most lawyers aren’t reckless.
They're busy.
They’re overloaded.

And optimism is what fills the gaps they don’t have time to think about.

You don’t need paranoia.
don’t need perfection.

You just need to replace optimism with clarity.

Because the lawyers who feel calm?

They aren’t the ones earning the most.

They’re the ones who stopped assuming things would always stay the same.


👉 Does this sound at all familiar?

There’s a moment I see all the time with lawyers.

It usually happens right after we walk through the numbers...
the real ones.

They exhale.
Their voice softens.
Their shoulders drop.

And they say some version of:

“I didn’t realize how much this was weighing on me.”

Not the savings.
Not the insurance.
Not the tax structure.

The uncertainty.

I saw it again this summer.

A 41-year-old partner I first had a Coffee Chat with a couple years ago.
Back then, he was DIY’ing through a robo-advisor and felt he was “doing fine.”

Then July hit.
And suddenly “fine” wasn’t fine anymore.

Cash flow felt tighter.
Taxes were starting to mount.
And the gap between what he thought he had and what he actually had started to widen.

That’s usually when clarity becomes non-negotiable.

Because optimism works…
until it suddenly doesn’t.

And when you replace,
“I hope everything is fine”
with
“I know exactly where I stand,”
something shifts.

The noise quiets.
The pressure eases.
You make decisions faster.
Your family feels more stable.
You feel a lot more like yourself.

That’s the real benefit of clarity.
Not the spreadsheets.
Not the projections.
Not the policies.

It’s the calm that shows up once you stop relying on hope...
and start relying on structure.

────
I’m Jeffery, the advisor lawyers call when “doing fine” stops feeling fine.

If you want the same kind of calm and clarity...
find the Become a Wealthy Lawyer link in my profile and let's sit talk.

No pressure.  No pitch.  Just clarity.

Funny how the right people show up at exactly the right time...

I just got off a long call with a group that’s become one of the best parts of my Wednesdays this past year.

Beyond the Apex — led by Anthony Vicino — has pushed me in ways I didn’t even know I needed.

It’s helped me get clearer on how Lamont Wealth Strategies and The Wealthy Lawyer Podcast can support lawyers at every stage…
from the final stretch of law school to partnership, firm-building, retirement, and life after law.

And with American Thanksgiving tomorrow, it felt right to pause and acknowledge how much this work — and the people in it — mean to me.

While I’m not sharing details yet, I can say this:

2026 will see me expand what I offer so more lawyers — in Canada, the U.S., and beyond — can get the clarity, structure, and support they deserve.

From protecting their families…
to building wealth intentionally…
to planning for retirement…
to creating legacies that outlive them.

I’m excited for what’s coming…
and grateful for everyone who’s been in my corner along the way.

So to my American friends…
Enjoy a meaningful holiday with friends and family, tomorrow, wherever you’re celebrating.


👉 What’s one thing you’re grateful for heading into tomorrow?


—
If you’re a lawyer wanting to simplify your financial world before the new year hits, let’s connect for a Virtual Coffee.

No pitch. No pressure. Just clarity.

Helping entrepreneurs build a business that maximizes their Return on Life. | ADHD is my superpower | Bestselling Author | Keynote Speaker | DM “COACH” if you’re ready to scale.

Lamont Wealth Strategies

The Wealthy Lawyer Podcast

Most lawyers don’t fear money…
They fear not doing it right.

I see it all the time.
That quiet moment when a lawyer stops mid-sentence, looks down for a second, and finally says:

“I make good money…
but I don’t actually know where it all goes.”

And here’s the part no one tells you:

• It’s rarely overspending.
• It’s rarely a discipline issue.
• It’s almost never “not caring.”

It’s the uncertainty.

The sense that you’re one step ahead in your career…
but half a step behind in saving and building.

The uncomfortable feeling that no one ever taught you how to manage money at this level…
and somehow you’re still expected to “just know.”

But here’s the truth:

Clarity doesn’t come from making more.
It comes from understanding the flow of what you already have.

Because almost every lawyer I work with has a similar pattern:

About 10% of their income goes unaccounted for.
Not stolen.
Not wasted.
Just… drifting.

A few quiet upgrades.
Some convenience purchases.
A busy month where “I’ll check it later” turns into later never happening…

And — POOF — and it’s gone!

So we walk through cash flow together.
We find the leaks.

Then we give that money a job going forward,
so it starts working as hard for you as you did for it.

And once that starts to click?

• Stress drops
• Confidence rises
• Life finally feels a little less chaotic

That’s when money finally feels like an ally…
not another pressure.


👉 Where does money feel the most unclear for you right now?
(I ask because your answer helps me shape posts that actually help.)

And if you’d rather sort this out with a guide, you can book a virtual coffee anytime through the“Become a Wealthy Lawyer” link in my profile.

Yesterday reminded me of something important.
Every day can be great…

even when the Raptors lose 111–86.

The day was packed...
but in a great way.

• A few great client catch-up calls
• A The Wealthy Lawyer Podcast check-in with Kelly Margani
• A late lunch with my good friend Gary Chivers

Just good people, good conversations, and that quiet feeling of
“Yep… this is why I love what I do.”

And then the real hi-light of my day:
a date night with my beautiful wife at the Raptors game.

The score? Brutal.
The company? Perfect.

And with the kids coming home next week for the holidays, it was nice to squeeze in one more date night.

Really, it was one of those days I needed.

Not filled with noise or urgency,
but with the right people, the right moments...
and the space to actually feel grateful for them.

A great way to end the week…
and begin the weekend recharge.

Sometimes...
life just feels better when you leave room for it.


👉 What are you doing for yourself this weekend before the chaos of the holiday season really hits?

CEO at Southren Group Co-Founder, The Wealthy Lawyer Podcast

Chief Operating Officer, Hospitality

You think everything is fine…
until life proves you wrong.

A few years ago, I sat across from a lawyer who’d been blindsided.

Brilliant woman.
Mother of two.
Partnership-track.
Income only going higher.

But her world changed overnight…
and what hit her hardest wasn’t the diagnosis.

It was the realization that nothing she had in place was actually built to fully protect her family.

Here’s what we found:
• Group disability that barely covered the mortgage
• Life insurance worth maybe two years of income
• No critical illness coverage
• A lifestyle built on today’s income… with no backup plan for tomorrow

And I’ll never forget when she looked up and said:

“I just assumed I’d get to it later.”

That sentence has stayed with me for years.

Because the truth is, most lawyers aren’t reckless…
they’re overwhelmed.

They’re building careers, raising kids, keeping the lights on…
and trusting that whatever they set up ten years ago is probably good enough.

Until it isn’t.

And when that day comes, the reaction is almost always the same:

A sigh.
A shake of the head.
And a quiet, painful…
“Why didn’t I look at this sooner?”

It wasn’t a massive mistake.
It was a 1% blind spot.
The kind that hides in plain sight until life forces it into focus.

Tomorrow’s first 1% Shift for Lawyers is exactly about this:

Why income protection comes first…
not tenth.
Why the foundation matters more than the shiny stuff.
Why one small adjustment can protect everything you’re working so hard to build.

More tomorrow.


💭 Do you know someone who’s had a heart attack, been diagnosed with cancer, or had something else pull them out of work unexpectedly?


☕ If you want to make sure your safety net is actually a net, let’s grab a Virtual Coffee.

Been running around nonstop the last few days and almost forgot we had baseball practice tonight.

Thankfully, Coach Jeff from 2017 had his act together...
because present-day Jeff definitely needed the save.

Pulled out an old practice plan and, honestly?
Still holds up.

Turns out the fundamentals don’t age.

#NoSchoolLikeTheOldSchool

There’s a strange feeling that hits this time of year…

that quiet sense you’re becoming someone you weren’t 12 months ago.

Not because of resolutions.
Not because of some big life pivot.
But because life nudges you forward in the background while you’re busy living it.

And that’s me.
I turned 50 earlier in the year, and somewhere along my chilly walk with Rawlings by the lake yesterday, it kind of hit me.

For much of my 27 years in this business, I’ve taken the “comfortable” route.
Never really straying far from what I’d been doing…
or from what my dad had done before that.

But as I started reflecting on the first 11.5 months that brings us to today?

The biggest thing I now see…
is the change in me.

Not in what’s important.
Not in the outcomes I care about.
But in who I’m becoming as I chase them.

Some habits I’ve outgrown.
Some stories I’m setting down.
Some expectations I’m done carrying.

And here’s what I’ve learned:

You’re allowed to change the script as you grow.
You’re allowed to want something different.
You’re allowed to adjust the pace...
the priorities...
the way you show up.

Growth isn’t loud.
It’s that quiet permission you give yourself to move in the direction that fits who you’re becoming...
not who you were.

If you’ve been feeling that tug lately…
don't worry...
you’re right on time.


👉 Looking back on the year that almost was… what’s the biggest change you’ve noticed in yourself?

You think debt is the problem…
the real problem is what you don’t see.

You think debt is the problem…
it’s not.

A lawyer recently said to me on a Coffee Chat:
“I make too much money to feel this stressed.”

He wasn’t living beyond his means.
He wasn’t drowning in debt.
He wasn’t irresponsible.

He just had no structure.

No plan.
No clarity.
No sense of where his money should go — or why.

Every month looked like progress…
But every month felt like panic.

As we dug in, the real story came out:

He was doing what most high-income professionals do...
reacting to bills, shifting money around, trying to “clean things up”…
but never actually building anything.

His debt wasn’t the issue.
His approach to it was.

Here’s what we fixed first:
• where his income should go
• what his savings should do
• how investing fit in
• how debt supported (not stressed) the plan

And once it was all structured?
His shoulders dropped.

He didn’t need a raise.
He didn’t need a budget.
He didn’t need to “cut back.”

He needed a framework that gave evert dollar a job.

By the end he said:
“I feel like I can breathe again.”

Tomorrow, I’ll share the mindset shift that gives lawyers more calm
than any raise, any bonus, or any debt repayment ever will.


👉 Ever felt like you’re earning enough…
but still not feeling the peace that should come with it?

Most lawyers don’t run out of time…
They run out of margin.

And with three weeks until Christmas, everything feels tighter —
deadlines, year-end pressure, family stuff, expectations.

When margin disappears…
so does calm.

Here’s the question I’ve been asking clients this week:


👉 Which margin disappears first for you in December — time, money, or mental space?

Career Advancement Advisor | Creator of the Career Moves Advisory | Speaker |

Conversations have the power to change lives. 
Strangers become friends.  New ideas bloom.  Complex problems are solved. Inspiration is found. 

At the heart of every professional interaction, there lies a conversation. 

It’s in the unique conversation dynamic of an interview that I have spent thousands of hours exchanging questions and answers with professionals and executives. 

During my 28 years of corporate leadership and recruiting, I crafted sustainable talent acquisition policies and processes that paved the way for my recruiting team members to hire thousands of people. 👭🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏿

I’ve watched life-changing conversations happen.

When I leapt from my corporate career to founding Spectacle Talent Partners, I had a choice. 
I could stay in my conversation comfort zone or begin new conversations.

I was uncomfortable without a title and a company next to my name, it was just me. 

Because I’m the 4th of 5 kids, I learned the value of my own voice early as well as the blessing of a community who was rooting for you to succeed. 

So I muffled my inner critic 🤐 and began casual conversations and then intentionally using my voice to share my knowledge, my own stories as well as learning from others.  

The same way that I learned recruiting from the ground up, I learned that online conversations can lead to offline conversations.

They are the gateway to new opportunities, professional growth, broader horizons and career advancement. 🌄

I transformed from a LinkedIn observer to a LinkedIn Top Voice without focusing on the algorithm, instead I focus on…you guessed it…conversations. 🗝️

Today, corporate clients come to me when they want to streamline processes and attract more qualified candidates.  

Executives come to me when they want a recruitment partner 🤝 working for them to demystify the interviewing, negotiating and hiring processes.  

Let’s start a conversation: susan@spectacletalentpartners.com

Kind words from clients:  
Sue, thanks for easing me out of the fetal position when it comes to LinkedIn!  You helped me find the mindset and confidence to join the conversation with purpose and connect with some great people I wouldn't have met otherwise. You've changed my perspective from social for self to social for good! - Daphne (Career Advisory client)

Sue – Thank you for your incredible advice. You taught me so much and I will forever be thankful for collaborating with you. Your guidance was a huge reason I landed this incredible opportunity. You Rock!!! - Bob T. (Career Advisory client)

Susan Gygax

I had a phone conversation just before the CEO ended her role in a brief Friday morning meeting.
My recommendation: 
Be kind and concise when you tell them of one thing that you accomplished that you’re particularly proud of. 

Not because it’ll change their minds, 
Because it reminds you of how powerful you are. 

You weren’t powerful because of the job.
⤷ Your title was always rented.

The work you accomplished,
The lives you have changed,
That’s your legacy. 

→ The ones who will tell their kids about you when they remember how they started.
→ The ones who smile when they meet someone with the same name as you. 

They remember that you were the one who believed in them before they believed in themselves. 

Yeah, it’s a bummer so feel all the feels. 

You may be replaceable...
You are never, ever, never repeatable.

When it’s Thanksgiving week and my to do list longer than a CVS receipt
[Why I scrapped the Thanksgiving turkey]

When our kids were young, planning thanksgiving was simple because there was one schedule.

The family schedule. It had a rhythm. 

Thanksgiving was a mix of car rides, cooking and time with family. 
Some years we spent more hours on the road than in the kitchen. 
(I don’t miss the 9 hours in the car travelling from Virginia to Connecticut.)
 
Today, it’s 4 schedules. 
Which is why I scrapped the turkey. We’re going with steak.  
Plus the yummy Thanksgiving sides. 
It’s not traditional, but sometimes tradition needs a mini-makeover. 
 
P.S. Anything that gives me more time to play games, I’m in. 
 
Are you spending time on the road this week?

Waiting for a response to your “I’m just following up” email? 
We’ve all felt the angst of waiting after a promising interview. 

“I wanted to check in” email is like trying to make the elevator move faster by pressing the button 6 gallian times while you decide if you are supposed to make eye contact with the stranger standing a little too close to you. 

 Send this email instead:
 
 Dear [Hiring Manager's Name],
 
 I enjoyed our discussion about [Position] [date/yesterday].
 
I [was inspired by/resonated with] our conversation and how you are able to [subject mentioned in interview]. 

The challenge you mentioned regarding [specific
problem/project] stood out, as it closely parallels a situation at [previous
company]. 

While I was there, I was able to [outcome of effort] which eliminated/reduced] [pain – what impact did it have?]. 

I'm enthusiastic about the possibility of joining your team and tackling these challenges together.
 
 Kind regards,
 [First name Last name]
 [phone number]
  
 
The difference: you’re not looking for a reply, you’re continuing the conversation. 
⤷ Swap out the boring email for a mini-conversation that keeps you top of mind. 

P.S. Click “save this post” using the three dots in the right corner so you can have a handy reminder before you send that email.

Serious elevator question: do you say hello or stand there in silence?  You don't want to be rude and you don't want to interrupt whatever it is they are doing on their phone.  Or maybe you split the difference with a polite head nod? 

Photo is a from our trip to France and Spain a few years ago.  Me trying to emulate the ever-lovely Audrey Hepburn.  It didn't work out so well.

A colleague joked, “Running to another hiring emergency?” 
[it bugged me because she was right]

It was a hectic, too-much-to-do and not-enough-time day as a newly promoted recruiting leader. 

I laughed as I continued to fast walk through the hall. 
It was a little funny and a lot true.  
 
Executives would show up at my door with urgent requests:
→A budget finally approved.
→A project falling behind.
→A new initiative needing people yesterday.

I took every request seriously. Rearranged priorities. Adjusted projects midstream. Played detective in the applicant tracking system. 
⤷I was more anxious parent than skilled practitioner. 

She helped me realize that the problem wasn’t the requisition load, it was the lack of structure. 

I shifted from firefighter to player-coach so we could carry on with the workload using simple, repeatable processes. 

Over time: 
Leaders gave compliments instead of complaints.
⤷ the COO came down to speak to the team to thank them

Data replaced guesswork.
⤷ Data is the backbone of a story, it stands it up

Recruiters became trusted advisors, not task-jugglers.
⤷ Every recruiter can be an advisor when they have the skills and tools
 
It’s true that you can’t manage what you can’t measure
And I learned that you can’t coach if you’re only playing defense.
 
What’s your take on the player/coach model? 
 
P.S. I’m a fast walker, even in heels. Maybe one day I’ll be in a mall-loop group.

“It’s weird talking about yourself online”
[my take is slightly different]
 
I’ll cut right to it:
We like talking about ourselves, but we don’t like making it about ourselves. 
 
When you post online, it feels like you’re making the conversation about you. 
And that feels…awkward.
 
When you’re in a conversation, you have a back and forth, an unwritten contract of mutual sharing.
 
When you post online, you are starting a conversation.
And in order to do that, you have to jumpstart a dialogue out of thin air. 
[Which you’ve done dozens of times on the sideline of the soccer field or volleyball court or holiday concert. ]

It feels weird until you realize that it’s not about you, but it does start with you. 

Where was the last place you jumpstarted a conversation out of thin air? 
 
P.S. A few of the kind comments I received after a 15 minute call. These are not clients, these are people who decided that their professional career was worth a short conversation with an experienced corporate talent acquisition leader. 

P.P.S. It’s like calling the plumber without the $185/hr price tag. Chances are you can see there’s a problem, you’re just not sure where the problem starts.

You’ve been heads down for the last 5, 8, 11 years and suddenly you’re thrown into a job market that's changing fast.

Here’s 2 things that haven’t changed about interviews:
 
  1. First impressions still matter
 
 68% of people think their first impressions are accurate 
 [one study found 85% of people believed in the accuracy of their first impression].
 
What you can do before your next interview: Decide what you want that to be because you are 100% in control of your first impression. 

 2. The interviewer wants you to use “I” more than you use “We”.
 
Drop “we” as a main character in your story, opt for “I”. 
Interviewers want to know what you led/designed/redesigned. 
 
What you can do before your next interview: Check your stories for overuse of “we”. The interviewer is most curious about you, not your whole team. 

P.S. Collaboration is included in every JD.  Yet, in an interview, if every answer is “we did” “we evaluated” “we created the initiative” ...
It's the very reason you are not moving forward.

 What's one way you like to make a memorable first impression? 
=
Hi, I’m Sue. I'm a former corporate recruiting leader. If you aren’t getting through the interview process and you keep hearing that someone is more qualified, it's likely that person took the time to figure out how to easily help others see their qualifications even in a 30 minute interview. 

(photo: Thanksgiving 2020)

How would you describe your leadership style in 3 words…
When I interview corporate leaders, I often ask this question. 
 
The follow up question: What 3 words would your direct reports use to describe your leadership?

The answer matters less than your ability to answer with confidence. 
It’s like being asked your street address. 
⤷you may not have been thinking about it, but you know it so well that you can respond instantly.
 
It reveals 2 leadership qualities:  
1. Self-awareness: Leaders who know themselves build stronger teams.
2. Others-awareness: Leaders who understand how they’re perceived build healthier teams.
 
What’s one word you’re proud to have consistently associated with your leadership?

100 Networking Calls and No Job Leads?
[the one where you're talking to the wrong people]

Making tons of connections?
Having great conversations?

Yet…getting zero opportunities?

If you’re feeling productive but seeing not results, you may be treating all connections the same. 

Step 1. Identify your In-Boat people.
⤷Peers, colleagues, people facing your same challenges. They are your sounding board.

Step 2.  Find your Out-of-Boat people.
⤷Authority, influence, access to opportunities. They are your needle movers.

Step 3: Adjust your conversation based on the type.
⤷In-Boat: Share challenges, exchange tactics. 

⤷Out-of-Boat: Ask targeted questions, make specific requests.

The best networking isn't about quantity.
⤷It's about knowing when to talk and when to listen.

P.S. In my experience with clients, most people spend 80% of their time with In-Boat connections because they feel easier and more comfortable.

But comfort doesn't create opportunities.

What's the ratio of your last 10 networking conversations?

P.P.S. Do I look like I know what I'm doing? I'm hoping to offset my beginner skills with a very serious face.  (spoiler: I still lost)

Lunch interview with the EVP…do you immediately think “Let’s go!” or “Oh no!”
Phew, you made it through 3 rounds. 
Just one more to go and it’s a lunch with the EVP. 

Pros: 
→ More casual atmosphere
→ Gives you something to do with your hands
→ Free lunch! 

Cons:
→ Feels awkward, maybe even like a test
→ You have to actually eat
→ Not knowing how formal the interview questions will be. 
 
You’ve been on both sides of the lunch interview. 
Which camp are you in? 
“Yes, I love them”
Or
 “No, I don’t want to add “deciding on lunch” to my interview prep”
==
Hi. I’m Sue. I’m a former corporate recruiting leader working alongside senior leaders who want to tell a compelling story in their next interview. 

Curious how you can do that without worrying you’re talking too much? Let’s talk. A 15 minute call could save you a whole week of the wrong kind of preparation.

A commercial can make me teary eyed
During the 2014 Superbowl, Bud ran a commercial called “Puppy Love” 
I’m not a beer drinker, but a puppy adoption and a Clydesdale?
I never stood a chance. 
 
Clydesdales are stunning creatures. And, a puppy adoption pulls every heart string. 

I’m still not a beer drinker because it's difficult to influence someone who doesn’t already want the thing you have.  And, it's a good reminder that landing a job you want is understanding which of the 5 core problems the company already wants to solve. 

P.S. CEOs don’t solve all their problems; they solve expensive ones. 
⤷I’ll put the 5 core problems below so you can decide which one of their expensive problems they already want to solve. 
 
Speaking of those commercials that tug at heart strings. Do you remember the Folger’s commercial when the son comes home from the military?  

Is there a commerical that gets you every time? 

(photo credit: horseillustrated.com)

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