“After supporting the rebranding of Clark Hill Law, Roy realized just how magical the combination of branding and culture development can be. In the process of branding, you’re uniting company values, the customer experience, and a diverse team, which, in turn, helps develop the true, authentic culture of your organization.”
I hope at least once in everyone’s career they get to have a boss like this. It looks like we are about to launch into a duet of “Islands in the Stream.” But actually this was at the end of our #simplytogether22 Clark Hill firm retreat. My boss Susan Ahern (pictured here) told me how much she appreciated my contributions, how meaningful they were, and how important I was to her and to our work family. I said I felt the same about her. There may have been tears (mine … natch).
It’s a rare privilege to work with someone, let alone an organization, that celebrates you for your authentic self, letting you shine in ways meaningful to you. I have that at Clark Hill. Susan has encouraged and inspired me to be myself fully at all times, to center my talents around empathy and grace and compassion, to leverage the strategic “pause,” and to work harder and smarter than I ever have in my life. She’s elevated me and my work in ways I’d never thought possible. She’s been my ally and my advocate, and she’s helped me discover a higher standard for what I do.
Ask for more in life. You deserve it. And one day you’ll find you have the good fortune to have a Susan in your life too.
Thank you to my beloved colleague Maram Salaheldin, an epitome of intelligence and wit and kindness, for snapping this moment for posterity.
P.S. I think that “encore” behind us is prescient and apropos after this amazing event.
One of the treasures unearthed at my parents‘ house. A cartoon my dad drew of my grandfather based on a Norman Rockwell image. Some of the humor clearly is of another era when a grown man taking good care of a cat was something tease-worthy.
That said, what I love about this, other than the creativity and the warmth it exhibits, is that it shows we’ve always been a “stand back and hold my beer” kind of family.
I will always be proud of that quality, and it will always be core to my personality.
Thank you, Goodwill Industries International, Goodwill Industries of Northeast Indiana, Inc. , Bill Warriner, and Lori McCutcheon! Susan is remarkable!
There’s a bit more to all of this and I didn’t want to overdo my comment, but we were really struggling with a lot of this purging, and, as we pulled things off the truck, Susan was so complimentary about my mother’s taste and how well received her collection would be. It was such a relief and an encouragement.
And then we found out that Susan shares the same name … as my mother Susie Sexton. And there’s more: Goodwill Susan‘s mother was a professor at Ball State University in the speech department, and was one of my mother’s professors when she was there. My mother studied speech at Ball State. My mother wrote a couple of books, speaking at length about how much she loved her years there.
It all felt like fate, to be honest. And did our hearts a world of good!
Clark Hill assembled a list of “meaningful media” to honor Pride month, with contributions and (most importantly) heartfelt stories from all across our great firm. Thank you to my colleagues Hannah Reisdorff who organized the list’s development and Ray Koenig and Tobias Smith who are leading our overall Pride recognition activities. Here is my contribution to the list …
For me, there were two albums that helped me as a young high school man living in a small town in Indiana still trying to figure out what his sexuality might mean. Might be surprising to hear but in the late 80s there wasn’t a lot of good guidance for people like me. Lol. But I found a voice in two records that weren’t overtly LGBTQ but were recorded by artists who have always been allies to our community.
In 1989, I wandered into our mall’s Musicland and bought a cassette of Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814. It was all the money I had in my pocket, and that album with its day-glo, percolating inclusivity gave me a summer soundtrack that made me feel like the world could be a better place.
The following summer, I was chosen by the US Senate as a youth ambassador to Japan. A bit homesick, I bought another cassette, this time of Madonna’s I’m Breathless, a pastiche of songs from Dick Tracy and songs inspired by the film. Problematic as the song “Vogue” has become as we are increasingly sensitized to cultural appropriation, nonetheless its thundering pulse and message of liberation – as well as the fizzy camp with which the queen of pop delivered the album’s other show tunes – spoke to my soul and gave me a sense of self.
I still listen to both of these albums often, now streaming, and they transport me to a time of discovery and give me a sense of great gratitude that these artists were willing to push the envelope of popular entertainment and acceptance.
Rob Kates and I had a delightful time with our guest today EJ Stern Bearman! Thank you, Amber Bollman, for introducing us! Yes, there were shenanigans aplenty, but, before I turn to those, give this a watch for the heartfelt, authentic, wise counsel EJ provides on professional and personal development, the magic of knowing oneself, understanding your own gifts (and challenges), and finding those moments of connection that build successful business development relationships. We talk about using your energy to your advantage, introversion versus extroversion, and how DEI is such a crucial consideration in creating an environment where people can find fulfillment and optimal performance in life and in work.
As for shenanigans … My dad Don Sexton joins us as I thank him for the Lincoln Home National Historic Site surprises I received in today’s mail. Rob celebrates Cinco de Mayo in his inimitable way. We learn a new prank in asking Alexa to play unsolicited show tunes in our guests’ homes. We review the positive impact life upon the wicked stage had on our formative years. We address the joys (and occasional sadnesses) of having four-legged friends. We note how important participation trophies can be in helping some of us feel seen and validated. We give a shout out to Mother’s Day, Janet Jackson, mental health awareness month, #itsokaytonotbeokay, Led Zeppelin, Kroger runs, Encanto, Ricky Martin, and The Ramones.
Legal Marketing Coffee Talk is back this Thursday, May 5th with host, Roy Sexton, and his guest, EJ Stern Bearman, Senior Executive Coach at Novateur Partners, and the two will discuss how increasingly essential it is for us all to take moments of self-care and personal development to succeed in our fast-paced industry.
With 15+ years leading business development and strategic initiatives in the legal industry, E.J. has a proven record of success helping lawyers grow their practices and build their books of business. Her results-oriented coaching approach helps clients create best practices and provides the accountability necessary for success.
“People are my passion. I understand the pressures individuals face and the critical role coaching can play in professional development and ongoing success. I help individuals refine their leadership skills and develop strategies to decrease burnout, increase productivity and create greater job satisfaction.”
Join us for incredible insight (and probably some show tunes, as E.J. and Roy have a mutual love for all things musical theatre) Thursday, May 5th at 3:00 pm ET: Right here on LinkedIn.
Legal Marketing Coffee Talk is brought to you by: By Aries and Kates Media: Video Production.
Grateful for the opportunity to discuss organizations I love like Clark Hill Law, Legal Marketing Association – LMA International, Ronald McDonald House Charities Ann Arbor, and Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit. And I want to frame this intro you wrote! 🙌
“When I picture the sort of person who would be heading up marketing for a law firm like Clark Hill, Roy Sexton wasn’t who I had in mind. But I’ll be totally honest: I’m glad.
“After nearly 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, and business development Roy has risen to the top of his game and now sits as President-Elect of the LMA for 2022. An impressive feat for sure, but what really draws me in is his character.
“Roy is a warm, charming iconoclast, pushing his lawyers to bring more to the table than, well, just law. There’s an air about him that he deliberately chooses to be different, almost as if he’s smiled in the face of corporate law and said ‘let’s try this another way, shall we?’
“We spoke about his team, his philosophy, and why a master’s degree in theatre beats an MBA.”
Rob Kates and I had a delightful chat with fab Jennifer Smuts today. We covered EVERYTHING! The magic that is Australia, four legged friends, Legal Marketing Association – LMA International, being true to oneself, and owning one’s career path. Jennifer is the epitome of authenticity and grace. You’ll love her remarks about talent development and recruitment.
And thanks to my dad Don Sexton for joining us from his car on the way to Tractor Supply Co. to buy dog food. 😅 He told us all about Indianapolis Museum Of Art’s immersive VanGogh exhibit, wine in cans, and the restful nature of benches.
Thanks to Nancy Slome, Sue-Ella Prodonovich (AND her 🐦 birds!), Nancy Leyes Myrland, Gina Furia Rubel for watching and/or commenting!
Following its May 2021 “Simply Smarter” brand launch, Clark Hill has been shortlisted for “Best Marketing Campaign” for the 2022 Managing Partners’ Forum (MPF) Awards.
In association with knowledge partners Harvard Business Review and the Financial Times, these international awards celebrate leadership and management excellence in professional services organizations globally.
After winning the award of “Best Marketing Initiative” in March 2020 by MPF, Clark Hill continued to build on that momentum a year later with the launch of a new brand and website. Following several years of expansion for the firm, the Simply Smarter initiative aimed to achieve a streamlined brand and corporate identity, complete cultural integration, and firmwide strategic alignment.
“It was essential to develop a brand that reflected and united our culture and consolidated our internal and external corporate identity across geographic regions,” said Susan Ahern, Clark Hill’s Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer. “We have utilized the firm brand across each office and practice culture to unify identity, create cohesion, and amplify cross-collaboration.”
Clark Hill is one of four organizations shortlisted in the Best Marketing Campaign category. The MPF Awards will be held virtually on the Remo platform at 5 pm on June 15. Leaders from each shortlisted organization are invited to attend.
“We’re honored to have our brand campaign be recognized on an international scale, and we look forward to joining other organizations in celebrating many innovative achievements,” Ahern said.
Join us this Thursday with host Roy Sexton and his guest, Jennifer Smuts, consultant for KM Talent. Jennifer is a legend in the legal marketing and business development community AND an incredible supporter of this show, so we are thrilled she will be joining us.
Having recently relocated to Australia, Jennifer will be sure to regale us with tales of her adventures down under and offer insight into career development, coaching, and growth for our viewers. Jennifer writes, “Having enjoyed a successful, 20 year career working in legal marketing and business development in the U.S., I’m excited to take the skills I’ve gathered and apply them in my new position helping clients identify valuable talent and aiding candidates in the search for their dream roles. With a passion for helping organizations understand, create and elevate diversity, equity and inclusion within their corporate culture, I look forward to serving clients in a meaningful way.”
Jennifer is a life-long learner, and in 2021 she completed the eCornell University Diversity & Equity certificate program. As a founding member and past-President of The Legal Marketing Association-Metro Philadelphia Chapter, she continues to stay involved in the legal industry’s premier marketing association, most recently as Chair of the Chief Marketing Officer group for the Philadelphia local and co-Executive Editor of Strategies, The Journal of The Legal Marketing Association.
Legal Marketing Coffee Talk is brought to you by: By Aries and Kates Media.
