Ken Hardison: KPIs, Systems, and Business Strategies for Sustainable Success

02/10/25 • 29 min

BE THAT LAWYER

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Ken Hardison discuss:

Growing a law firm that runs independently and becomes a sellable asset
Building relationships and giving value first
Using structured processes and key metrics to drive predictable growth
Mentorship, collaboration, and shared expertise

Key Takeaways:

A law firm can only be sold for real value if it operates independently, maintains a steady case pipeline, and tracks performance through key metrics, ensuring buyers see it as a sustainable business rather than a personal brand.
Lawyers who struggle with referrals often fail to ask, lack the right approach, or don't invest time in relationship-building, but those who prioritize value, reciprocity, and consistent engagement create a steady flow of high-quality referrals.
Most lawyers lose business due to poor follow-up, but staying top-of-mind with referral sources through personalized thank-yous, occasional gifts, and regular check-ins ensures they continue sending cases your way.
True financial success in law comes not from chasing profits but from focusing on genuinely helping people, because when clients and colleagues trust that you care, they are far more likely to send you business.

"You get what you want out of life by helping enough other people get what they want out of life.." — Ken Hardison

Be That Lawyer is now syndicated on Above the Law! Catch all our new episodes and my monthly column there—spread the word and help us grow: https://abovethelaw.com/

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Rankings.io: https://rankings.io/

Rainmakers Roundtable: https://www.fretzin.com/lawyer-coaching-and-training/peer-advisory-groups/

Episode References:

Mastering the Rockefeller Habits by Verne Harnish: https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Rockefeller-Habits-22nd-Anniversary-dp-B0CXCDYCHN/dp/B0CXCDYCHN/

About Ken Hardison: Kenneth L. Hardison is a lawyer, author, and founder of PILMMA, the Personal Injury Lawyers Marketing & Management Association. Known as the "Millionaire Maker," Ken has grown and sold two multi-million-dollar law firms and now helps lawyers across the U.S. grow and scale their law firms to build the practice of their dreams.

Connect with Ken Hardison:

Website: https://www.pilmma.org/

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenhardison/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PILMMA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PILMMA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pilmma/

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: [email protected]

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!

YouTube: Steve Fretzin

Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Ken Hardison discuss:

Growing a law firm that runs independently and becomes a sellable asset
Building relationships and giving value first
Using structured processes and key metrics to drive predictable growth
Mentorship, collaboration, and shared expertise

Key Takeaways:

A law firm can only be sold for real value if it operates independently, maintains a steady case pipeline, and tracks performance through key metrics, ensuring buyers see it as a sustainable business rather than a personal brand.
Lawyers who struggle with referrals often fail to ask, lack the right approach, or don't invest time in relationship-building, but those who prioritize value, reciprocity, and consistent engagement create a steady flow of high-quality referrals.
Most lawyers lose business due to poor follow-up, but staying top-of-mind with referral sources through personalized thank-yous, occasional gifts, and regular check-ins ensures they continue sending cases your way.
True financial success in law comes not from chasing profits but from focusing on genuinely helping people, because when clients and colleagues trust that you care, they are far more likely to send you business.

"You get what you want out of life by helping enough other people get what they want out of life.." — Ken Hardison

Be That Lawyer is now syndicated on Above the Law! Catch all our new episodes and my monthly column there—spread the word and help us grow: https://abovethelaw.com/

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Rankings.io: https://rankings.io/

Rainmakers Roundtable: https://www.fretzin.com/lawyer-coaching-and-training/peer-advisory-groups/

Episode References:

Mastering the Rockefeller Habits by Verne Harnish: https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Rockefeller-Habits-22nd-Anniversary-dp-B0CXCDYCHN/dp/B0CXCDYCHN/

Connect with Ken Hardison:

Website: https://www.pilmma.org/

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenhardison/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PILMMA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PILMMA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pilmma/

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: [email protected]

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!

YouTube: Steve Fretzin

Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

Previous Episode

Chuck Andrews: The Mental and Business Foundations of Career Growth and Transitions

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Chuck Andrews discuss:

Challenges in making law firms and businesses scalable and saleable
Strategic and mental preparation for business transitions
Understanding client needs as a driver for business growth
Overcoming personal barriers to achieve professional success

Key Takeaways:

Many lawyers fail to create saleable practices because they don’t view their firms as scalable assets, instead focusing solely on leveraging personal skills.
Emotional and psychological unpreparedness for life after selling a business often causes transitions to fail, making mental readiness as crucial as financial planning.
Business owners can significantly improve scalability and growth by conducting client surveys to understand why customers choose their services.
Identifying and managing personal saboteurs, such as the need to please or overachieve, is essential for breaking patterns that hinder both business and personal progress.

"The biggest challenge an attorney has is recognizing that they can build their practice into a saleable practice." — Chuck Andrews

Be That Lawyer is now syndicated on Above the Law! Catch all our new episodes and my monthly column there—spread the word and help us grow: https://abovethelaw.com/

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Rankings.io: https://rankings.io/

Rainmakers Roundtable: https://www.fretzin.com/lawyer-coaching-and-training/peer-advisory-groups/

Episode References:

What Happened to You? by Oprah Winfrey and Bruce D. Perry: https://www.amazon.com/What-Happened-You-Understanding-Resilience/dp/1250223180

Wisdom at Work by Chip Conley: https://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Work-Making-Modern-Elder/dp/0525572902

Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine: https://www.amazon.com/Positive-Intelligence-Individuals-Achieve-Potential/dp/1608322785

The Fifth Discipline by Peter M. Senge: https://www.amazon.com/Fifth-Discipline-Practice-Learning-Organization/dp/0385517254

About Chuck Andrews: Chuck combines expertise in technology, M&A advisory, and executive coaching, integrating AI-driven solutions into his firm's services. Clients gain from tools like AI-based Value Drivers, a Positive Intelligence mental health app, and leadership development rooted in Vistage Peer Advisory Boards.

Connect with Chuck Andrews:

Website: https://ceo15.us/

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceo15-cca/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chuckCEO15/ & https://www.facebook.com/CAndrewsCEO

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: [email protected]

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!

YouTube: Steve Fretzin

Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

Next Episode

Jay McAllister: The Next Evolution of AI in Legal Practice

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Jay McAllister discuss:

The evolving role of AI in legal practice
Leveraging AI for business development and marketing
Ethical and risk considerations when using AI in law
The future of legal technology and the rise of agentic AI

Key Takeaways:

Many law firms have shifted from traditional keyword-based legal research to AI-powered tools that analyze case law and provide curated, context-aware results, significantly reducing time spent on research.
Insurance carriers and other clients are leveraging data analytics and AI to challenge the hours law firms bill, forcing firms to adopt more efficient AI-driven workflows.
A Stanford AI ethics professor submitted a legal brief with fabricated citations generated by AI, leading the judge to reject it outright and issue a warning that lawyers must verify AI-generated content before submitting it to court.
Future AI systems will not only respond to queries but proactively complete legal tasks by recognizing key case milestones, drafting motions automatically, and sending them for attorney review.

"There were jobs that were lost, but ultimately, I don't think of it as a job that was lost. These jobs were transitioned to perform more useful, more useful activities." — Jay McAllister

Be That Lawyer is now syndicated on Above the Law! Catch all our new episodes and my monthly column there—spread the word and help us grow: https://abovethelaw.com/

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Rankings.io: https://rankings.io/

Rainmakers Roundtable: https://www.fretzin.com/lawyer-coaching-and-training/peer-advisory-groups/

Episode References:

The Game with Alex Hormozi: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-game-with-alex-hormozi/id1254720112

$100M Offers by Alex Hormozi: https://www.amazon.com/100M-Offers-People-Stupid-Saying/dp/1737475731

About Jay McAllister: Jay McAllister is the CEO of Paragon Tech. Driven by an unquenchable thirst for applied learning and innovation, Jay helps lawyers get the most out of their technology. In other words, they go from low-tech and busy to high-tech and productive.

Connect with Jay McAllister:

Website: http://paragontechit.com/

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaymcallisterit/

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: [email protected]

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!