Take a look at our April newsletter!
Culture, Core Values, and Care
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THE HEART OF OUR TEAM’S SUCCESS
Sometimes, we succeed in business and life by focusing on what we don’t want. Before I attended law school at 31, I worked in the software industry. In that field, it’s assumed that everyone works hard and always puts their best foot forward without being micromanaged. People were generally given the respect, trust, and space needed to do good work, and I greatly appreciated that mindset. Unfortunately, I experienced a rude awakening when I stepped out of law school and entered the legal profession. One of the insurance defense firms I worked at early in my career was like stepping back into the 1950s. Partners would scream, slam doors, and order their legal assistants to get them coffee or pick up their dry cleaning. It was all about berating people instead of inspiring them — and everything I didn’t want to witness or deal with at work. I modeled my law firm on what I had experienced in software rather than the hostile environment I experienced at that firm. When I put the firm together, I was very intentional about how I wanted it to run administratively and from a management perspective. As cliché as it sounds, thriving as a law firm comes down to culture and leadership. It also depends on having the absolute best people to complete your team and move your client services forward.
Thankfully, I’m incredibly proud to share that I have the best people imaginable here at Brauns Law Firm. With April 23 being Administrative Professionals Day, I’d like to take a moment to thank my in-office team — Annalisa Gonzalez, Elsa Garcia, Haley Overend, Ini Ekanem, and Yessenia Quintero — for interacting with our clients with such care and professionalism and always exemplifying the spirit of what we work so hard to accomplish. About two years ago, our team spent over a year developing our core values. Many businesses are lazy and simply track down a list of 100 corporate core value terms to bounce around the office, but we spent the time listening to what everyone here had to say and identifying common patterns. We zeroed in on a variety of concepts, including two critical ones: “No Friction” and “Be the Real MVP.” “No Friction” means moving with pace and precision. This is a law office, so we need to maintain precision while working with a sense of urgency in everything we do. It also means no drama — toxic people don’t last long here. Since we take on other people’s problems as our own all day, the last thing we need is a negative person adding further strain to what is already a stressful job. The people who last here deserve to work in a supportive culture.
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GET IN THE GAME
Need Help? Call Brauns “If you’re looking for an accident and injury firm, Brauns Law is definitely the top pick. I loved everyone I had the pleasure of working with: Haley, Brittne, and David Brauns himself, to name a few. They were very patient and always made sure to keep me up to date on my case. If I had to use them again in the near future, they would be my first call.” — Alexia B. Nature photography offers a great way to get outside and capture the beauty of the natural world. Whether you’re new to this hobby or have been snapping photos for years, you can always enhance your skills with these four tips for producing compelling outdoor photos. Plan Ahead Before heading outside with your camera and other gear, research your chosen location and the subject you aim to photograph. Understanding the local wildlife, plant life, and weather conditions can inform your equipment selection. Timing is also key. Early morning and late afternoon, known as the “golden hours,” offer soft, diffused light that enhances natural scenes. CAPTURE NATURE’S BEAUTY LIKE A PRO Quick Tips for Better Outdoor Photos
Master Your Equipment Be sure to familiarize yourself with your camera’s settings. Some of the most important include aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, which control exposure and depth of field. For instance, a wide aperture (low f-stop) can help create a shallow depth of field and isolate your subject from the background, which is particularly effective for wildlife photography. Conversely, a narrow aperture (high f-stop) is ideal for landscape shots because it increases the depth of field and helps keep more of the scene in focus. Consider Composition In photography, composition is key. When taking nature photographs, apply compositional rules such as the rule of thirds (placing subjects off-center), leading lines (guiding the eye with pathways or rivers), and framing (using natural elements to highlight the subject). Experimenting with different perspectives and angles can also add depth to your photos. Be Respectful Whenever you’re out in the field, respect the environment by following local guidelines, maintaining a safe distance from wildlife, and minimizing your impact on natural habitats. Always stay on designated paths and never remove any natural objects. Following a few simple rules protects wildlife and the landscape and maintains the integrity of your photography. With these tips in mind, you’re ready to enjoy the outdoors while capturing images that reflect the beauty of the natural world.
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From Prison, With Love Keep on Track BLOOMING BITES OF KNOWLEDGE
April’s Amazing History and Impact
There’s more to April than meets the eye. Check out these historic or little-known truths about the fourth month of the year. The Mystery Behind the Moniker As with many things in history, there is no definitive consensus over how April got its name. Some historians believe it’s derived from the Latin word aperire . This explanation would make sense, as the word means “to open” and it could be interpreted as a way to summarize the blooming of flowers this time of year. However, other historians argue that the name “April” was inspired by the Greek goddess Aphrodite, who symbolizes
while the U.S. Library of Congress was created in April 1800. George Washington was inaugurated as our first president in April 1789, while the first Webster dictionary received its copyright 39 Aprils (years) later. The Titanic met its tragic fate in April 1912, while NASA announced our nation’s first astronauts in April 1959. With April Fools’ Day leading the way, April is also National Humor Month — so be sure to get in plenty of hearty If you’re looking for interesting tidbits to fill your dinner party repertoire, CBS News reports that January is named after the Roman god Janus. February is commonly believed to have been named after the Latin word febra (to cleanse), while the god of war, Mars, supposedly inspired March. May is named after the earth goddess Maia, while Juno — the laughs before May rolls around! More Quirky Calendar Facts
goddess of childbirth and marriage — is commemorated by the modern name June. Additionally, history buffs likely already know that Julius Caesar and his successor, Augustus, inspired the names July and August, respectively. Now, here’s where things get interesting: September — which at one time was the seventh month of the year — is based on septem , the Latin word for seven. October was named after octo (eight), November got its name when it used to be the ninth month of the year, and December was originally named to identify it as the tenth.
beauty, love, and romance. A Month of Milestones
In addition to Easter being celebrated this month, April has been an important time throughout history. The Revolutionary War kicked off 250 years ago this April,
GINGER VEGGIE STIR FRY
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“Be the Real MVP” is our way of defining a team whose members always pay it forward. What does a team member need? How can we help them out? Every morning, we have a daily huddle where we go around the room and acknowledge someone who helped us the day before or did something helpful without being asked. That constant focus on how we interact with others and serve our clients has been invaluable. We hire, fire, and live by our core values. As I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters, “Stay Hungry” is another critical core value that keeps us going. I only want to be around people who are constantly working to be the best version of themselves. I want my team members to take the extra steps necessary to figure things out and master multitasking. Each case we handle is a project with 10–15 moving parts at any time. Only a tech-savvy, highly organized person with exceptional project management skills can succeed here. Our in-house team exceeds these expectations beyond measure. They are the MVPs I’ve always wanted, and I promise never to ask them to pick up my dry cleaning.
Inspired by AllRecipes.com
INGREDIENTS
• • • • •
4 tbsp vegetable oil, divided 2 tsp fresh chopped ginger root, divided 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets 1 tbsp cornstarch
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3/4 cup julienned carrots 1/2 cup snow peas 1/2 cup halved green beans
3 tbsp water 2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/2 tsp salt
DIRECTIONS 1. In a large bowl, mix 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tsp ginger, garlic, and cornstarch. 2. Add broccoli, carrots, snow peas, and green beans, and toss lightly. 3. Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes. 4. Stir in water and soy sauce. Add onion, salt, and the remaining ginger; cook and stir until the vegetables are crisp and tender.
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Inside This Issue 1
People Who Propel Our Progress Mastering the Art of Nature Photography What Our Clients Are Saying A Springtime History Lesson
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Ginger Veggie Stir Fry Work With Your Body to Unlock Lasting Weight Loss
Crash and Burn: Why Fad Diets Fail
As summer draws near, many people are embracing detox diets, intermittent fasting, low-carb programs, or other buzzy regimens to slim down. Before you fall for the latest dieting fad, consider this: About 95% of all these diets fail to produce lasting weight loss! Why are so many popular dieting regimens self-defeating? Here are the primary reasons and better strategies to try. Disrupting Your Metabolism Crash diets clash with your body’s basic needs, setting you up for intense cravings and rebound eating. Low-carb and ultra-low-calorie regimens may seem to work quickly because they reduce water weight and deplete the body’s stored glycogen. Depriving your body of essential nutrients, however, can trigger
cravings and binge eating and can slow your resting metabolic rate so much that you gain more weight in the future. Intermittent fasting is also hard to sustain because it clashes with a dieter’s natural hunger patterns and daily routines. Sidestepping Underlying Issues Many people try to diet without addressing the underlying reasons they overeat. Perhaps eating is a coping mechanism for dealing with low self-esteem or past trauma. Without exploring those reasons and finding alternative comforts, a crash diet is unlikely to work in the long run. Perpetuating the Yo-Yo Cycle Restrictive diets also fail to change a person’s basic relationship with food. Many dieters slash their intake to ease their guilt
or to punish themselves for binging. This can result in a repeated diet-and-binge cycle, reinforcing the dieter’s despair. Over time, the muscle loss and metabolic slowdown caused by diet-and-binge cycles make it even harder to slim down. So, What Does Work? Consider working with a dietitian or a therapist to examine your relationship with food. Rather than cutting out entire food groups, balance your plate with a mix of vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, and healthy fat. Read food labels and monitor your daily calories, protein, carbs, fats, fiber, and sugar. Finally, focus on small changes you can stick with rather than a drastic diet overhaul. As you work with your body instead of against it, remember: Our bodies crave consistency!
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