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MARCH 2026
Growing Together With You
FROM CRINGE TO WIN Awkward, Mortifying … and Weirdly Worth It
and handed them to me. Trying to act nonchalant, I put them on and said, “Thank you.” And wearing those pink glasses, I delivered my arguments to the jury. I felt totally awkward … but those pink glasses were one of the best things that ever happened to me. I later learned the jury thought they added a funny, humanizing touch. The plaintiff in the case, a mortgage company, was suing my client for $100,000, but the jury awarded them only a token $1,000. And after the jury was dismissed, the judge paid me a rare compliment: “Mr. Dellutri … I didn’t think you had a snowball’s chance in hell of winning this case. And I just want to say, you did an excellent job.” I received a call a couple of weeks later from one of the jurors wanting to share his thoughts. “No. 1,” he said, “I loved the pink glasses. And No. 2, we really wanted to find in favor of your client and award the mortgage company zero dollars. But one juror held out,” he said. The other 5 jurors argued tirelessly, but she refused to budge. It was like that classic 1957 movie about a deadlocked jury, “12 Angry Men.” At last, she agreed to compromise on a $1,000 award. The bottom line: The next time you find yourself in one of those painful moments, don’t assume all is lost. How do you know it won’t turn out to be a victory?
Have you ever found yourself stuck in a situation where you don’t know what to do or say next? National Awkward Moments Day is coming up on March 18, and I think they created it just for me. Awkward moments? That’s my jam! It’s a good time to look back at some truly painful situations and laugh. It’s also worth noting that some awkward moments end with a surprising success.
I was returning from court one day when the receptionist greeted me: “You’ll never guess who stopped in!” I hadn’t seen George for 2–3 years, and he was sitting in a colleague’s office. Intent on surprising him, I walked quickly through the door, crept up behind him, and gave him a big bear hug. He let out a scream like you would not believe! I didn’t know he had been in a car accident and had hurt his shoulder badly! I felt terrible. I didn’t intend to hurt him. And, of course, George amplified his yowl just to razz me. It was an awkward moment … but it turned into a success. We took George’s personal injury case for that accident and won a great result for him. (To learn more about George, turn to Page 3 of this newsletter.) The Tale of the Pink Eyeglasses Another awkward moment came just as I stepped up to address a jury in a trial. Just to be safe, I always bring 10 pairs of reading glasses to court. But this time, my spare glasses were nowhere to be found. I patted the pocket in my jacket where I keep them. Not there. I tapped my inside pockets. Nothing. Here I am in front of the jury, patting myself down, looking for my stupid reading glasses! And I have a paper in front of me that I can’t read without them. I look up and see a woman on the jury wearing pink reading glasses, and she’s smiling at me. She took them off
Here are a couple of my highlight reels.
The Unfortunate Bear Hug A client of mine I liked a lot, George, was quite a character. He and I had conversations about mundane, ridiculous stuff that would go on for a half-hour, and we’d have fun the entire time.
Happy with our service? We’d love to hear from you! We are always honored when our clients and associates refer their friends, family,
and colleagues our way — or simply say kind things about our firm. If there is anything we can do for you, please let us know. We’re here to help! Reach us any time at 888-889-8899 or DellutriLawGroup.com . If you’d like to leave us a review, scan the QR code. We appreciate every word!
No matter how awkward … a success is still a success.
–Carmen Dellutri
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Betting the Farm
When Business Risk Becomes Personal Risk
Pop culture makes entrepreneurship look exciting and glamorous, spotlighting success stories of freedom and wealth.
Signing a personal guarantee is basically telling the lender, “I’m going to give you the keys to the kingdom.” That’s very scary. I’ve seen entrepreneurs face the consequences many times. Entrepreneurs are especially vulnerable because they’re wired for optimism, research shows. They see only the end game, thinking, I’m going to be rich, I’m going to make a lot of money in my own business, and everything is going to turn out great! Too late, many learn some lessons in the School of Hard Knocks. An estimated 9 out of 10 startups fail within their first five years. If I had to give you one rule to follow in your finances, it would be this: Never Sign Personal Guarantees! A better path is to take calculated risks. Do your homework at each stage of your business’s growth. Rather than racing ahead at top speed, slow down and proceed step by step: No. 1, is this the right decision? And No. 2, if things go sideways, am I protected? Know exactly what your downside risk is in the event that things don’t work out.
Who wants to be their own boss? Everybody.
Who wants to write their own ticket? Everybody.
The next question should be: Who wants to risk everything they own to guarantee loans to a new business that might fail?
Entrepreneurship is great. Until it’s not.
In my work, I’ve seen too many entrepreneurs fall into a financial trap. They go to the Small Business Administration or a private lender to borrow money for a new business, and before they can close the deal, the lender wants a personal guarantee. Many of them sign without thinking, assuming everything will be fine. They don’t realize that if something happens and the business can’t repay the loan, the lender is going to come after them individually! And that’s bad. The lender can seize your personal assets, savings, cars, vacation home … everything. Y ou can lose everything you worked so hard to build.
If you follow this thoughtful path, you’ll never have to learn this lesson the hard way: Entrepreneurship is great. Until it’s not.
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Testimonial Our Clients Say It Best
“I’m very grateful for the help and support I received from Attorney Carmen Dellutri and Attorney Gregory Zimmer. They are very kind, patient, and attentive. I always felt like my case mattered. Juan and Lauren kept me informed every step of the way and handled everything efficiently. I couldn’t have asked for a better team. I’m incredibly thankful for their guidance and highly recommend their services.” –Tammy
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A referral is the greatest gift we can receive from a client, friend, or fellow business. Our firm receives hundreds of referrals a year, and we are honored by each one. I’ve written about some of those connections. There was the car accident victim, for example, whose neighbor told her, “You need to call them! They’ll take care of you.” We did. We helped her get the treatment she needed, fought the insurance company so she didn’t have to, and won a good outcome for her. The Quiet Power of Trust Remembering George: ‘Let Me Tell You About My Attorney!’
Moroccan-Spiced Chicken and Couscous Skillet
INGREDIENTS • 1.25 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp brown sugar • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin • 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika • 1/2 tsp ground ginger • 1/2 tsp cinnamon • 1 tsp kosher salt • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, sliced into coins • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed • 1 cup dry pearl couscous • 1/4 cup medjool dates, pitted and chopped • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock • 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 2. Toss chicken with olive oil, sugar, spices, and salt; let marinate for 10 minutes. 3. Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium. Sear chicken thighs for 3–4 minutes per side, transfer to a plate, leaving 1 tbsp of rendered fat in skillet. 4. Add shallot, carrot, and garlic. Sauté for 2–3 minutes. 5. Add chickpeas, couscous, dates, and chicken stock and boil over high heat. 6. Add chicken thighs back and top with lemon. 7. Put skillet in oven for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. 8. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
We are grateful for every referral we receive. But my friend George took referrals to a whole new level.
George was a client, but he was also a friend. He referred so many people to us that I lost count. If he encountered someone needing help, he’d say, “Let me tell you about my attorney!” And he’d not only give the person a phone number and a business card, he would actually call and make the appointment for them. And as long as that person was okay with it, George would come with them to the office and sit through the consultation! “George, you don’t have to do that,” I told him. “You don’t have to take time off work.”
Inspired by WanderingChickpea.com
What’s the Good News? “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” LAMENTATIONS 3:22-23 A referral is the greatest gift we can receive from a client or fellow business! Last month we had ... • 19 referrals from friends, family, or previous clients • 39 returning clients for new matters • 11 referrals from other attorneys • 10 referrals from doctors and other professionals • We also send out referrals to our trusted referral partners! A Huge Thank-You to Our Referral Partners!
His reply: “Don’t be ridiculous.”
George took pride in presenting himself as my client: “Yeah, yeah, this is my attorney. Didn’t I tell you he was the best? Didn’t I tell you he would listen? I told you, he’s somebody you can have a conversation with, somebody who can make you laugh. And he’s tough as nails. He’s going to tell you if you’re wrong.” He brought us so many clients that I once asked, “George, what do you do? Ride around and look for people who just had a car accident? Do you hang out at the hospital?” He told me he just happened to bump into people who needed help. George knew that no matter who my client was, I would pursue justice for them with the same tenacity as if they were family. George passed away a while ago. But I still remember all that he taught me about how to make a referral. Don’t just hand them a card and say, “Call Bob.” Describe the person. Introduce them. And even make the appointment and go along. If you do us this honor, we’ll listen. We’ll ask the right questions. We’ll figure out what matters. And as George’s story shows, we will never forget the trust you have placed in us.
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Inside This Issue
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Carmen Celebrates National Awkward Moments Day The Hazards of High-Flying Entrepreneurship Our Clients Say It Best Follow Us on Social Media! Saying Thanks for a Friend’s Loyalty and Kindness Moroccan-Spiced Chicken and Couscous Skillet Rescue Dog Serves as a Lifeline to Traumatized Children
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FROM HOMELESS MUTT TO HERO A FORMER STRAY HELPING OTHERS HEAL
Just three years ago, law enforcement officers in Brevard County, Florida, picked up a scruffy stray dog with bad skin allergies who was wandering the streets. Seeing potential in the mutt, they enrolled him in a training program for therapy and comfort dogs. In a remarkable transformation, the former stray was recently named a national “hero dog” for comforting dozens of elementary school students after a mass shooting at Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. Guided by his handler, Faye Okert, Sgt. Bo offered snuggles, warmth, and emotional support to children traumatized by the tragedy. “When he walks into a room, he knows who needs his help,” Okert says. “They instantly feel safe and comforted.” Sgt. Bo seemed destined for a shelter for homeless pets in 2022 when the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office enrolled him in their
Paws and Stripes College, a program that trains carefully selected homeless dogs to be therapy and comfort companions. After learning about the program, Okert, an officer at the time with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, contacted the College to adopt a graduate of the program.
One of Sgt. Bo’s early assignments was to comfort Covenant School’s surviving students as they were reunited with their parents after the 2023 shooting, which claimed the lives of three children, three adults, and the shooter, a former student. Sgt. Bo was selected by the American Humane Society as America’s 2025 Hero Dog for his service to the kids of Nashville, beating out four impressive canine runners- up. Hundreds of dogs are nominated every year for the award, and the public then votes on five semifinalists. Calling Sgt. Bo’s story “inspiring,” Humane Society President Dr. Robin Ganzert said, “This scruffy superstar embodies everything the American Humane Society looks for in a dog: service, resiliency, and love.” His work, she added, “is a beautiful testament to the healing power of the human-animal bond.”
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