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775.448.6070 WWW.SIERRACRESTLAW.COM We guide small business owners over rocky legal terrain so they can protect and grow their companies. 5 Tips for Hiring and Training Great Employees I Used These Strategies to Grow My Firm! September 2023
Over the last few years, I’ve grown my team from a handful of great employees to a cohort of more than a dozen people. It was a real learning curve! As we grew, I transitioned from just another lawyer who rides in on a white horse and saves the day to a manager and leader — and I learned a lot along the way. A successful business is a growing business, and I’m sure you’re trying to push your company to the next level, just like I am. Here are five valuable lessons I learned that you can use to make that process easier. 1. Expand your hiring beyond your community. Did you know three people on your legal team live and work in other countries? We have a billing clerk, an HR assistant, and an intake specialist spread around the world from South Africa to El Salvador. COVID-19 taught me that some of our team members can work remotely. We communicate seamlessly through Microsoft Teams video and chat functions. Consider working with a staffing agency to search for great candidates abroad. It’s a great way to open up new opportunities, particularly in this tight employment market. 2. When in doubt, remember that more communication is always better. To find and keep a great team, I need to communicate my expectations, values, processes, and procedures during hiring, onboarding, and beyond. I’m becoming more precise when articulating our firm’s standards, how we perform our legal work, and how we should look after our clients. These messages are important, so while sharing them with my team, I try to overcommunicate rather than undercommunicate whenever I can. 3. Take the time to give great training. When you’re growing, it can be tempting to rush through the training process and drop a new team member into hot water. I’ve learned to slow down and take more time.
The more effort I put into teaching them correctly, the more effective they are. 4. Celebrate and encourage your team members’ growth. In the last few years, I’ve hired several people for roles that weren’t the best fits for them — in a good way. They showed so much talent and enthusiasm that I created opportunities for them to grow professionally and take on more responsibility within the firm. Because of that experience, if you have a hardworking, skilled employee like that, encourage them to grow and find ways to facilitate that growth rather than holding them back. I believe you will retain them longer, and they’ll bring a deeper understanding of your firm’s culture and values to their new position. 5. Hire professionals — then allow them to do their jobs. This sounds simple, but it can be tough to trust and empower my employees when I’m used to holding the reins as an entrepreneur. When I started my firm, I personally knew every client who called the office, and I handled every task myself. It took me a lot of mental work to let go and allow my team to take over and perform those tasks. In my experience, the key to delegating successfully is simple: Be clear and specific about the outcome you want, then trust the individual to work out the details of achieving that outcome. It all comes back to communication! These five pieces of insight have been hard-won. They have helped me hire the right people and grow my firm so we can help more clients. Maybe they’ll help your company too!
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AI Scams: Voice Cloning Could Drain Your Bank Account!
With AI capabilities growing daily, you need to be even more vigilant against potential scammers. We’ve already heard about AI’s power to create written content and,
to the face and chest, which, when injured, can be severe or even fatal. Finally, for those who are shorter and frustrated by the increased distance, you can contact a professional to adjust your pedals. You can have your pedals modified or new ones installed to ensure your feet reach them while still maintaining a safe distance from the wheel. Just these few easy steps can change the outcome of a potentially fatal car crash. Change the way you sit in the driver’s seat today! Never send money without first verifying whether it is or isn’t your relative. Some online users advise creating secret code words to exchange over the phone to confirm their family member is requesting the money. Always contact your relative and ask if they actually made the call. Remember, anyone who has posted a short clip of their voice can find it cloned with AI and used to scam their families. Stay safe! Scammers looking to steal thousands of dollars will use AI to replicate the voices of people who’ve posted their voices online via videos like TikTok. They’ll clone a person’s voice and then use it to call their relatives and pretend to be their children or grandchildren who need money as soon as possible. The person on the phone is a scammer, not your family member, even though they sound just like them.
more recently, use musicians’ voices to sing different songs. So, how does this relate to scammers? Well, TikTok users and other online users have shared a new scam that utilizes AI to drain the bank accounts of their family members called voice cloning.
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collide with their steering wheel, leading to severe injuries to their upper body. Airbags and steering wheel aside, when a driver is sitting too close to the wheel, they run the risk of windshield glass severely cutting them during a crash. These drivers can also find themselves trapped between the seat and steering wheel after a collision crushes their vehicle. Clearly, there are numerous reasons why sitting too close to the steering wheel is dangerous. Conversely, what is a safe distance between the driver and the wheel? Simple changes can save your life! Both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have confirmed that there should be 10 or more inches between the driver and the steering wheel. To be even safer, you should recline the upper part of your seat to add maximum distance while still being able to reach the pedals. Scoot the entire seat back as far as you reasonably can! Another simple step that can save your life is lowering the placement of your steering wheel so that it’s tilted below your face and chest. This will also minimize the impact
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BRAIN GAMES
THE GREATEST HEIST IN HISTORY How Pirate King Henry Every Vanished
SOLUTION
The history of pirates is rich with countless stories of lawless thieves and fearless captains. Yet the accounts of what exactly happened to the “King of Pirates” after he led the largest pirate heist in history are still muddled. Henry Every isn’t a household name compared to other famous pirates. However, what makes Every exceptional is that, unlike his counterparts, he was never captured. The first reports of Every were of his service in the British Navy before boarding the warship Charles II as a first mate to battle French ships for their freight. However, after the captain delayed the mission and payment was stalled, Every conspired with the angry crew to mutiny. Renaming the ship the Fancy, Every and his team sailed the coastline of Africa to steal riches. Their final heist against a Mughal Empire fleet returning to India led to the treasure of a lifetime. After accruing more and more crewmates, Every and his gang overtook the various ships and all the gold and jewels they carried. The loot is estimated to be tens of millions of modern-day dollars.
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com COZY FRENCH ONION SOUP
Ingredients
• 5 tbsp olive oil, divided • 1 tbsp butter • 8 cups sliced onions • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 1/2 cup port wine • 2 32-oz cartons beef broth
• Salt and pepper, to taste • 24 slices baguette (1/2-inch thick) • 3/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Every and his crew dispersed with their share and were never to be seen again. Some pirates were
Directions 1. In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, then reduce heat. Occasionally stir until brown (around 30 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. 2. Stir in wine and bring to a boil. When liquid has reduced by half, add broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour. 3. Preheat oven to 400 F. On a baking sheet, brush baguette slices with remaining oil. Bake until golden (3–5 minutes each side). 4. In 12 broiler-safe 8-oz bowls, place 2 toast slices and pour soup into each. Top with cheese and broil until melted.
believed to have found refuge in the U.S., but Every was never located despite Britain’s fierce manhunt. His title as the King of Pirates was rightfully earned.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
5 Tips to Help You Grow Your Business
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AI Scams: Voice Cloning Could Drain Your Bank Account!
Cozy French Onion Soup
3
Vanished With Millions: The Intriguing Story of Pirate King Henry Every Could Your Steering Wheel Position Be Putting You at Risk?
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When you get into the driver’s seat, you may check all your mirrors or settings, but are you adjusting your steering wheel? This one factor can prevent a car accident from becoming fatal. The proximity and placement of your steering wheel are significant factors in an accident because of the sheer force of the vehicle’s airbags. Unfortunately, shorter individuals will naturally bring their seats incredibly close to the steering wheel due to the distance between their feet and the pedals. Specifically, women and older people under 5 feet, 5 inches tall will scoot their seats dangerously close. However, there are ways to keep yourself safe while driving. How is sitting too close to the wheel dangerous? When airbags activate during a collision, they can create nearly 2,000 pounds of force and expand at almost 200 mph! COULD YOUR STEERING WHEEL POSITION BE PUTTING YOU AT RISK?
That’s a lot of pressure and speed aimed directly at your chest. This impact can lead to severe injury or even death for smaller individuals. Whiplash, neck injuries, fractures, and spinal damage are all possibilities when an airbag impacts your chest or neck. Airbags save countless lives, but if a driver is sitting too close to the wheel, it can do the opposite. Even faulty airbags that don’t deploy can cause an up-close driver to dangerously
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