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In this episode of Spill the Ink, Michelle Calcote King sits down with John Harrison, Head of Research at ITR World Tax, to break down how the rankings and awards process actually works and why it matters for tax and legal marketers. Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn What actually separates a tier one tax firm from a tier three firm (hint: it's not deal size) What ITR's submission process looks for and the two biggest mistakes firms make How much weight client interviews and market feedback carry versus the written submission Why ITR says its rankings aren't pay-to-play and what that actually means What firms new to ITR should expect in their first few years About Our Featured Guest John Harrison is the Head of Research for International Tax Review (ITR), part of Legal Benchmarking Group. He leads global research into tax and transfer pricing practices for law firms and professional services advisory firms. Before joining ITR, he worked as an awards research editor for Delinian. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Check out ITR World Tax Follow ITR World Tax on LinkedIn Connect with John Harrison on LinkedIn Say hello to Michelle Calcote King on LinkedIn Sponsor For This Episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms.  Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at [email protected] today.

A holiday greeting that goes out on time starts with one person who owns the project and a team willing to plan earlier than feels necessary. In this episode of "Spill the Ink," host Michelle Calcote King talks with Jessi Bruton, group creative director at Reputation Ink, about how law firms, AEC firms and other professional services firms can trade the annual December dash for a plan that works. Jessi explains how to choose the best medium for your message, how to brief a designer on tone instead of tactics and why feedback works best when it explains the why. She also covers mailing list cleanup, production time after approval and where holiday marketing is heading. Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn Why you should start planning earlier than you think Why one person should own the project and how to keep the review team small How to choose between print and digital based on your brand and your relationships How to brief a designer on tone and give feedback that explains the why How to keep list cleanup and production from derailing your schedule About Our Featured Guest Jessi Bruton is group creative director at Reputation Ink. An award-winning creative director with two decades of experience in graphic design and brand strategy, she has earned recognition for her visual storytelling from the American Advertising Federation, HSMAI and AIGA Jacksonville. She is also an award-winning podcast host, a certified Scrum master and a performance-minded creative thinker with a passion for testing and data metrics. Jessi has crafted branding, design and messaging for national and international brands, including Omni Hotels & Resorts, HomeVestors, Morocco World News and Brightway Insurance, along with challenger and regional brands. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Follow Reputation Ink on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram Connect with Jessi Bruton on LinkedIn Say hello to Michelle Calcote King on LinkedIn Sponsor For This Episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms.  Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at [email protected] today.

Gavin Jenkins, Head of Content at Roads & Bridges (Endeavor Business Media), reads dozens of pitches a week deciding what gets covered and what doesn't. In this episode of Spill the Ink, Jenkins joins host Steven Gallo to walk through what actually catches his attention in a pitch email, how newsworthiness and timing factor into his decisions, and the difference between pitching a story idea, a source and contributed content. He also talks about how editorial priorities shift across the Roads & Bridges website, print magazine and podcast, what it takes to land a spot on the Top 10 Roads & Bridges Awards list, and where he sees AEC media coverage headed as the industry moves deeper into AI adoption. It's a practical look inside a trade editor's inbox for AEC marketers trying to break through. Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn What makes Jenkins stop and read a pitch right away The biggest time-wasters in his inbox Pitching a story idea vs. a source vs. contributed content Where the line is between mentioning your company and being too promotional Tips for entering the Top 10 Roads & Bridges Awards About Our Featured Guest Gavin Jenkins is Head of Content at Roads & Bridges, part of Endeavor Business Media, where he oversees the website, print magazine and Infrastructure Technology Podcast. He also teaches journalism as an adjunct professor at the Community College of Allegheny County and has freelanced for The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Atlantic. Before joining Roads & Bridges, Jenkins was an associate editor at Pitt Med Magazine, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine's quarterly publication. He holds a master's degree in nonfiction writing from the University of Pittsburgh and has won two Golden Quill Awards from the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania. He is based in Pittsburgh. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Check out Roads & Bridges Follow Roads & Bridges on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram Say hello to Steven Gallo on LinkedIn Sponsor For This Episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms.  Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at [email protected] today.

In this episode of Spill the Ink, Ellen Jones, Senior Editor of Expert Analysis at Law360, pulls back the curtain on what actually gets attorneys published in one of legal media's most widely read outlets. Law360 distributes newsletters to more than 3 million recipients every business day, and its Expert Analysis section is where attorneys can reach the GCs, compliance officers and business leaders who rely on it for substantive analysis. Ellen walks through what separates a strong submission from one that goes straight to the slush pile, how the 90-day news hook works in practice, what the editorial collaboration process looks like and how legal marketers can position their attorneys to succeed. Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn How Law360's Expert Analysis section differs from its breaking news coverage and why that distinction matters for legal marketers The 90-day news hook rule and what options exist when a topic doesn't fit neatly into that window Why submissions that simply recap what happened get rejected and what editors want instead How to pitch in 150 words and what the collaborative editing process looks like from there How AI is changing the visibility equation for law firms and why expert analysis matters more, not less, because of it About Our Featured Guest Ellen Jones is an experienced legal content strategist with a strong background in writing and editing. She serves as a senior editor for Law360's Expert Analysis vertical, where she works directly with attorneys and marketing and communications pros from AmLaw200 firms and beyond to create guest bylines for a premiere legal news brand that reaches more than three million readers across law, business and government daily. Her journalism background, relationship-building skills and keen understanding of legal industry trends guide her approach to curating thought leadership content that connects with audiences. With a passion for helping lawyers and firms spotlight their knowledge and capabilities, she collaborates with world-class legal experts to distill can't-miss business news into compelling analysis for busy decision-makers. She is a member of the American Society of Business Publication Editors and holds a Bachelor of Arts in communication and information sciences from The University of Alabama.  Resources Mentioned in This Episode Check out Law360 Follow Law360 on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram Connect with Ellen Jones on LinkedIn Say hello to Michelle Calcote King on LinkedIn Sponsor For This Episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms.  Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at [email protected] today.

In this episode of Spill the Ink, Steven Gallo talks with Troy Meyer, Director of Marketing & Insights at Kantiv, about what pursuit intelligence tools actually are, how they differ from general AI platforms and what AEC marketers need to evaluate before choosing one. Before Troy joined Kantiv, he spent more than 20 years in AEC marketing, which gives him a practitioner's lens on how these tools work. He also shares what firms should evaluate before buying and why the biggest adoption challenges usually have nothing to do with the technology itself. Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn What a pursuit intelligence tool is and how it differs from general AI platforms How institutional knowledge gets lost in the proposal closeout process What to ask vendors — and yourself — before committing to a tool Why adoption stalls and what it takes to make implementation stick How the right tools can shift AEC marketers from overhead to revenue driver About Our Featured Guest Troy Meyer is a marketing and communications leader with more than 20 years of experience in the AEC industry, specializing in marketing strategy, proposal development, content operations and AI enablement. He has held marketing and business development roles at firms including Harris & Associates and ICF, and served as owner of Infusion Design Group. He now serves as Director of Marketing & Insights at Kantiv, where he helps AEC marketing teams modernize their pursuit processes through scalable, insight-driven systems. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Check out Kantiv Follow Kantiv on LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube Connect with Troy Meyer on LinkedIn Say hello to Steven Gallo on LinkedIn Sponsor For This Episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms.  Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at [email protected] today.

In this episode of "Spill the Ink," Michelle Calcote King talks with Katrina Dewey, founder of Lawdragon, and Alison Preece, director of rankings and content, about how the Lawdragon 500 actually works. They cover the selection process behind Lawdragon's 36 guides, what separates a targeted, journalism-style submission from a weak one, how AI is changing the way lawyers get discovered, and why Lawdragon sees a ranking as the beginning of a relationship — not the end of one. Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn How Lawdragon selects lawyers across its 36 guides and why nominations, peer review and editorial research all play a role What makes a strong submission and why firms should write like journalists How AI is changing the way lawyers and firms get discovered and how quality rankings factor in How to leverage Lawdragon recognition once you have it About Our Featured Guests Katrina Dewey is the Founder and CEO of Lawdragon. She is a drop-out lawyer, dedicated legal journalist and has been creating lists of lawyers since 1989. With the Lawdragon team, she has created a vital voice in the legal profession that allows legal professionals to share their stories with the world. She views legal recognition as the beginning of the journey, not the destination. Alison Preece is Director of Rankings & Content at Lawdragon. She is a core member of the Lawdragon Guides research team, highlighting the work of the most elite lawyers and legal professionals in the nation and globally. She oversees editorial content and assists in the strategic direction of the company. She is particularly interested in how the leadership of female lawyers is reshaping the profession, and enjoys speaking with the many incredible lawyers who wrangle with complex and relevant topics daily. Alison previously managed strategic communications at Cravath, Boies Schiller Flexner, and Shearman & Sterling. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Check out Lawdragon's website View Lawdragon's editorial calendar and guide methodology at lawdragon.com/guides Follow Lawdragon on LinkedIn and Facebook. Connect with Katrina Dewey on LinkedIn Connect with Alison Preece on LinkedIn Say hello to Michelle Calcote King on LinkedIn Sponsor For This Episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms.  Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at [email protected] today.

In this episode of "Spill the Ink," Steven Gallo talks with Barbara Stiles, FSMPS, CPSM, senior consultant in the Strategic Growth Advisory practice at Stambaugh Ness, about why institutional knowledge is one of the most valuable — and most vulnerable — assets an AEC firm has, and what marketing and business development leaders can do to capture it before it walks out the door. Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn What gets lost when an experienced employee leaves an AEC firm — and why it goes beyond technical knowledge The difference between explicit and tacit knowledge, and why tacit knowledge is where competitive advantage lives How marketing and BD teams can make the business case for a knowledge transfer initiative to firm leadership Practical first steps for firms that want to start capturing institutional knowledge before it becomes a crisis About Our Featured Guest Barbara Stiles, FSMPS, CPSM, is a Senior Consultant in the Strategic Growth Advisory practice at Stambaugh Ness. With more than 35 years of experience in the AEC industry, she is a proven leader in strategic planning, business development and marketing. A former vice president and shareholder at WGI, Inc., she has worked with firms ranging from 200 to 80,000 employees. Barbara has been presenting on business development, leadership, communication and strategic planning topics for more than 20 years at the local, regional and national levels. She is a longtime member of SMPS, has served on the SMPS National board and the SMPS Foundation board, and was recognized as a Fellow of SMPS in 2016. She also holds the Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) designation. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Check out Stambaugh Ness Follow Stambaugh Ness on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram Connect with Barbara Stiles on LinkedIn Say hello to Steven Gallo on LinkedIn Sponsor For This Episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms.  Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at [email protected] today.

In this episode of "Spill the Ink," Michelle Calcote King sits down with Shailyn Tirado, Global Head of Research at Legal Benchmarking Group, to discuss what it takes to succeed in the IFLR1000 rankings process. Shailyn explains the program's three-pronged research methodology, what firms consistently get wrong when describing deal impact and why the program made the decision to combine its rankings and awards submissions into a single process this cycle. Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn What sets IFLR1000 apart from generalist legal directories and who it's designed to serve Why IFLR1000 combined its rankings and awards submissions into a single process this cycle  How deal evidence, client feedback, and peer and market insight each factor into the final assessment What firms consistently get wrong when describing deal impact and what the research team actually wants to see Why quality matters far more than quantity when selecting client referees and participating in peer surveys About Our Featured Guest Shailyn Tirado is the Global Head of Research at Legal Benchmarking Group, where she has worked since 2020. She leads research and data analysis teams across a range of markets, with expertise spanning the legal and publishing industries. Prior to joining Legal Benchmarking Group, she was a research editor at Euromoney Institutional Investor, now known as Delinian. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Check out Legal Benchmarking Group Check out IFLR1000 Follow Legal Benchmarking Group on LinkedIn Connect with Shailyn Tirado on LinkedIn Say hello to Michelle Calcote King on LinkedIn Sponsor For This Episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms.  Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at [email protected] today.

In this episode of "Spill the Ink," Steven Gallo sits down with Nick Piteo, PE, a principal at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger and chair of the AEI Professional Project Awards jury. Nick pulls back the curtain on what the jury is actually looking for, why the collaboration between marketers and engineers makes or breaks a submission and how to make the business case for pursuing these awards internally. Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn What the AEI Professional Project Awards are and why they exist What the jury is actually looking for in a submission Why the disconnect between marketing teams and engineers is one of the most common submission killers The business case for pursuing these awards — from recruiting to getting shortlisted on competitive proposals How to get started and why submitting as a full project team can strengthen your entry and reduce costs About Our Featured Guest Nick Piteo, PE, is a principal at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH), where he has spent nearly 25 years specializing in building enclosures and forensic engineering. His work spans the investigation of existing structures, rehabilitation design, historic preservation and new design, with a focus on higher education, laboratory, healthcare and museum buildings. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, North Carolina, New York and Pennsylvania and holds bachelor's and master's degrees in architectural engineering from Penn State University. Nick also serves as chair of the jury for the AEI Professional Project Awards. Check out the AEI Professional Project Awards Learn more about Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) Follow SGH on LinkedIn Connect with Nick Piteo on LinkedIn Say hello to Steven Gallo on LinkedIn  Sponsor For This Episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms.  Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at [email protected] today.

In this episode of "Spill the Ink," Michelle Calcote King sits down with John Scott, partner and virtual CFO at Anders, to explore how law firms can use financial data to make smarter marketing decisions. The conversation covers which practice areas deserve more investment and how to build the forecasting rhythm that lets firms course-correct before it's too late. Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn The most common marketing-finance disconnect at law firms — and why it can go undetected for months How dynamic monthly forecasting helps firms course-correct marketing spend in real time Why not all practice areas are equally profitable, and how to find out which ones deserve more marketing investment How cash flow challenges influence law firms' willingness to invest in marketing About our featured guest John C. Scott, CPA, AEP, CGMA, is a partner at Anders and heads the firm's legal industry Virtual CFO practice. With more than 30 years of experience in law firm financial management, he helps firms optimize processes, strengthen profitability and prepare for succession or managing partner transitions. He is the author of Judicial Dollars and Cents and works with practices ranging from million-dollar boutiques to $30 million multi-office firms. Resources mentioned in this episode Check out Anders Follow Anders on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram Connect with John Scott on LinkedIn Say hello to Michelle Calcote King on LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms.  Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at [email protected] today.

In this episode of "Spill the Ink," Steven Gallo sits down with Greg Sizemore and Gregory Palmer of the Construction Users Roundtable (CURT) to discuss the organization's annual Awards of Excellence: what they recognize, how the judging process works and what AEC firms can gain from putting together a submission. Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn What the Construction Users Roundtable is and why Greg Sizemore founded it 25 years ago The three CURT Awards of Excellence — Safety, Workforce Development and Project Excellence — and what distinguishes each one Why safety and project excellence submissions are data-driven while workforce development relies more heavily on storytelling The most common mistakes firms make when applying and how to avoid them Why winning a CURT award carries value well beyond the trophy, from industry-wide exposure to owner pre-qualification signals About Our Featured Guests Greg Sizemore is the founder and president of the Construction Users Roundtable (CURT) and president of Sizemore & Company LLC. He founded CURT 25 years ago with a mission to help industrial owners get more construction for their money. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati, where he teaches construction law and leadership and decision making. Gregory Palmer is the director of events and digital programs at CURT, where he has worked for more than 25 years. He oversees the organization's awards programs and events, including the annual Awards of Excellence ceremony. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Learn more about the CURT Awards of Excellence and access applications at curt.org/awards Follow CURT on LinkedIn Connect with Greg Sizemore on LinkedIn Connect with Gregory Palmer on LinkedIn Say hello to Steven Gallo on LinkedIn Sponsor For This Episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms.  Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at [email protected] today.

In this episode of "Spill the Ink," Michelle Calcote King speaks with Molly Huie, team lead for rankings, surveys and awards at Bloomberg Industry Group, about the Leading Law Firm Survey and Data-Driven Departments programs. Molly walks through how Bloomberg Law scores firms across four pillars — finance, talent, growth, and tech and innovation — shares what the data is already revealing about AI adoption across firm sizes and offers practical tips for legal marketers deciding whether to participate. Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn What the Leading Law Firm Survey measures and how it differs from traditional rankings focused solely on revenue and headcount How Bloomberg Law weights its four scoring pillars — and why the tech and innovation section is getting an expanded role this year What the survey data reveals about AI training and technology adoption across small, mid-size and large firms How firms can participate, what to submit and how to use the results for business development and internal benchmarking About Our Featured Guest Molly Huie is a team lead for Bloomberg Industry Group News on the Rankings, Surveys and Awards team. Her team runs all quantitative programs — law firm and legal team rankings, industry thought leadership surveys, and other data-driven programs. Molly holds both a bachelor's and master's degree in psychology, with specializations in research methodology, design and statistics. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Check out bloomberglaw.com Follow Bloomberg Law on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram Connect with Molly Huie on LinkedIn Say hello to Michelle Calcote King on LinkedIn Sponsor For This Episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms.  Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at [email protected] today.

In this episode of "Spill the Ink," Steven Gallo speaks with Sonya Bohmann, Executive Director of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention, about the mental health crisis hiding in plain sight across the AEC industry. Suicide claims more than five times as many construction workers' lives each year as on-the-job injuries, yet many firms still aren't talking about it. Sonya breaks down the risk factors driving that statistic, the most common mistakes firms make when they try to address mental health and what communications and marketing professionals can do to lead the charge internally. Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn About CIASP and its mission to create a zero-suicide construction industry The risk factors that make construction workers disproportionately vulnerable to suicide How firms can start the conversation — and why something as simple as an email signature can be a first step Why mental health must become a core value, not a one-time priority How the largest construction clients are now requiring mental health components in the proposal process About Our Featured Guest Sonya Bohmann is the Executive Director of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2018 with the goal of creating a zero-suicide construction industry. CIASP's mission is to provide and disseminate information and resources for suicide prevention and mental health promotion across the construction sector. Sonya comes from a construction background, having spent more than a decade in the commercial remodel, refresh and facilities maintenance space. That experience gave her a firsthand understanding of how the industry works and the mental health challenges construction workers face daily — and has shaped her perspective on how companies of all sizes can tackle this crisis. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Learn more about The Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP) Follow CIASP on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram Connect with Sonya Bohmann on LinkedIn Say hello to Michelle Calcote King on LinkedIn Sponsor For This Episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms.  Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at [email protected] today.

In this episode of "Spill the Ink," Michelle Calcote King sits down with Barnaby Merrill, US editor at Legal 500, to unpack everything legal marketers need to know about one of the industry's most established rankings programs. Barnaby walks through what makes a strong submission, how referee feedback actually influences ranking decisions and why firms new to the process may be closer to a strong ranking than they think. He also shares what's new with the US Elite rankings — a partner-led, jurisdiction-specific program now in its second year — and explains how Legal 500's data is increasingly shaping the answers AI tools serve up when corporate clients search for outside counsel. Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn What Legal 500 looks for in matter highlights — and what to leave out How referee feedback factors into rankings (and why low response rates aren't the dealbreaker firms fear) The biggest misconception about breaking into the rankings for the first time What's different about the US Elite rankings: partner-led, interview-driven and jurisdiction-specific How Legal 500's rankings are surfacing in AI-generated law firm recommendations About Our Featured Guest Barnaby Merrill is the United States editor at Legal 500. He has been at Legal 500 since 2019 and took on his current role in 2023. In this role, he oversees all research into the US private practice market, including the national Legal 500 United States and the state and city-based  US Elite rankings, which are in their second year having launched in February 2025. Barnaby is passionate about the US legal market in all its forms, with a strong interest in the intersection between client service and market growth with a view to the long-term future of law firms. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Check out Legal500  Follow Legal500 on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram Connect with Barnaby Merrill on LinkedIn Say hello to Michelle Calcote King on LinkedIn Sponsor For This Episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms.  Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at [email protected] today.

Why AEC Firms Keep Getting Client Experience Wrong and How to Fix It  In this episode of "Spill the Ink," Steven Gallo sits down with Jerry Gennaria, president and CEO of TOKY, a full-service branding and design consultancy, to unpack why most AEC firms treat client experience and culture as separate problems — and what that disconnect is actually costing them.  They dig into how to make the business case for investing in both employee and client experience, what it looks like to start measuring something that feels intangible, and why culture will override process every single time. Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn Why client experience and employee experience are rarely connected in AEC firms — and why that's a problem How to make the data-driven business case for investing in culture and client experience Where to start if your firm has never tackled this before, and how to establish a measurable baseline How to trace feedback patterns back to root causes — and why a toddler's favorite question is the key About TOKY and its "branding from within" philosophy About Our Featured Guest Author of the upcoming book, Branding from Within, and host of The Intangible Brand podcast, Jerry Gennaria leverages 30 years of experience in strategy and communications to help professional service firms more effectively tell their story, build a stronger business, and reach their full potential. Jerry leads TOKY, a branding and strategy firm, serving organizations in the Built Environment (AEC). His pragmatic approach delivers actionable insights and frameworks to help marketers and business leaders move past the tropes to build a stronger brand experience. Resources Mentioned in This Episode Check out TOKY.com  Follow TOKY on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram Connect with Jerry Gennaria on LinkedIn Say hello to Michelle Calcote King on LinkedIn Sponsor For This Episode This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink. Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms.  Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services, creative services and more. To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at [email protected] today.