VeraSage

Christopher Marston

CEO and Founder, Exemplar Law Partners, LLC
Boston, MA, USA
P: 617.542.7400

www.exemplarlaw.com

Born and raised in West Bloomfield, Michigan, Chris demonstrated at an early age his diverse interests and talents, including music, performing and academics. He began playing the piano at age eight, wrote his first song at age 10, and had his first professionally produced recording by the age of 12. With music as an early-on passion, at age 14 he started his first company, C&C Studios and The DJ Connection, a full service entertainment company for special events. It also allowed Chris to record his own material. Chris attended an exclusive private high school in Michigan where he achieved high honors and further developed his talents.

He received a Bachelor of Business Administration with a dual major of Finance and New Venture Management at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. During his time at NU, Chris took up Competitive Ballroom Dancing, competing for 4 1/2 years, and at the height of his competitive dancing was ranked 27th in the nation. During this time, Chris had developed a particular interest in the options and equity market, and had been trading since he was 18.

During the later part of his undergraduate education, the CEO of JSA Technologies hired Chris as the Chief Financial Officer. As CFO, he restructured the product offering to become a service offering in order to reduce selling costs and produce a reliable cash flow for the company. His internal function was budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling, and involvement in negotiation. Their first client was Harvard University and JSA was responsible for the online money transfer feature for Harvard’s Crimson Cash Program. Now, more than 50 universities across the nation are customers of JSA.

Chris earned a J.D. and an M.S.F. (Master of Science in Finance) from Suffolk University Law and Business School, where he was awarded the Distinguished Oral Advocate and was the first first-year law student ever admitted to the national trial team. He competed all four years of the dual degree program on the national team, achieving regional semi-finals in the 3rd year and regional finals in his last year. He also won every internal mock trial competition (Junior and Senior Mock Trial Competition), won Best Trial Advocate in Fall 2003, and the Harold B. Goodwin Trial Advocacy Scholarship.

Gifted with a natural entrepreneurial spirit and intellectual curiosity, Chris set out to revolutionize the legal industry moments after graduating with a vision for creating the firm of the future. This firm would abandon traditional law practice and the billable hour, focusing on the value of services provided, rather than the cost of one’s time. After conducting thorough research on the topic of the history of law and the billable hour, and unable to find a law firm with this unique business model, it sparked the idea for a business.

Chris began to imagine the possibilities of beginning a law firm that offered fixed pricing, valued a work-life balance and placed customer service at the forefront. He envisioned the company would operate more like a traditional business, with a capacity-first business model where key management personnel are involved more as firm partners, timesheets do not exist and key functions like marketing, operations, human capital and customer relations are critical to its success.

Chris realized the firm of the future could be created with vision and leadership, the guts to forge a new path in an industry that is crying out for a reform, and a marketplace that would support such a departure. Not yet entrenched in traditional legal methods, and wanting to solve a problem greater than himself alone, Chris realized bringing this business model to market would not only change his life, but also impact and change the lives of attorneys, consumers, and the marketplace—ultimately how the law is practiced and consumed.

After months of research, Exemplar Law Partners was born in April 2005. A constantly evolving work in progress, Chris is leading a management team in shaping the business model to attract and retain talented attorneys and support staff that support his vision and want to make Exemplar Law Partners the iconic firm of the legal future.

John F. Shaver

Owner, Aries Technology
Knoxville, Tennessee USA

Web: http://www.ariestech.com
Blog: http://www.ariestechblog.com

I fell into technology and business management software almost by accident. Back in the mid 1980s I was working for a CPA firm in Myrtle Beach, SC. During that time, the partners at the firm decided to move into the 20th century from a technology perspective. The question, however, was who in the firm would take on that task. So, being young and eager to prove myself, I raised my hand and volunteered for the job.

After working for a few years in both the public and private sectors of accounting and finance (yes, I have been an end-user of MAS 90 so I look at software from a user’s perspective), I decided to jump into the entrepreneurial world. My father had owned his own businesses for many years and he gave me the inspiration to take the risk.

We were quite content for a while from helping customers troubleshoot technical issues, write reports, installing upgrades and teaching customers how to get the most out of the software. The whole time we were filling out timesheets and billing based on our time because that was just the way it had always been done.

Over the years, we began to notice quite a bit of negativity in the industry, both for our customers and for us. Our customers asked us questions that we couldn’t answer which frustrated us and made us wonder what was wrong. The questions were not technical; rather they were focused on who bears the responsibility for software and on why there are so many unknowns about the price of projects and support.

Here are some examples:

• Why should I get a bill every time my software breaks? I didn’t break it. Should I have to pay for something I didn’t break?
• Why is it that every time we have you install an upgrade or write a report, we never know how much it will cost? I don’t care how long it takes you, just get it done.
• I like you guys but I’ve told my employees not to call for support or anything software related unless it is a dire emergency. The problem is that I don’t know if I’ll get a bill for $100 or $10,000. How do I budget for that?

My belief is these are the types of issues that have always driven a wedge between customer and software partner over the years. It creates unnecessary stress on both sides. Since our passion and mission is to help customers use their systems to the greatest effect, it bothered us that customers perceived the software and the software partner to be a necessary evils and as unknown costs to be avoided. We knew for an absolute fact that applying our knowledge and experience to our customers’ businesses provided great value.

The question was: how do we price that knowledge so our customers can clearly see the value?

Inspiration struck in the form of very forward thinking and encouragement from two people at Sage. Bill Hammer, who had been our partner manager at Sage for many years, understood that we were looking for ways to eliminate the negative aspects of the customer/software vendor relationship. He told me that I needed to meet Ed Kless, the partner development manager at Sage, and that I needed to attend one of Ed’s conferences.

Ed’s message was incredibly simple and incredibly enlightening: Customers hate billable time, get rid of it! Give them guarantees on everything. So we did and it has been the most positive part of our business since we opened our doors in 1996.

What a concept, a software and consulting company who actually talks with all of their customers about how the customer wants to do business with us. Everything we do for a customer is custom tailored for their business.

Kirk Bowman

Visionary of Value, MightyData
Allen, TX USA
972-390-8600 x101

http://www.mightydata.com

Kirk Bowman grew up in Arkansas on the family farm with his father and grandfather. His first job was driving a tractor in the rice and soybean fields during summer vacations. This experience taught him a strong work ethic and his instinct to create his own business.

In public school, Kirk discovered his talent for music and learned to play several instruments including the saxophone, guitar and piano. This passion became the foundation for his college studies. In only five years, he earned dual degrees from Harding University in Music and Business Management.

After graduation, he started a business in the Dallas metroplex playing saxophone and teaching private lessons in public schools. To manage the details of his business, he developed a custom database with FileMaker Pro. With his propensity for math and logic, he soon began to create small databases for business owners.

Following this early success, Kirk founded MightyData in October 1996 to provide Macintosh consulting services. In less than two years, his business grew to specialize in custom software development and web applications. Over the next decade, MightyData thrived and became a Platinum Member of the FileMaker Business Alliance.

In August 2009 at the FileMaker Developer Conference, Kirk joined a panel discussion of estimating and billing practices as an advocate for hourly billing. Another panelist, Jonathan Stark, made a compelling case for focusing on the customer, offering fixed prices and generating higher profits through value pricing. The impact of the discussion was profound. Panel Discussion Audio: Part 1, Part 2

After the conference, Kirk began extensive research into value pricing. He retained Jonathan as a consultant to help him learn the principles of value pricing. Three months later during a podcast, Kirk made a public commitment to transition his business to value pricing within a year. This was the turning point for MightyData. Podcast Audio

In February 2010, Kirk was preparing to speak on value pricing at the Pause On Error (POE) un-conference and found the VeraSage web site. Shortly before POE, he contacted Senior Fellow Ed Kless. Their first lunch meeting was the start of a mentorship and friendship. Subsequently, the video of Kirk’s POE session was featured in Ed’s blog and mentioned in Implementing Value Pricing by Ron Baker. POE Video

In January 2011, Kirk was honored to receive an invitation to the VeraSage conference in California. He spent three days discussing the practices of the professional knowledge firm with the VeraSage fellows and friends. At the conclusion of the conference, he was distinguished for his advocacy and accomplishment with value pricing and appointed a Practicing Fellow at the VeraSage Institute.

Kirk continues to practice and innovate the value pricing business model at MightyData, where he leads an extraordinary team of consultants who are very happy to focus on the customer and not submit a timesheet.

Mark A. Bailey

Managing Partner, Mark Bailey & Company, Ltd.
Reno, NV USA
775-332-4200

Mark Bailey & Co. Website
Innovative Practice Management Blog
Gray Matters Blog

Mark founded Mark Bailey and Company in 1984 after relocating from Central California where he was a partner in a two-office public accounting firm. Previously he worked for Arthur Young and Company in Los Angeles where he recognized the ineffectiveness of accounting practice management and the corresponding lost opportunities.

As the managing partner of a small public accounting firm, Mark is passionate about delivering the highest level of quality service to his customers to enable their success. Convinced that the conventional business model for professional knowledge firms was outdated and ineffective he explored many alternatives until he met Ron Baker. In 2004 MBC became a ‘trailblazing firm’ adopting the principles outlined in The Firm of the Future. 

Mark built the firm around his belief in the development, nurturing, and respect of people as knowledge workers. Living this core value has resulted in the firm becoming a magnet for gifted, talented people seeking fulfillment from their career in contrast to the grind-mentality of most CPA firms. The innovative spirit that drives Mark in his business carries over to into the advice and counsel given to each customer.

Mark completed his degree at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California after completing his military service as an officer in 1971. He and his wife Janice live in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains outside of Reno, Nevada.

Mark A. Chinn

Chinn & Associates, PLLC
Jackson, Mississippi USA
(601) 366-4410

http://www.chinnandassociates.com

Mark has been married to Cathy for over thirty years, and they have four daughters, Courtney, Casey, Carly, and Conley.

He is the author of three ABA books, How to Build and Manage a Family Law Practice, published by the Family Law Section and Law Practice Management Sections and The Constructive Divorce, published by the GP/Solo Division and Forms, Checklists and Procedures for the Family Lawyer, published by the ABA Family Law Section in 2010.  He is also author of chapters entitled, “Marketing is Not a Dirty Word,” in How to Capture and Keep Clients, and “The Exit Interview” in 101 Practical Solutions for the Family Lawyer, both published by the ABA.

Mark is a frequent contributor in periodicals such as the American Journal of Family Law, The Family Advocate, Small Firm Profit Report and Fair Share on the subjects of client relations, service and law practice management.

Mark has been featured in the National Lawyer’s Weekly Magazine for delivering world-class service. He has been a frequent speaker for the American Bar Association Family Law Section, The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, The Iowa and Indiana Bar Associations, and the Mississippi Bar on issues of family law practice management and delivering world-class service.

Mark has received distinction from the following publications:

o Top 50 Lawyers in Mississippi for 2010, Mississippi Business Journal
o Mid-South Super Lawyers
o The Best Lawyers in America and
o Martindale-Hubbell’s Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers

He is one of the one hundred attorneys that were selected from Mississippi for membership into the Outstanding Lawyers of America.

Mark was the recipient in 1996 of the Award of Merit for distinguished service to the Bar and the public and was enrolled as a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation in 1997. Mark is also certified in Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

Mark has been Chairman of the Family Law Section of the Mississippi Bar twice and a member of the governing council of the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association for two terms. His other work with the Mississippi Bar has included: Chairman in 1995-96 of the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee, and past service on the Ethics, Client Relations, Women in the Profession, and Fee Dispute Resolution Committees.

Mark was Chairman of the Lamar Order of the University of Mississippi School of Law Alumni Association in 2002. He was President of the Hinds County Bar Association for 1998-99 and is a Master of the Bench in the Charles Clark American Inn of Court.

He was elected Vice Chair of the Supreme Court’s Gender Fairness Task Force and was appointed by the Governor of Mississippi to the Children’s Justice Task Force.

Community activities include: Chairman of the Jackson Urban League Board of Directors (1995-2000); Chairman of the Tenth Jubilee! Jam in May 1996 which featured the Olympic Torch; Jubilee! Jam Foundation Board, Arts Alliance Board, Opera Board and Leadership Jackson.

Black belt in Karate and kick boxing and a veteran of the 20 years of Rugby, Mark is also a private pilot and enjoys golf and weightlifting.

Mark received his undergraduate degree from Iowa State University in 1975 and his Law Degree from the University of Mississippi in 1978. He is admitted to practice in all courts in Mississippi, the Fifth and Seventh Circuits and the United States Supreme Court. 

Tim McKey

McKey Business Group
Baton Rouge, Louisiana USA

www.vistabmo.com

Tim McKey was born and grew up in rural south Mississippi. The majority of his time was spent in various sports venues or working in his Dad’s grocery store. After high school Tim attended Mississippi State University where he graduated cum laude in 1982 with a Bachelors of Professional Accountancy.

Upon graduation Tim accepted a position with Deloitte Haskins and Sells (now Deloitte and Touche) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Tim still resides in Baton Rouge but now is an owner, along with his partner, Sandy O’Brien, of a “boutique” CPA/consultancy firm (Burris, McKey & O’Brien CPAs/Vista Consulting, Inc.).

The first 20+ years of his professional life was spent in traditional, compliance CPA matters such as tax return and financial statement preparation/presentation. He feels the remainder of his professional career will be dedicated to “actually helping businesses and business owners become successful” by their definition of success.  In other words, “our firm attempts to bring real value, not just “necessary evil” professional services.”

Tim and his partner Sandy are graduates of the Accountants Boot Camp and are fans of Michael Gerber’s “Working ON not IN” business philosophy. Since 1999 Tim and Sandy have converted their traditional practice to a consultative, value priced operation that has outlawed time sheets and time based billing. They have embraced the “knowledge worker” role.

“We take the time now to listen to our customers and understand their needs and desires before designing a work plan to help them achieve their goals. We then price the services commensurate with the value perceived by the customer. This is an art! Of course we still perform the traditional services of tax prep and financial statement presentation, but only for our consultation customers. We have been able to drastically reduce the number of customers served while increasing gross firm revenues. It is not that we want to be elitist but, this type service is not right for everyone. For those it is right for, however, we have been successful in assisting them in increasing overall business value, profitability, and operating effectiveness.”

Tim is the father of two, Sarah (21), and Caroline (13), and husband of one, Jodi.

His hobbies are spending time with his wife and children, tennis, reading, public speaking, learning about “anything I don’t understand…which is a lot,” and working with a “faith based” not-for-profit organization, United Methodist HOPE Ministries. He hopes to become even more involved with the VeraSage mission and assist in “spreading the VeraSage word.”