Nancy Fox doesn’t just preach strategy, she lives it.
With decades of experience coaching professionals through recessions, tech shifts, and structural industry changes, she brings a rare blend of insight, empathy, and actionable advice.
If you’re looking to navigate uncertainty, improve your networking game, and finally build a business development system that works, her insights are a masterclass.
Here are some takeaways from her recent appearance on the “Be That Lawyer” podcast.
Embracing Uncertainty: Where Growth Actually Begins
According to Nancy, times of uncertainty like the 2008 recession or the post-COVID era aren’t just disruptive. They’re opportunities. The lawyers who thrive during these periods are the ones who lean in, stay agile, and spot gaps in the market others are too distracted or discouraged to see.
Whether it’s pivoting your messaging, updating your services, or reaching out to a new vertical of clients, the key is strategic flexibility.
Waiting for stability is often a trap.
“Agility is not necessarily what lawyers are trained in,” Nancy says, “but it’s something all of us really need to look at.”
Make Business Development a Daily Habit: Not a Crisis Response
One of Nancy’s most powerful strategies is deceptively simple: focus on daily consistent activity. She encourages lawyers to dedicate just 15 minutes each day to business development whether that’s messaging contacts on LinkedIn, sending a warm check-in email, or reaching out to a former client.
Too many lawyers treat marketing and networking like fire drills, something to scramble for only when business slows. Nancy believes consistent, manageable effort is how rainmakers are built. She also warns against relying solely on referrals, emphasizing the importance of a well-rounded pipeline that includes direct decision-maker relationships.
Listen First: It’s the Shortcut to Authentic Connections
Nancy shared a transformative moment from her own journey: the first time she walked into a networking event and made a conscious decision to stop thinking about herself.
Instead of worrying about what to say or how she was coming across, she really listened.
That shift changed everything. Conversations became more natural, more meaningful and, perhaps not surprisingly, more productive. People offered their business cards without being asked. Opportunities emerged that never would have surfaced in a more self-focused approach.
“It took away a lot of my fear and self-consciousness,” she said. “I started to really have fabulous conversations.”
“Agility is not necessarily what lawyers are trained in, but being agile and being flexible is something that I think all of us really need to look at,” Nancy says.
If you’re showing up to events without a plan, waiting around for referrals, or letting your discomfort with uncertainty keep you stuck, it’s time for a reset.
Nancy reminds us that success in today’s legal landscape doesn’t come from knowing everything — it comes from being willing to learn, listen, and adapt.
Steve Fretzin is a bestselling author, host of the “Be That Lawyer” podcast, and business development coach exclusively for attorneys. Steve has committed his career to helping lawyers learn key growth skills not currently taught in law school. His clients soon become top rainmakers and credit Steve’s program and coaching for their success. He can be reached directly by email at [email protected]. Or you can easily find him on his website at www.fretzin.com or LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevefretzin.