Embrace the Pivot: An Interview with Brandi M. Hobbs, Owner, First Call Fractional

After working for most of her career for law firms, in 2023, Brandi Hobbs founded a consulting business that serves law firm, First Call Fractional. Brandi helps lawyers find the time to work on their law firm, not just in their law firm. 

At the same time, Brandi and her family moved from the suburbs and onto a small farm, where she and her husband not only raise their two daughters, but also chickens, cows, ducks, and I hear a few bunnies could be added to the mix.

This was quite a bit of change happening at one time. Brandi found a practice that helped her cope with the change, she embraced the pivot.

LMCS: Brandi, you have a mantra you are acting on during this time of transition, Embrace the Pivot. Can you tell us what you mean by this phrase?

BH: In creating a webinar for a virtual industry event during the pandemic, a few collaborators (Chandra Storrusten from Visible Value and Heather McCullough from Society54) and I were talking about why the pandemic was the perfect time to work on client-centric strategic planning. That conversation resulted in a slide entitled “The Power of the Pivot” and the resulting sentiment to “embrace the pivot,” which I have used repeatedly since.

When doing my research, I found that there are a few resources that reference the phrase – and they are generally consistent with our use. Embrace the pivot, in our context, means taking what comes your way and harnessing momentum from it – a sort of legal management jiujitsu.

I found that the concept is lasting and goes well beyond the pandemic. In fact, it lead me to continue to think about how I could pivot not only in my work life, but in my personal life as well.

LMCS: How would you encourage others to Embrace the Pivot?

BH: Before you can embrace the pivot, you have to understand that the opportunity to pivot exists and that there is power in it. I’d start there. 

The change taking place around us can either cause us to be stagnant, fearful, or pensive – in which case we are waiting for the storm to subside or we can ride the wave it brings. I would encourage law firm leaders to take a step back from the typical mid-year planning conversations, or the “can we make it through this?” dialogue – briefly – and have a more open-minded conversation about what – optimistically – all of this change could mean for the firm.  

Questions for this conversation might include: 

• What could we do now that we could not have done previously? 
• What practice areas might emerge that have not been viable in recent years?
• What new practice areas might exist? 
• What hard (but good leadership) decisions have we been postponing that we now have no choice but to take action on? 
• Which lawyers who would not have been viable lateral candidates previously, might be interested in a conversation now? 
• Of the things we are doing now, that we started doing to survive, which could we do better with some investment and intention? 

Think creatively and constructively and have a conversation that sets risk aside and explores all potential opportunities. This is the dialogue that leads to recognizing the pivot and the power it holds. The next step is embracing it and acting on any one of the conclusions you drew. 

LMCS: What are the challenges in Embracing the Pivot?

BH: Embracing the pivot takes nerve. It takes a willingness to endure risk. It will require an investment of time, and – in some cases – money, which may be scarce. It will most definitely require communication (for anyone who isn’t a solo). It will require thinking beyond typical confines. It will also, likely, require iteration. Because things are currently changing so rapidly, there is less certainty of what tomorrow may hold. This should not prevent us from using what we have now, or the current of change that brought it to us, to reach better outcomes for our firms. 

LMCS: Many of us are reluctant to embrace change. Change is hard. How do you overcome resistance to Embracing the Pivot?

BH: Magic wand? I recognize that change is hard for many of us; it is especially easy to resist when it is unanticipated or unwanted. The only consistent method I have found to inspire acceptance of change in a law firm is a combination of good information via effective communication. Communication that is persuasive and persistent. Being a change agent is all about understanding your audience and speaking to them in terms they understand and care about – whether that be financial or reputational, as a leader or as a friend – your information should resonate. And it will most likely require repeating. 

LMCS: If we aren’t the decision maker in our firm, are there tips you can offer to get leadership on board with Embracing the Pivot?

BH: Start with a “coalition of the willing.” This is a term I love. These are the people who aren’t afraid to hear the new idea, scrutinize it, and help you move it forward.  Bring data.  In my experience, law firm leaders, and really, most attorneys, will be focused on two things: 1) why this won’t work for us; and 2) what other firms have done. Come with information that combats the first and answers the second. And, if the answer to #2 is “they haven’t,” bring information to counteract that. Differentiation is great but will require proof of viability. Finally, be willing to repeat yourself. 

LMCS: How do you Embrace the Pivot in your personal life?

BH: It isn’t a secret to most people who know me that I love most change; at home I like to move furniture, repaint, redecorate – to keep things fresh. I like to travel to new places, to experience new things. I pursue a ton of professional development, some of it just outside of my bailiwick to see and hear different perspectives. You never know when the ground might shift –– and you need to make an adjustment. I am always prepared to embrace the pivot. Admittedly, I am not always graceful or perfectly adept, but I’m often really excited about what the change might mean.  

LMCS: How did Embracing the Pivot help you and your family get through such a major move from the suburbs to the farm?

BH: I’ve been called “Pollyanna” before, but the truth is, despite being optimistic and open to change, I struggle with anxiety and am very passionate (read: worried) about doing it all well! Embracing the pivot is the grown-up, professional way of saying ‘go with the flow’ – that’s how I’ve coped. Embracing the pivot has helped all of us from feeling like we are completely out of control.

FirstCall Fractional provides small law firms’ founders and managing partners with part-time, professional support for some or all of the Chief Operating Officer’s typical purview: change management, operational policies and procedures, strategic pursuits, supervision of people or processes, project management, revenue growth, and more.

Connect directly with Brandi for more information at contact@firstcallfractional.com or 575.308.1220 or by visiting FirstCall Fractional Website.