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The Practice Playbook Podcast with Susan Guthrie

The Practice Playbook Podcast with Susan Guthrie

By: Susan E. Guthrie LLC
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Welcome to The Practice Playbook Podcast, the go-to show for legal and dispute resolution professionals who want more than just survival in their practices; they want strategy, sustainability, and success.

Hosted by best-selling author, attorney, mediator, and practice development expert Susan E. Guthrie, this podcast brings you straight-talking insights, actionable tips, and real-world advice on what it takes to thrive in today’s evolving professional landscape. Whether you're a lawyer, mediator, coach, or consultant, you'll learn how to build a business that reflects your values, supports your lifestyle, and positions you as a trusted expert.

Each episode pulls from the strategies in The Practice Playbook book series, featuring topics like:

  • Ditching the billable hour and implementing flat fees with confidence

  • Building a thought leadership brand that attracts ideal clients

  • Using AI and technology to streamline your workflow and boost productivity

  • Mastering client experience, referrals, and pricing strategy

  • Real-world case studies, expert interviews, and practice-building stories

From the creator of The Flat Fee Playbook, The Thought Leadership Playbook, and The Practice Accelerator membership community - this is your weekly shot of clarity, confidence, and momentum.

Your practice doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It just needs a better playbook.

Copyright Susan E Guthrie LLC 2020-2025 - All rights reserved. Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • What Worked, What Didn’t, and What to Leave Behind: A Candid Practice Debrief for 2025 with Susan Guthrie on the Practice Playbook Podcast #549

    What Worked, What Didn’t, and What to Leave Behind: A Candid Practice Debrief for 2025 with Susan Guthrie on the Practice Playbook Podcast #549
    Dec 4 2025
    If you want a clearer, steadier, and more grounded start to 2026, this episode offers the essential year-end reflection every legal and dispute resolution professional should be doing. As the year winds down, Susan Guthrie, nationally recognized mediator, legal entrepreneur, and bestselling author, guides you through a candid, deeply clarifying debrief of your practice. Instead of waiting for the calendar to turn and hoping things feel different in January, Susan shows you how to understand the patterns, decisions, and dynamics that shaped your year. You’ll look closely at what worked, what drained you, and what you’re finally ready to let go of, so you can step into the new year with focus, intention, and renewed purpose. This episode mirrors the same process Susan uses with her private coaching clients every December, and it includes access to a powerful companion worksheet to help you translate today’s insights into a written plan for the year ahead. Whether you want to strengthen your systems, expand your visibility, refine your services, or simply create more ease in your business, this honest debrief will help you step into 2026 with clarity and confidence. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Your wins are your data! Identify the strategies and behaviors that moved your practice forward this yearHow to uncover the projects, habits, and commitments that drained your time or energyWhy follow-up remains one of the most powerful (and underused) growth tools in any practiceHow to evaluate opportunities that aligned with your vision and those that didn’tKey questions for assessing visibility, client experience, efficiency, and sustainabilityHow to identify what to refine, what to adjust, and what to release completelyThe emotional and practical power of letting goHow to turn lessons learned into strategic choices for the year ahead Download the Year-End Debrief Companion Worksheet Make this reflection process easy and intentional with a guided worksheet created specifically for this episode. This companion resource walks you through each step of your year-end debrief so you can capture your insights clearly and turn them into meaningful action for 2026. Download the worksheet here: https://susaneguthrie.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/ai-placeholder-5 Inside, you’ll find thoughtful prompts and supportive questions that help you identify your wins, acknowledge what didn’t work, and decide what you’re ready to release. It’s a simple, structured way to gather everything you uncovered in this episode and shape it into a confident plan for the year ahead. Who This Episode Is For MediatorsFamily law and collaborative professionalsAttorneys, arbitrators, and legal neutralsCoaches and consultants in conflict resolutionSolo and small firm practice ownersEntrepreneurs seeking more clarity, sustainability, and purposeAnyone preparing their strategic foundation for 2026 Resources Mentioned Jill Sherer Murray’s TEDx Talk: “The Unstoppable Power of Letting Go”Year-End Debrief Companion Worksheet – Free download can be found here https://susaneguthrie.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/ai-placeholder-5 This Episode is Sponsored by Fourth Party FourthParty bridges the gap between great mediators and great businesses by offering technology and guidance that make running a mediation practice feel effortless. Say goodbye to the pain of scheduling, payments, and communications. FourthParty is offering listeners 20% off their first 6 months with the codes SUSAN20. Head over to FourthParty.app and schedule a conversation with the team. https://fourthparty.app Meet Our Creator and Host: Susan E. Guthrie Susan E. Guthrie is one of the most respected voices in mediation and conflict resolution today. A nationally recognized family law attorney and mediator for 35 years, she is now a top professional coach and consultant helping dispute resolution and legal professionals build thriving, modern practices. Susan recently appeared on The Oprah Daily Podcast, expanding her reach to an even broader audience and highlighting her role as a trusted expert in divorce, communication, and modern conflict resolution. She is also the creator and host of The Divorce & Beyond Podcast, ranked in the top 1% worldwide, with millions of listeners and a global following. As Immediate Past Chair of the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution, Susan continues to shape the future of the profession while training and mentoring practitioners around the world. Connect with Susan E. Guthrie Website: https://susaneguthrie.com Books: https://susaneguthrie.com/susans-books LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/susaneguthrie Instagram: @susaneguthrie and @practiceplaybookpodcast
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    29 mins
  • The Profit Checkup: Your Year-End Guide to Smarter Pricing in 2026 on the Practice Playbook Podcast #548

    The Profit Checkup: Your Year-End Guide to Smarter Pricing in 2026 on the Practice Playbook Podcast #548
    Nov 20 2025
    If you want more clarity, higher revenue, and a smoother path into 2026, this episode is your essential year-end roadmap. November is the strategic moment for legal and dispute resolution professionals to review their pricing, refine their services, and set the stage for a more profitable year ahead. In this solo episode, Susan E. Guthrie, nationally recognized mediator, legal entrepreneur, and author of The Flat Fee Playbook, walks you through a complete “Profit Checkup” designed specifically for mediators, attorneys, collaborative professionals, coaches, and conflict-resolution entrepreneurs. Whether you are preparing to raise your rates, transition to flat fee services, improve client experience, or finally bring your systems in line with your value, this actionable episode gives you the structure and clarity to make smart, strategic decisions before the new year begins. You will learn how to assess your current pricing, evaluate your true profit margins, analyze your most and least profitable services, and identify the bottlenecks that quietly erode your income and energy. Susan also explores the emotional side of pricing decisions and why most professionals struggle with raising their rates even when the data tells them they should. And because year-end is the perfect time for strategic planning, Susan shares a powerful companion tool for this episode: The Profit Checkup Worksheet, a free downloadable checklist that walks you step-by-step through the exact process she uses with her coaching clients and inside The Flat Fee Playbook. If you want a profitable, focused, and confident start to 2026, this episode is your guide. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: • Why November, not January, is the smartest time to review and revise your pricing (although it's never too late!) • How to evaluate whether your fees reflect your expertise, market, and current demand • The three questions every practitioner should ask when assessing their pricing • How to calculate your “effective hourly rate” and why it matters more than your billed rate • Why flat fees reduce friction, increase predictability, and enhance client experience • Which services are most likely ready for a pricing change or structural redesign • How to assess your service mix for profitability, client fit, energy impact, and alignment • What bottlenecks silently drain your revenue and how to identify them • The emotional barriers that prevent professionals from raising prices • Why pricing is a leadership decision, not a math exercise • Key system updates you must complete before implementing new pricing in 2026 Download the Profit Checkup Worksheet Make this process effortless with a step-by-step worksheet that guides you through your year-end pricing review, service audit, and 2026 planning. Download the worksheet here: https://susaneguthrie.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/profit-checkup-worksheet This companion resource includes prompts, checklists, and guided questions that help you make informed, confident pricing decisions without overwhelm. Who This Episode Is For This episode is ideal for: • Mediators • Family law and collaborative attorneys • Arbitrators and legal neutrals • Coaches and consultants in conflict resolution • Solo practitioners and small firm owners • Professionals transitioning to flat fee or hybrid pricing • Legal entrepreneurs building or scaling their practices • Anyone preparing for 2026 business planning and revenue strategy If you want more profit, simplicity, and stability in your practice next year, this episode gives you the exact roadmap. Resources Mentioned • The Flat Fee Playbook – Your guide to building, structuring, and pricing flat fee services • Profit Checkup Worksheet – Free download • Thought Leadership Playbook – Build your platform and elevate your visibility • Business Planning Playbook (Coming Soon) – A complete framework for building a modern, strategic business plan • Practice Building Tip of the Day Newsletter on LinkedIn Meet Our Creator and Host: Susan Guthrie Susan E. Guthrie is one of the most respected voices in mediation and conflict resolution today. A nationally recognized family law attorney and mediator for 35 years, she is now a top professional coach and consultant helping dispute resolution and legal professionals build thriving, modern practices. Susan recently appeared on The Oprah Daily Podcast, expanding her reach to an even broader audience and highlighting her role as a trusted expert in divorce, communication, and modern conflict resolution. She is also the creator and host of The Divorce & Beyond Podcast, ranked in the top 1% worldwide, with millions of listeners and a global following. As Immediate Past Chair of the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution, Susan continues to shape the future of the profession while training and mentoring practitioners around the world. Connect with Susan E. ...
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    29 mins
  • The Oprah Effect: Insights from Behind the Scenes on The Practice Playbook Podcast #547

    The Oprah Effect: Insights from Behind the Scenes on The Practice Playbook Podcast #547
    Nov 6 2025

    In this special solo episode, Susan shares behind-the-scenes lessons from her appearance on The Oprah Podcast. Discover how years of preparation and purpose can lead to extraordinary opportunities, how to steward visibility with integrity, and how to turn gratitude into growth.

    This isn’t just an episode about a big media moment, it’s a heartfelt reflection on what it means to stay consistent, stay true to your mission, and trust that the right people will find your work when the time is right. Consider this your reminder that you don’t chase moments like this - you build toward them one intentional step, one thoughtful piece of content, and one act of service at a time.

    Here’s what else you’ll hear in this episode:

    • How consistent, clear messaging reaches the right person at the right moment when you stay committed to your work.
    • The intentional preparation and mindset Susan used to show up professionally and honor the platform and community she represents.
    • A simple shift that turns nerves into gratitude, presence, and grounded confidence in high-visibility moments.
    • Insights from meeting Oprah and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the reminder that true greatness is humble, steady, and rooted in service.
    • The real “Oprah Effect”: expanding impact, deepening connection, and inspiring others through meaningful visibility.

    Links and resources from this episode: The Oprah Podcast: Gray Divorce Episode

    Watch on YouTube // Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

    Divorce & Beyond Episode Archive ===================

    This Episode is Sponsored by Fourth Party

    FourthParty bridges the gap between great mediators and great businesses by offering technology and guidance that make running a mediation practice feel effortless. Say goodbye to the pain of scheduling, payments, and communications.

    FourthParty is offering listeners 20% off their first 6 months with the codes SUSAN20. Head over to FourthParty.app and schedule a conversation with the team. https://fourthparty.app

    ============================

    WANT MORE CONTENT?

    Get SUSAN'S FREE BOOK: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/tFTeMJf/SuccesswithSusan

    Get the FREE LinkedIn Newsletter from Susan, "Practice Building Tip of the Day": Weekly Practice Building Tips Newsletter

    Susan's New Weekly Business Journal is NOW AVAILABLE! https://susaneguthrie.com/the-journal

    Reach out to Susan at susan@susaneguthrie.com

    Susan's Coaching Services: https://susaneguthrie.com/services

    Website: https://susaneguthrie.com

    Social Media:

    Susan on Instagram: https://instagram.com/susanguthrieesq

    Susan on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/susaneguthrie

    Make Money Mediating on Instagram: https://instagram.com/makemoneymediating

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    Meet Our Creator and Host: Susan Guthrie

    Susan Guthrie, nationally recognized as one of the Top Family Law Attorneys and Mediators in the United States, has transitioned from a successful legal and mediation practice to become one of the foremost trainers and consultants for professionals in the field. As Chair-Elect of the American Bar Association’s Section of Dispute Resolution, Susan is dedicated to advancing the practice and profession of dispute resolution worldwide. Through her Top 1% in the World podcast, The Divorce & Beyond Podcast with Susan Guthrie," she continues to share her expertise, reaching millions of listeners globally.
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    23 mins
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