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.

• 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

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.

• 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

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 info@rep-ink.com 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.

• 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

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.

• 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

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 info@rep-ink.com 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.

• 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

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

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 info@rep-ink.com today.