Experiencing Your Conflict

by Cinnie Noble

7 Must-Know Negotiation Tips From Shark Tank

By Jerry Jao I don’t watch much TV and had never watched ABC’s Shark Tank until one Saturday afternoon last month. Let’s just say I dove into the deep end and ended up watching the entire season without so little as a bathroom break. Yes, I love the show because of the passionate entrepreneurs and their brilliant product ideas, but more importantly, I’m shocked at how ill prepared some of the entrepreneurs were during the negotiation process.

As someone who has grappled with similar issues when fundraising for Retention Science, I could relate to the entrepreneurs on Shark Tank and thought I’d share my thoughts after the Shark Tank marathon.

Do your homework

I’m not talking about Googling your investors or memorizing their bios. Go beyond the basics and conduct in-depth research to get to know them and their businesses inside and out. This not only helps you prepare, but it allows you to evaluate the value each investor brings to the table in the short and long-term.

Almost everyone who walks into the tank does this. Each entrepreneur knows the sharks’ interests, likes, and dislikes, etc. and most of them even create custom samples for each judge.

Read more [HERE]

Mediating at Lakeside Mediation Center

By Karen Hollett- I've been corresponding recently with Eric Galton a very successful mediator in Austin, Texas, who carries on his practice at the Lakeside Mediation Center. I first learned about this wonderful location through an article in the Texas Bar Review and was enthused to hear from Eric about his personal experiences mediating for many years in such a beautiful setting.

I have said in previous posts that it is a shame that the ADR scholarship hasn't given much serious consideration to the physical setting as an area for academic exploration so it is always refreshing to see that many mediators do understand that it is an important part of the mediation environment.

Here is what Eric told me about how the center was founded:

"We all began our careers as mediators inside the bowels of large law firms. Most of my mediations were conducted on the 24th floor of an office building in downtown Austin. My partners cynically referred to my mediations as seances. Why would a lawyer give up a real practice to mediate? This was common thought in the 80's and 90's.
But we did give it up. We were changing. Mediation was transforming us as much as it was the parties. It was time to leave the mother ship and start a business that did purely mediation and dispute resolution. We didn't need the conflicts, the overhead, or the cynicism. We were different. Where should we go?
The concept of environment and mediation had been beyond us...

Read more [HERE]