Running a business is very different from being good at your job. Just ask the team at IMD Solicitors โ a respected law firm who, despite breadth and depth legal expertise, were grappling with the kind of business challenges many professional services businesses face behind the scenes: unclear vision, unmanaged culture, team dysfunction, productivity, profitability and cash flow challenges.
In this case study, we explore how business coaching helped IMD regain clarity of vision, transform their culture, implement a scalable structure, and achieve a staggering 630% increase in profit โ all while introducing a four-day week and winning accolade after accolade, most recently โ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐๐๐๐โ
The Challenge
โWeโre trained to be lawyers,โ the firmโs founder Marcin explains. โNot to build or grow a business.โ
Like many skilled professionals, they entered business ownership with technical expertise but without the tools to run the business itself. They operated without a clear destination, lackedย structured processes in critical areas, and werenโt consciously cultivating a company culture. Eventually, the cracks began to show โ especially when cash flow issues came to the fore.
The Turning Point
Thatโs when they reached out to Sanjiv, who helped them step back and look at the big picture.
โOne of the first things we worked on was getting clarity on the destination – where we were going and how we wanted to build the firm.โ
With regular weekly coaching sessions came focus and accountability, clear project progress, and a renewed sense of momentum. Slowly but surely, the foundations were rebuilt.
Culture & Team Retention
Arguably the most profound shift came in people and culture. With Sanjivโs help, IMD started actively shaping their team environment – selecting the right people and building a place where people felt valued, empowered, engaged and saw the businessโs success as a vehicle for their own growth.
โWeโve had 100% voluntary team retention for two and a half years. No one has left.โ
That kind of loyalty in a post-pandemic professional world is rare โ and speaks volumes about the firmโs new direction.
The Results
The impact of these changes has been nothing short of transformative:
-
- 81% growth in turnover
- 630% growth in profit
- Team working a four-day week at a 100% pay
- A founder and his partner whoโve rediscovered their passion, balance and purpose
โYou can have a successful life and a successful business. Itโs about having the right structure, team, and vision, and being willing to delegate.โ
Final Thoughts
This case study is a reminder that just being skilled in what you do doesnโt equal business success.
But with the right perspective and support – and a willingness to see and confront the gaps in a systematic way – growth, sustainability, and even enjoyment are all possible.
For IMD, what started as a survival moment has become a springboard to a whole new vision of whatโs possible.
