Episode 15
with Simone Douglas
In this episode of Confident Networker, Simone sits down with Maggie Yarak from BNI A-Team.
Connect with Maggie here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ylplegal/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ylplegal/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ylplegal/
If you’d like to attend a Chapter meeting, you can book your spot here: https://bnian.com.au/chapter/bni-a-team/
Chris Irving 0:00
Welcome to the confident networker with your host Simone Douglas. In each insightful episode, she chats with one of the leading people from the BNI and business world.
Simone Douglas 0:11
All right, so on today’s episode of the confident networker, I am joined by someone who I am often in awe of Maggie Yarak from YLP Legal, your legal partner, Maggie, thanks for coming along today.
Maggie Yarak 0:25
Thanks for having me.
Simone Douglas 0:25
My pleasure. So you are a member of BNI A-team. So one of the mid morning chapters that meets at 10am. How long have you been in BNI for?
Maggie Yarak 0:36
So I was one of the people that started the A-Team. Back in, we started in 2016, we finally launched on the third of March 2017. So back then there was 27 of us, and I was one of only four women. So it was a very male dominated group. However, we’re in our fifth year. And we have evolved and now the group is actually half and half. It’s actually 50%. Female. So it’s quite interesting to have seen the development. But I’m, there’s only five of us founding members left in the group. So and I’m the only founding female left. But ya know, it’s been it’s been terrific.
Simone Douglas 1:15
Yeah. Awesome. So for our listeners that don’t know you, as well, as I do. Tell us a little bit about YLP legal in your business evolution over that time.
Maggie Yarak 1:24
Sure. So I took over the business back in 2017, actually, two months after we launched the chapter. So it was quite a big year. Back then, when I took over the business, it was called guano illegal. And it was called that because it was the surname of the person I bought it from. And so we’ve traded, it’s one legal for four years, until last month, where we finally rebranded to YLP legal, your legal partner. And, and the reason being was simply because it reflected the way we do business and the way that we assist our clients much more. So we are an all female firm. We are growing. So we do have three solicitors in the firm. We’re about to take on another one. And so we are growing quite rapidly now. So it’s been very exciting. And we when I took over the firm, I was the only solicitor. So it has grown within that in that space of four years, And it is still growing. So yeah, we have kind of put ourselves into boxe ourselves into just advising in three areas. So that is in commercial law, which is quite broad in family law, and also in wills and estates. So there are three major areas and we specialize in those.
Simone Douglas 2:42
Yeah, awesome. So do you know roughly what percentage of your new business comes from referrals out of BNI?
Maggie Yarak 2:48
Yeah, so I can tell you, in the first year that I took over the business 40% were from the group, and we were brand new group to mine. So it really was that the group really, really had my back. Yeah, as I was because I had to change a lot of things in this business, bring it into the 21st century. So it’s a lot of changes made. And the group was really great in in backing me up. So and those referrals, some of those are ongoing, still to this day. And since that time, they’ve evolved, obviously. And I reckon now, we probably be about 50% of our referrals. We do have two seats. So yeah, two different chapters. So combined. Yeah, I’d say probably around a few percent now.
Simone Douglas 3:34
Yeah, that’s awesome. Why is networking important to your business? Because I think, you know, sometimes people think of like lawyers and people and law firms as being, you know, they sit in their firm, they go to court, sometimes mediations. Why networking?
Maggie Yarak 3:49
Networking is massively important in South Australia in general, doesn’t matter what industry you’re in. Yeah. I come from Melbourne. So I know what the way that the eastern states work. And it is not the same as Austin. Every single client I advise in business, I say to them, Adelaide is a town of It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Yeah, absolutely. And it doesn’t matter what industry because in South Australia, relationships are important. And that goes for both personal and business. So for us, networking is massive because we want people to understand us as people that not just lawyers. Yeah. So we’re not the label. We are people and we we do advise in a very different way. We don’t we’re very different total offense. We’re not corporate at all. We we our office is because we are an autism friendly firm. It is very I guess Placid. In the way it’s set up. But so we if we if we didn’t go out there and if we didn’t network and if we didn’t speak to people face to face, they it will be hard for them to know that. There is just so much you can get through advertised Housing and marketing, but just speaking to the person makes a huge difference.
Simone Douglas 5:04
Yeah. And like you said, building relationships is just so important is, I think particularly in law and in lots of fields, good relationships, many have that client for life and for the evolution of their businesses and succession planning and exit strategies and things. So what is the best piece of networking advice you’ve ever been given?
Maggie Yarak 5:27
Be authentic? It’s probably the best one. And I do I learned that through some self development courses, that might have been an idea. And I just thought be authentic. That’s just so simple. Yeah. And so I went out there, and I did that I was me, this is who I am. And, you know, it worked. People really, I got to connect with people that I can connect with. As opposed to being an authentic or inauthentic and connecting with people that perhaps you may not be able to work with. Yeah, down the track. So I think authenticity is the key.
Simone Douglas 6:05
Yeah, I’m a big believer in being unapologetically me and letting other people be the same way. Because then you actually, like I said, you have real relationships, and you enjoy working with them and spending time together. So yeah. So being part of a referral organization, what is the best introduction, or referral that someone has been able to facilitate for you? And why was good?
Maggie Yarak 6:32
Um, I’ve had quite a few, actually. And they’re all very, very different. But I think there was a builder that I worked with. And we he introduced me to a bunch of different building matters. Yeah. And so we’re talking about, you know, acting for the builder acting for the client. There was pest control issues as well, companies. And it was the, and having that referral to us. Really helped us understand the building industry quite well. I’ve got a property development business on the side. Yeah. So that was actually quite useful for that as well. And some lessons learnt there and seeing and helping my clients deal with all that. It was probably, yeah, that those would probably be been the best referrals. I got not so and I mean, the revenue was was good, but it wasn’t so much that it was more about the relationships are formed. Yeah. And the understanding that we got, yeah, about the building industry that some sources just don’t get
Simone Douglas 7:36
Well, and it’s it is a very complex industries. Okay. So if you were talking to someone in the legal field, who had been invited to this BNI thing, you know, this business cold that we talked about? And they’re not sure, you know, maybe they’ve heard a bit about BNI. Maybe they’ve heard nothing about BNI. Maybe they’re not morning or afternoon people? What advice would you give them?
Maggie Yarak 8:06
Um, basically, I let them know that for me, being part of the A team was incredibly successful, it was incredibly important to my business. I would say to them, quite simply, do you want more business? Yes or no? And do you want to make connections with businesses that and business professionals that are accountable to each other? Yeah, that’s the key thing, you go out there, you can get referral partners anywhere. But unless you’re actually accountable to each other in the way that we are in the in the chapter, you’re more likely to get better referrals. Yeah, better clients better leads better matters that really aligned with your values. So I would highly encourage them to do it. And, and just let them know that it is quite valuable. Yeah, it’s quite valuable tool to have.
Simone Douglas 9:00
Yeah, awesome. Ah, what if I’m someone and I’m contemplating going and visiting a chapter, but I really already know I don’t want to join, is it still worth me coming to visit?
Maggie Yarak 9:08
100%. This is what I tell people. I think I’ve sponsored recently about three or four people in. And we do that basically by just saying to them, Listen, I don’t ask them to join. I don’t ask them to do that. I just say to them, Do you want more business? Yeah. And if so come meet my trusted referral partners. Yeah, come to the meeting, have a coffee, have some cake, and just chatted them make connections and who knows what equally to in the end? Yeah. And a lot of them have and actually a lot of them joined as a result, because they just saw the value in it. Yeah, they really did. It’s and that’s really what I would tell them
Simone Douglas 9:45
Well, and I think I always invite often I’ll meet someone just out in business having a conversation or another meeting during the week. And I always say, you know, I want you to come and meet this person like because I think maybe the two of you can benefit from knowing each other because you just never know who knows who?
Maggie Yarak 10:03
You don’t know.
Simone Douglas 10:04
So it’s a bit crazy from that perspective. Maggie, it wouldn’t be a BNI podcast, if I didn’t ask you the question. If I, if there was somebody listening to this podcast who could help you take your business to the next level, whatever that is for you, whatever your goals are, by sitting down having a cup of coffee with them, or a virtual cup of coffee has consciousness a global audience? Who would you really like an opportunity to have coffee with?
Maggie Yarak 10:32
I would love to have an opportunity with accountants. And that’s because of the work that we’ve done over the last 12 months. Have been assisting accountants and their clients. So accountants are quite valuable. Not just for us, but for us to help them. Yeah, we help them quite because whenever I advise anybody in relation to their business, the first question I asked them is, who’s your accountant? because we need to do this together with them. Yeah. And that’s why it’s really important. And you’ll be surprised how much of the time they say I have one, but I’m not really happy with them. So to be able to meet some that I can vouch for that I’m confident in sending them much frosted clients, that would be beneficial for both of us. Yeah, that would be Yeah, really great to be able to sit down with one.
Simone Douglas 11:21
Okay, so for our listeners that are local to Adelaide, if you have a friend that is a really good human being who happens to be an accountant, we like to make good human beings, who is likely to have close relationships with their clients and with their referral partners. Maggie would love to host them at BNI A-Team they meet on a Friday at 10am. You’ll find all of the links in the details of this podcast. So by all means, reach out if you just want to reach out to have a coffee with Maggie, then by all means all of her contact details in terms of YLP legal and LinkedIn profile will also be in the detail for this podcast. Maggie. Thanks very much for joining me.
Maggie Yarak 12:04
Thank you for having me.
Simone Douglas 12:06
My Pleasure
Chris Irving 12:06
Thank you for listening to the confident networker. You can find more episodes and information at bnian.com.au/podcast
Transcribed by https://otter.ai