The Marc Effect: Connection that drives revenue in more ways than you can imagine....

I had the chance to connect with Marc Nathan , ?Senior Director of Market Development for Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP , Co-President of TeXchange Austin , and Founder of the Texas Squared Startup Newsletter.

Marc Nathan is the Senior Director of Market Development for the law firm of Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP . Marc is an experienced business development professional and startup community connector who supports all forms of entrepreneurship across Texas and beyond. Throughout his career, Marc has assisted hundreds of companies with business strategy, capital acquisition, marketing, customer development, strategic partnerships, and product development.

Marc connects talented executives with services and capital sources through professional networking and events. He supports the firm through strategic introductions, partnerships, and community activities.

Prior to joining Michael Best, Marc served as VP of Client Strategy for the Technology and Venture Capital practice group at a national, technology-focused law firm. Within this role, Marc assisted early-stage clients with fundraising strategy, including connecting with angel and VC investors, structuring financing rounds, and general strategic advisory with respect to seed and early-stage fundraising.

Marc also founded T-Squared Agency , a boutique consulting firm that supports clients with comprehensive funding strategies and the means to execute growth. Through T-Squared, Marc launched the Texas-Squared Startup Newsletter and the Texas-Boxed CPG Newsletter which cover startup news, opinions, and events that affect the startup tech and Consumer Packaged Goods industries.

Q: Tell me about your business and what separates you from your competition?

A: Our unique position within the Michael Best Family of Companies enables us to offer full-service legal services through our team of skilled attorneys, while also collaborating with our affiliated professionals in government relations, healthcare, human resources, and AI. What truly sets us apart is our dedicated team, whose collaborative spirit and proactive guidance make us more than just counsel—we are strategic partners committed to our clients’ success.

Q: How do you build culture, relationships, and teams inside and outside of your organization?

A: Relationship building is my personal specialty, and the way I do it is very simple: Care about the other person’s success. I spend a lot of time meeting with other related service providers and creating environments, whether it’s a regular in-person event or sending them relevant news online – it’s all about listening to be able to answer the basic question, “How can I be useful?”

Q: Who or what has influenced your leadership ethos?

Among many other lessons I absorbed at the kitchen table is that if you have any kind of success, it’s your obligation to share it to support others.

A: My biggest influence probably comes from my core values, which I learned from my parents at a young age. Among many other lessons I absorbed at the kitchen table is that if you have any kind of success, it’s your obligation to share it to support others. I’ve also been extraordinarily fortunate to have a series of mentors who have guided my progress into community leadership positions.

Q: What are you expecting out of 2024 and how will that impact your business?

A: 2024 is already a strong year, and I expect it will get better from a business perspective. We’re nearing the middle of 2024, so there’s a lot of economic and political movement to be expected in an election year. Regardless of the current situation and as long as people do business, there will always be a need for a good attorney to make sure things go well. And Michael Best has good attorneys who are truly committed to the best possible outcome for the success of our clients and their businesses. That’s why I believe that 2024 will be a banner year for Michael Best.

Q: How do legal services and expertise play a role in supporting technology startups, especially in areas like intellectual property protection and regulatory compliance?

A: No business can survive, much less prosper in modern times, without solid legal counsel. Attorneys and properly worded legal agreements are absolutely critical to the success of any startup, especially those related to technology. Securing partnership agreements and leveraging intellectual property—including patents, trademarks, copyrights, investor documentation, terms of service, and privacy—are just a fraction of the things that good lawyers handle to allow entrepreneurs to succeed. An attorney who is a strategic partner to startups will go beyond basic legal services to help you refine fundraising strategies, business plans, and investor pitches.

Technology invests heavily to develop their product or service; therefore, they need to find a sustainable competitive advantage which is often facilitated by carving out intellectual property rights on the earlier side of the company’s timeline. While first-mover advantage and marketing efforts play a role, a sustainably successful company leverages its IP when and where possible. Patents, trademarks, trade dress, copyrights, and trade secrets are tools that you can use to protect the investment and goodwill in your products and their packaging. It is important to remember that these forms of protection are not mutually exclusive, and one or more may be available to protect a particular product or design.

Q: What tactics have proven most effective for your team in acquiring new clients and nurturing existing relationships?

A: I’m a big believer in hosting regular, casual events like Austin Open Coffee Club and Wake Up! / Turn Up! CPG – to create an inclusive environment to meet other professionals. One of my secrets is that I like to ‘stack’ meetings at these events and I can have a significant interaction with anywhere from 6 to 10 people that would normally be a one-hour coffee each. I like the added bonus of introducing people to each other on the spot instead of waiting to write a double opt-in email that could take days. One other thing that I do is write two newsletters, the Texas-Squared Startup Newsletter every Sunday morning and the Texas-Boxed CPG newsletter that comes out on the first of every month.?

Q: What do you work for and what do you do for fun??

I feel that it’s my duty to fix things that are broken and make connections that will be mutually beneficial.

A: I work to make the world a better place, even though it sounds corny. I feel that it’s my duty to fix things that are broken and make connections that will be mutually beneficial. Since ‘work’ is fun for me, I don’t ever really turn it off – as my family could attest.

Q: How do you approach building and maintaining relationships with clients in a highly competitive legal market?

A: It’s common sense to say that “people buy from people,” but it’s less obvious to say that they would prefer to buy from people that they like. If you want to be ‘liked’, it’s not difficult – simply be helpful. This is the basic human interaction that we all learn as kids on the playground, and it applies directly to business. The legal profession has been around for a long time, and everyone knows a dozen attorneys. How do you differentiate what can be perceived as a commodity service? Regularly treat your clients as you would want to be treated and give them an outstanding outcome for a reasonable price consistently, and you have a recipe for sustainable growth.

Q: How do you foster a culture of innovation within your team to stay ahead in the market and meet the evolving needs of clients?

A: Innovation in an established industry is tough, but necessary. It starts from the very top – executive management must first embrace and then enable changes that disrupt the status quo. I’m fortunate to work with a firm that places innovation front-and-center. For Michael Best, this means leading with curiosity, streamlining operations, and practice groups to align with the dynamic client marketplace. It means going ‘all-in’ and prioritizing new technologies like Artificial Intelligence. It also means diving into new areas like Austin through new channels like our Best.Day .Ever event during the same time as SXSW this year. By spending time with cutting-edge innovators, you open yourself up to a mindset that creates enormous opportunities.

Q: How do you prioritize mentorship and professional development within your team, and what impact do you believe it has on overall team performance?

If you’re not learning, you’re not growing and why would anyone stay in a place that doesn’t support their success?

A: Mentorship is particularly important to me as I wouldn’t have the career I’ve had without strong mentors. I do my best to coach other teammates on best practices for business development and more importantly, I am coached by my managing executives and peers alike. If you’re not learning, you’re not growing and why would anyone stay in a place that doesn’t support their success?

Q: What initially drew you to the legal sector, and what continues to motivate you in your role at Michael Best & Friedrich LLP?

A: I came to the legal world naturally – my grandmother was one of the first female solo practitioners in the state of Texas and my dad was an attorney who worked with her for over 30 years. I ended up working for him when I was an undergrad senior at The University of Texas , and we formed a company by Spring Break of that year that we ran for seven years. He told me every day that he wanted me to go to law school, but it wasn’t my path. Flash forward to 2016 when I was recruited to work for a local law firm handling their marketing and business development. That was another great seven years working for legal services before I came to Michael Best– and I hope to last longer than seven years this time! I love the legal industry as a service provider for the basic reason that every company needs an attorney. If I can help add value to that client relationship with introductions and support, then they are more likely to continue using us and I can continue helping connect people and businesses – it’s a virtuous circle and that’s why I do it.

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Thank you for contributing to this series, Marc.

To learn more about Marc, please visit https://linktr.ee/marc1919 .

And thank you, @zilkermedia , for making this newsletter possible!?

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