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Trustcasting Podcast

Trustcasting Podcast

By: Zane Myers
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 TrustCasting is all about helping professionals get the word out about their business. Whether you're an attorney, physician, CEO, auto dealership owner, or in any other industry, we sit down and have real conversations about what you do and how you help your customers. It's the perfect opportunity to talk about your business, share your expertise, and connect with a bigger audience - both in your local community and across the country. We dive deep into your story, your approach, and what makes you different, giving you a platform to reach the people who need what you offer most.Copyright 2025 Trustcasting Podcast Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • Ellen Zimmerman on Custody Evaluations, Anxiety, and 25 Years of Counseling the Full Human Story

    Ellen Zimmerman on Custody Evaluations, Anxiety, and 25 Years of Counseling the Full Human Story
    Mar 26 2026
    What happens when a special education teacher follows her instincts all the way through school counseling, higher education leadership, custody evaluation, and finally a thriving private practice that has been serving people for 25 years? In this episode of the Trustcast Show, Zane Myers speaks with Ellen Zimmerman, licensed clinical professional counselor and founder of Comprehensive Counseling in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, about her extraordinary career arc and what it really means to sit with people in their hardest moments. Ellen shares what drew her from teaching kids with special needs toward understanding the inner lives of all people, what it felt like to make custody recommendations that judges sometimes ignored, and why she believes family court is broken. They also discuss the college textbook she co-wrote to transform first year experience courses, why anxiety is the number one presenting issue she sees across every age group from 13 to 85, how cognitive behavioral therapy and polyvagal theory work together in the room, and why the one tip she gives every client is simply to breathe. Ellen Zimmerman is a licensed clinical professional counselor and founder of Comprehensive Counseling in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. She is also a clinical supervisor for the Masters in Counseling program at the University of Illinois and a former certified custody evaluator in the Cook County Family Court system. She can be found on Psychology Today and Headway, or by searching Ellen Zimmerman LCPC. Connect with Ellen Zimmerman: Search: Ellen Zimmerman LCPC Psychology Today, Therapist Finder, or Headway Champaign-Urbana, Illinois Chapters00:00 Introduction to Ellen Zimmerman 00:38 What it means to be a wise soul 01:07 From special education teacher to school counselor 02:01 Getting a master's degree when she never saw herself as academic 02:49 How teenagers carry pain differently than adults 04:05 Building mental health services as Dean of Counseling 05:10 Co-writing a college textbook that actually worked 06:59 Seeing the impact of the first year experience curriculum 08:10 The weight of being a certified custody evaluator 09:18 Working in the Cook County family court system 10:21 What kids hear that parents think they don't 11:26 Making recommendations in court and testifying 12:01 When the judge goes the other way 13:08 The subpoena she tried to avoid and what she found 14:01 Why 50% of custody recommendations get ignored 15:39 Why she stepped away from custody evaluation work 17:12 What the first session at Comprehensive Counseling looks like 19:28 Who her clients are and what they're dealing with 20:58 The one tip for anxiety that everyone can use right now 23:26 How CBT and polyvagal theory work together in practice 26:11 The client success that means the most to her 27:29 Positive thinking, affirmations, and changing mindset 28:52 Why college and grad students are her favorite population 30:30 Are Gen Z really that different or just human? 32:09 Rapid fire questions 33:40 Running a private practice and staying booked 35:49 How shoe leather marketing keeps her practice full 36:34 How to find and contact Ellen Zimmerman #EllenZimmerman #Counseling #MentalHealth #Anxiety #CBT #CustodyEvaluation #FamilyCourt #TherapyWorks #TrustcastShow #LicensedCounselor
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    41 mins
  • Carolyn Daly: Family Law Attorney Who Trademarked "Divorce Without Drama" (NJ Supreme Court)

    Carolyn Daly: Family Law Attorney Who Trademarked "Divorce Without Drama" (NJ Supreme Court)
    Apr 1 2026
    In this episode of the Trustcast Show, host Zane Myers talks with Carolyn Daly - partner and chair of the Family Law Group at Cohen Seglias who trademarked "Divorce Without Drama" after nearly 30 years in New Jersey family law. She ran her own firm (Daly & Associates) for 13 years before merging to build something bigger, handles everything from high conflict custody battles to dividing cryptocurrency and art collections in divorce, and holds Supreme Court certification that only 2% of New Jersey attorneys carry. After thinking she'd be a prosecutor, a judge moved her to family court one month before her clerkship started and she never left. Now she's transitioning from trial lawyer to ADR specialist (mediation and arbitration), arguing that fighting in court for years costs more money, more time, and produces worse outcomes than settling outside the courtroom where parties control the process and the outcome. What You'll Learn: Thought she'd be prosecutor - judge moved her to family court month before clerkship started "Family law picked me, I didn't pick it" First job: did family, civil litigation, criminal, all types of litigation Thought family seemed hard, high conflict - maybe should do something else Approached to become partner at family-only firm - decided this is where I should be Trademarked "Divorce Without Drama" - not just marketing slogan 10 years into practicing: realized people spend too much time in high conflict Emotion translates into drama, lengthy process, less money, children in middle "We have to do this differently" Colleagues view her as litigator - transitioning to ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) Mediation and arbitration: can have better divorce if handled outside courtroom Mediation: you control the outcome | Arbitration: you control the process (pick your judge) In New Jersey: takes years (not a year, years) to get divorced in court Just finished a trial - still does some courtroom work If you're broke: very difficult - end up pro se, waiting in line for judge New Jersey has Early Settlement Panel (ESP): meet with 2 lawyers for settlement thoughts Not binding, voluntary process by lawyers - she does that work Can hire mediator: 3-4-5 sessions, get divorced Ran Daly & Associates for 13 years Looking in mirror one day: exhausted, working nights and weekends all the time When you run your own: don't have sense of when you need more help "Go west young man" - needed to make change Had hired associate (now partner with her at Cohen Seglias) At some point: can't work every minute of day Not just practice of law - running a practice Loves business of law - did it well, put her where she is personally and professionally Needed bigger platform, team supporting her in building it Went from herself + associate to herself + partner + 2 associates (still hiring) Mid-size firm now, shares responsibility of business side Lawyers and doctors often not best business people When so busy practicing, not paying attention to business - not as successful as can be Most draining non-legal part: tech (cloud vs. server, someone can't get into computer) Infrastructure: billing programs, collections, follow up - tedious Merger with Cohen Seglias: headhunters reach out at certain level in profession Had conversations over years - wasn't ready until "looked in mirror and said go West" Reached out to headhunter friend, another headhunter beginning her career "Are you looking for associate?" "No, I'm looking for you to find me a home" People floored - didn't think she'd do what she did Introduced to couple firms by headhunters Picked Cohen Seglias: most business oriented, growth minded Didn't have family law department - "You come in and build it" Don't lose autonomy - if join firm with existing department, become somebody on team If build department from scratch: get to be autonomous "They don't know what a family law department is, never had one" Loves good challenge - interesting puzzle How do you build department? Staffing, right technology More support on back end - doing less business part, more putting together, solving actual problems Not sending out bills, doing marketing, hiring people, paying people anymore Space to think: how do I want to build this department? What type? Strategic, not acquiring bodies Right department for family law within larger firm - interesting, good work for clients Most people think divorce = court = fight Wanted to focus more on ADR when built department Been doing it for years but also trying cases, arguing motions, going to court all time Built team around her: people who go to court, trial lawyers with that skill set
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    36 mins
  • Joe Jones: Marine JAG Attorney Built Legal Tech That Settles Cases Before Trial (StreamSettle)

    Joe Jones: Marine JAG Attorney Built Legal Tech That Settles Cases Before Trial (StreamSettle)
    Apr 1 2026
    In this episode of the Trustcast Show, host Zane Myers talks with Joe Jones - co-founder and CEO of StreamSettle, a legal tech platform using triple blind encryption to settle insurance claims before either side knows what the other submitted. He went from defending Marines in military courtrooms to board certified trial lawyer (distinction held by less than 6% of Texas attorneys) to bootstrapping a startup that argues the best use of his courtroom skills is making sure clients never see one. After a shower idea while working a trucking case he couldn't ignore, Joe and his wife Krissa (former public school teacher, now co-founder) built a nationwide platform that's settling cases faster, cheaper, and with less stress - while both sides think it's better for them than their opponent. What You'll Learn: Shower idea while working trucking case - kids playing in cul-de-sac, neighbors over, typing motions Knew case would settle but going through all the motions anyway Idea: put true numbers in (not postured numbers) to see if overlap without revealing First thought: maybe something like this exists - nothing out there Ran idea by wife Krissa (co-founder) - "curator of ideas" usually rejects them, but liked this one Became their purpose/mission - make it industry standard Saves parties time, money, stress - everything they want to avoid Over 90% of civil cases settle eventually Tens of billions wasted annually just because of posturing Triple blind encryption: no one sees opponent's number, software blind to actual numbers Computations done on user's machines, pass through server encrypted Different from competitors where one side hires them - trust issues remain StreamSettle maintains neutral party status One number only: true settlement threshold (ranges still involve posturing) Plaintiff: bottom line willing to accept | Defense: top number willing to pay If overlap exists: split right down the middle of threshold Example: defense pays $1M, plaintiff accepts $950K = settlement at $975K Plaintiff gets $25K more than willing to accept, defense pays $25K less If no overlap: parties can try again immediately (zero charge to test numbers) Only charge fee once settlement reached on platform Emphasize putting true threshold - shouldn't need second round until case facts change New deposition, new facts typically bring parties closer together Founded late 2022 Finished build end of 2023 Went live with first customer beginning 2023: Plymouth Rock Assurance (New Jersey) Still most active customer - helped refine product through growing pains Brought on ~50 law firms in New Jersey first year and a half Grateful to early customers for helping refine product Partnered with London-based development company for big enterprise development Pay them by the hour (no equity stake) - worth every penny Constantly improving with updated features Nationwide - available all 50 states Plan to go global once industry standard (maybe before) Looking for other verticals/use cases beyond litigation Started as Marine Corps legal assistance attorney (first billet) Most active duty time: criminal defense lawyer Legal assistance: Marines/sailors came with all problems (divorce, scammer contracts, deceptive businesses, landlord evictions) No power of courts behind them - couldn't file suit Negotiation became huge part of success Learned to be creative without threat of lawsuit Criminal defense: negotiating deals when evidence overwhelming, client guilty Focused on mitigating factors: combat record, PTSD untreated for years (Marine Corps fault) Best job ever for new lawyer - incredible job Board certified trial lawyer - less than 6% of Texas attorneys hold this distinction Wife Krissa: former public school teacher, firm administrator for law firm Already working together before StreamSettle Scaled down firm, Krissa helped more with StreamSettle Had to be co-founder - talk about it constantly Call it "fourth child" (have 3 real kids: Ellie, Everett, Juliet) Blessing to have journey together Starting law firm vs. startup with no proven demand Go to pitch competitions, conferences together Posturing example: buying car listed at $60K, offer $45K claiming budget Sticker price is posturing too In litigation: years of very expensive delay (not minutes/weeks like car buying) ABA model rules: lawyers can't deceive, but exception for puffering in negotiations Ingrained behavior - can't make rule against it Accepted form of deceit Initial reaction from lawyers: "I get why it's good for us, but how will you get other side?"
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    34 mins
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