I love teaching mediation. One of my favorite moments in a 40-hour mediation training is watching participants discover that they can actually do this work. The concepts begin to make sense. The skills start coming together. By the end of the training, they are excited about the possibilities of becoming mediators.

Then comes Monday morning.

The training is over. The certificate is hanging on the wall. Now comes a completely different challenge.

How do you actually build a mediation business?

It’s a question that deserves much more attention than it typically receives.

Mediation Skills Are Only Part of the Equation

Becoming an effective mediator requires considerable training and practice. We spend a great deal of time learning how to facilitate difficult conversations, manage conflict, and help people reach agreements.

But very little of that prepares someone for the business realities of running a mediation practice.

Where will your clients come from? How will you determine your fees? What makes your services different from those of the mediator down the street? How do you turn a telephone inquiry into a paying client?

These questions can be especially challenging for attorneys and mental health professionals transitioning into mediation.

A successful litigation practice, for example, operates under a different business model from a mediation practice. The referral relationships may be different. The way prospective clients make decisions about hiring you is different. Even the way you communicate the value of your services requires some rethinking.

I’ve spent 25 years building my dispute resolution practice, and I’ve learned a great deal about these challenges. Some lessons came through experience. Others came from seeking the advice of people who understood business better than I did.

Being Good at What You Do Is Just the Beginning

One reality of professional practice is that expertise alone doesn’t guarantee business success.

You can be an exceptionally talented mediator, and if nobody knows who you are or understands how you can help them, your practice will struggle.

That means taking the business side of mediation seriously.

It means understanding your market and identifying the people you are best positioned to serve. It means developing relationships with professionals who trust your work enough to refer clients. It means having systems in place to respond effectively when someone contacts your office.

It also means understanding your numbers.

What does it actually cost to operate your practice? How much revenue do you need to generate? Are your fees supporting the business you want to build?

These are practical questions, and they deserve practical answers.

The Value of a Good Business Advisor

One of the smartest things I’ve done in my professional life is seek help from people with expertise in areas where I needed to grow.

I’ve learned that even experienced professionals can benefit from having someone challenge their assumptions about how they run their businesses.

Lynne M. White

That brings me to my friend and business adviser, Lynne White.

Lynne has spent more than 40 years consulting with businesses across a remarkable range of industries, including extensive work with family law professionals and mental health practitioners.

I’ve benefited enormously from her perspective.

One of Lynne’s particular gifts is her ability to see things that business owners have difficulty seeing for themselves. When we’re immersed in the daily demands of running a practice, we can become so accustomed to our assumptions and routines that we stop questioning them.

Lynne has a knack for asking the questions that help people reconsider those assumptions and recognize opportunities that have been sitting in front of them all along.

Her expertise has helped me think differently about my own business. I am excited to bring that perspective to the dispute resolution community.

What Are You Going to Do Differently Monday Morning?

That’s the question Lynne and I want participants to answer at the conclusion of our upcoming workshop, ADR Keys to Success.

On January 8 and 9, 2027, we’re bringing together a small group of dispute resolution professionals for two days of intensive, hands-on business development at my office in Solana Beach, California.

We will explore the challenges of building a successful mediation practice, including marketing, pricing, referral development, client intake, and effective business operations.

Importantly, we’re meeting in person.

Sitting around a table with colleagues, exchanging ideas, asking questions, and working through real business challenges together offers tremendous value.

We’re intentionally limiting enrollment so participants have ample opportunity to engage directly with Lynne and me and work through the challenges facing their own practices.

Our goal is straightforward.

When you return to your office on Monday morning, January 11, you should have practical tools and a plan you can begin implementing immediately.

Whether you’re preparing to launch your mediation practice or have been in business for years, there are always opportunities to improve how you operate.

Sometimes, a fresh perspective is exactly what you need to recognize those opportunities.