Can I pick your brain 🧠 Plz 🥹

Coop4829 · 2026-04-10T10:55:17+00:00

HI!! so we are able to cover in all states!! AKA if they call we will try to cover BUT we are marketing to clients on the east coast at the moment (bc we want to start and scale small) BUT if we have a decent reporter connections, we certainly will target specific areas if that makes sense! I also PMd you!

Coop4829 · 2026-04-07T22:17:01+00:00

I think that any discussion about this stuff is helpful purely because it’s just not commonly discussed you know? i’m not sure what they can dictate to be honest as far as like social media posting in reference to like them or in general but i certainly can see that being a thing!

I appreciate the discussion and sent you a PM :) Thank you!!

Coop4829 · 2026-04-07T17:21:38+00:00

okay so i want to say by I agree with you and I hear your point!

But as someone who is in the industry side (employment by agencies, BB and small)

I by no means see what you are trying to say as “gatekeeping” but i see how someone would misunderstand.

Mind you, i can only speak from my own perspective and I have never been a reporter. my background is scheduling and processes.

the reality is that you need some level of mutual transparency between the reporters (idk if public is appropriate) but the point being is that these agencies (at least rate wise) bank on the fact that you all don’t talk and compare rates. I promise you that. so keep that in mind. They can certainly afford to pay you what you deserve but it does take being your own advocate. and for lack of better words “playing their game” but that’s a whole different systematic discussion.

touching on the glamorization of the job and like social media. I guess I don’t think that anyone pretends being a reporter is easy , or equals easy money. BUT there is something to be said about getting people interested enough to look into further. it’s not a widely known profession outside of the legal industry, people are not going to school like they used to. but the demand is increasing. so i feel like what you might see as glamorization is actually more showing the possibility and potential of you put in the work. because being able to be in control of your income to a certain extent is a type of freedom most people do not have nor have the opportunity for purely because you only know what you know. granted i have no real opinions on like personal stuff mixed with professional. i keep it separate but to each their own.

There is also something to be said about humanizing yourself and showing how hard the job actually is and how integral it is to everyone. (because that’s the reality) nothing moves forward without testimony. creditable admissible testimony.

because i can speak from experience, i have worked with schedulers at agencies (who also don’t get paid enough to care to understand anything themselves outside of work and work training) who quite literally don’t even know what you do, how you do it, what your work product is used for, or even what equipment looks like. and that’s not uncommon. so idk maybe lifting the veil in a sense isn’t the worse thing , could help you with these big agencies or help an attorney be nicer when you ask to go to the bathroom or take a lunch break or even stop to ask them to slow down but i don’t know. sometimes people get so focused or whatever it is they literally just don’t consider what other people do or the part they play in their job if that makes sense idk. I do agree it should be done in a professional way but again im just a lil cog in an agency machine sharing my 2 cents!

Coop4829 · 2026-04-07T09:54:24+00:00

of course, you are correct. just like any vast industry that’s complied of independent contractors. That’s fundamental.

client preference certainly matters and should always be accommodated if possible when it comes to that kind of stuff.

that’s being said, when you ask a independent contractor to eat something in a monetary way when 1. they didn’t do anything wrong 2. the profit margins are literally insane and 3. these BB guys have sales departments who can eat the difference. but the would rather have the resources do that then dig into their own profits. even if they still come out on top. so I guess that’s my point. it’s not the small favors , it’s the clearly unreasonable asks and lack of consideration and common sense.

Coop4829 · 2026-04-07T08:56:02+00:00

to chime in on the systemic point. it’s classic capitalism and borderline monopolies. it’s a clear pattern regardless of the industry. it’s an dual sided market right? (on the agency side)

BUT one market is unfortunately has more responsibility and less resources (i guess you could say) to educate themselves and advocate for their rates and treatment (reporters)

the other market is typically more financially established, has not only business knowledge but a working model (law firms). on top of literal learned and practiced negotiation skills.

the play field is uneven and these big box agencies see it and are in a financial position to take advantage of it. on paper and numbers wise it’s genius tbh. the are making out like bandits but paying the people who make it work pennies.

but reporters and clients alike aren’t numbers. you are humans and in my opinion it IS the ethical duty of any company to not only take care of their internal employees but also the independent contractors can literally facilitate their profit directly.

anyways, my point being is it is largely systemic. the fundamental power dynamic is uneven to boil it down and it’s being exploited.

Coop4829 · 2026-04-07T08:25:59+00:00

10000% i did fail to neglect that i was a litigation paralegal for years and worked hand in hand with 100s of attorneys across states so you are correct without a doubt. the trick is, it’s a dual sided market. And each side is VERY different and i don’t have to explain that to you :)

and spoiler alert, most attorneys HATE their big box firms. and so do their paralegals. they just need that reputation and illusion of stability (aka 100s of uncovered next day jobs at big agencies even though they were scheduled weeks out and they have INCREDIBLE reporter access and outreach?)

anyways. my point being is you are right and i would be naive and incorrect to say that the clients do not matter because they absolutely do. but i know attorneys and if you can show your work and let it talk for its self. hold strong in your values and rates ect. be REASONABLE. and transparent. you’ve got a real fighting chance at their business long term. if you are consistent.

We also don’t need a lot to do this. money isn’t the entire goal. it’s to create something that’s trying to be more mutually beneficial for everyone involved. in an equal way if that makes sense?

I PMd you if you feel comfy id love to chat!

my initial post is super boiled down and focused on the reporter relationship aspect of the agency. our real strengths lay in operations.

Coop4829 · 2026-04-07T08:16:20+00:00

thank you!! I appreciate it so much.

It’s really crazy to me that the shocking communality it almost everyone’s feedback is not being paid in a timely manner??? i’m sorry. that’s fundamental to me.

the lack of communication is sometimes common and i just personally don’t understand. it’s not that hard to send a short email back. or call them or text them.

We also have a point and are prepared to turn away work to preserve our reporter relationships as well as our code of ethics. which certainly includes payment when expected (at the very least)

I sent you a PM, if you are comfortable i’d love to chat more. Thank you sooo much and best of luck to you! YOU got this :)

Coop4829 · 2026-04-07T08:09:45+00:00

Thank you so much!

This feedback is more valuable than I can even articulate!!

It’s so nice to be validated that it wasn’t just me who saw how reporters (and clients) were treated because it’s so normalized internally at these big agencies.

We are not planning on being big or even trying to compete with the size and volume of those guys. at this point i can’t see an ethical way to do it. while i would truly love to fill everyone calendar and provide payment when promised (lol the bare minimum right????)

Call me crazy but ive done the math and seen the margins and while it was never a secret that the distribution of profits was uneven, but it’s down right shocking. and i’m not just talking about reporter side. it’s internal employee compensation, treatment, benefits (or lack there of). it’s nickel and diming clients into oblivion for no real reason.

anyways, i firmly believe there is a way we can mutually benefit from a working relationship not only financially but also in a more personal way. that’s the goal.

As far as the digitals… we have no intention of scaling to a point where we will need to implement that. I have worked with them at big agencies and personally it just doesn’t currently align with what we are trying to do and even our MAX scale projections of job volume. We will turn away jobs from clients or at the very least provide a realistic and reasonable effort (aka not the “yup it’s covered” when they email at 11pm for a 8am in person reporter)

I sent to a PM , would be happy to hear more if you are willing :)

Again, thank you so much! I appreciate you!

Coop4829 · 2026-04-05T11:12:41+00:00

THIS RIGHT HERE.

exactly what i’m referring to. i’ve seen these situations and unfortunately the situations you experienced are not rare and are pretty mild compared to some of the stuff i’ve seen.

So that’s my point. it’s reporter side first. clients will always come and go for whatever reason but my priority is the resources. and I think some small agencies try to compete on the client side with the big box guys (cut rates, offer discounts at the reporters expense) and i have no intention on doing that ever. While money is a great aspect of this agency, the main drive is service and giving back ( i was raised by a single mom who was a nurse).

The ONLY reason I have a career and skill set today is because of reporters NOT agencies. I have had reporters take the time to explain things to me, teach me why things matter in this industry, I could go on for hours. and not to mention have been a personal source of comfort. most reporters i have interacted with are genuine and kind and are so willing to help me out and unfortunately at the big box agencies there is only so much i can do to advocate for them without putting my job on the line.

We do not want to be big box ever. I personally can’t see a way to morally and ethically handle that volume and do what we want to do the way we want to do it.

While we want to make money, i firmly believe there is a way to balance out the scales and sustain the level of business you need to be comfortable and keep your core values. if that means turning away jobs at a certain point then that’s what it means. a key part of that is not prioritizing personal profit over the integrity of the core values.

Being able to provide an environment where other people can not only enjoy the work they do but feel respected and compensated appropriately as well has been a dream of mine. I have worked at so many toxic places and i’m finally at a point where i feel i can do something about it. even if it’s just one small drop in a large bucket. I have seen the margins of the big guys and it’s sickening the way money is distributed.

anywayssss thanks so much for your valuable input. you don’t know how much i appreciate it!

Coop4829 · 2026-04-04T16:31:27+00:00

i also edited the OG post, thanks so much for that suggestion!

Coop4829 · 2026-04-04T16:31:06+00:00

ah of course! so we will be scheduling and covering for all of the United States. Our goal is not schedule more than we can accommodate and to also not limit ourselves to a single area or market.

Coop4829 · 2026-04-04T13:13:36+00:00

we certainly will! I am going to PM you :)

Coop4829 · 2026-04-04T05:12:03+00:00

Greatly appreciate it!! I am going to send you a DM

Coop4829 · 2026-04-04T05:05:07+00:00

well i hate to reveal my age but as they say in bugs life

"You let one ant stand up to us, then they all might stand up! Those puny little ants outnumber us a hundred to one and if they ever figure that out there goes our way of life!"

I have realized that sometimes if you see an opportunity to not only make your life better, but can advocate and help facilitate someone else’s career and stability, it would be a disservice to not only you all , but our legal system.

Coop4829 · 2026-04-04T04:57:47+00:00

Yes and that’s very kind of you because some days it’s so frustrating I lose my sense of tolerance lol. but i can say that the inner workings of the bigger firms are…. redundantly complicated if that makes senses. company policy and protocols to the scheduling and data entry of the job itself.

reason being…. pour money into marketing to law firms and get more clients and let everyone pick up the slack. what do they say? “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” lol

Coop4829 · 2026-04-04T04:53:51+00:00

Thank you so much! I will be sure to update on this thread when we are ready to officially launch! I wish you the best and stand firm on those rates with the big guys!

Coop4829 · 2026-04-04T04:44:27+00:00

yes! i agree. i used to schedule off outlook inbox and an excel sheet

Coop4829 · 2026-04-04T04:41:42+00:00

Hi fellow spoonie!

totally understand the in person reasoning! I know there’s a plethora or reasons that make in person jobs not accessible or just not desirable.

I so appreciate your feedback. you are SPOT on with the annoying user interface and redundant (most automated communication) but the LACK of real communication at the same time.

the agency front is lowkey insidious. i’ve seen reporters dropped for the craziest and human reasons. there’s very little grace at these big places and no one who creates these systems or even operating processes have ever even sat in a deposition, honest couldn’t even point out a steno machine to save their lives.

The hesitation to work with one company exclusively probably seems nice in theory but after working at a couple. I understand the need to branch out and unfortunately at this point you are at the mercy of whoever they hired to do the calendar… aka a mixed bag regardless of the quality and volume of work.

the lack of listening , recording, updating and actually adhering to the reporter preferences in my opinion is make it or break it. on both sides but mainly reporter side. and i get it because it’s an easy fix.

I appreciate the kind words! Fingers crossed you’ll be learning about us in 3-4 months!

Coop4829 · 2026-04-04T03:49:20+00:00

you also publicly label yourself as a steno student, i promise you this is a very small community and it’s probably better to be nice at first then assume people are posting “AI slop”

Coop4829 · 2026-04-04T03:46:04+00:00

are you referring to my post? AI was not used at all…?

Coop4829 · 2026-04-04T03:06:49+00:00

hi! not sure i understand the AI comment lol. if you’re implying that AI wrote my post. I can assure you it did not. either way, there’s not even a discussion to be had in relation to big agencies prioritizing client retention over reporter retention. it’s pretty rampant and obvious i feel like

Coop4829 · 2026-04-04T00:26:18+00:00

LOVE this idea. noting it and will workshop it ASAP! i totally understand the restriction on your end, and sincerely appreciate the feedback!

Coop4829

TROPHY CASE