Today's Trailblazer Interview

Today's Trailblazer: Moshe Cohen, President of The Negotiating Table.

Moshe Cohen is a mediator, trainer, writer, and consultant in the field of negotiation and conflict management.

I'm curious. What did you do before your ADR work?

I was an engineer, and before that a physicist. In the course of working as an engineer, I decided to move into management and got an MBA. While doing my MBA, I took a negotiation class that had a segment on mediation, and fell in love with mediation.

What best describes your title and what you do now?

I'm a mediator, trainer, and consultant in the field of negotiation and conflict management. I run my own business, mediating disputes, training in corporations and other organizations, teaching university classes, writing, public speaking, and consulting in the field.

What did you do to get your first 5 clients? How did you market then?

I developed relationships that turned into referrals. I never ate breakfast at home - I went to numerous networking meetings and cultivated relationships with referral sources such as accountants, attorneys, therapists, and business people.

Getting down to brass tacks, what were your initial fees?

Initially, my fees were $100 per hour.
Which books, websites, discussion groups, or organizations helped you get your foot in the door?

NACR (New England Chapter of Association of Conflict Resolvers), Chambers of commerce, lead groups,

Mistakes, I’ve made a few. What do you WISH you knew when you started out?

I wish I had had more of a realistic business plan and sales experience. I wish I had thought more of the process of convening and managing cases rather than just mediating them.

OK, one silly question to wrap things up. A dispute resolver is like a (blank).
A dispute resolver is like tropical island, providing disputants with a safe environment and sustaining them as they move from conflict to agreement.

Moshe asks really hard questions. To invite him to ask you hard questions about your plans in the field, visit The NegotiatingTable.com