The 2024 Game Changers Summit has become known as a large-scale celebration of the accomplishments of the nation’s top firm owners.
For the second consecutive year, Michael and Jessica Mogill took the stage throughout the two-day Summit to recognize the most committed Crisp Coach members for their incredible transformations and contributions this year.
This highly-anticipated set of distinctions has become known as the Crisp Game Changer Awards.
Winners of these carefully vetted, highly prestigious awards were determined based on specific results each firm generated, each leader’s commitment to their goals, and more.
While Firm of the Year Awards at each level (ELITE, PREMIER, SELECT, and CrispX) were reserved for Day 2, four firm owners were celebrated on Day 1 for Excellence in the following categories:
- Excellence in Visionary Leadership
- Excellence in Client Experience
- Excellence in Community Impact
- Excellence in Firm Culture
First up, the Excellence in Visionary Leadership Award went to Darryl Kogan of Kogan & DiSalvo Personal Injury Law.
Meet Darryl Kogan
Before starting his own firm, Darryl Kogan represented insurance companies. But he made the leap to strike out on his own because of a strong desire to give the injured individuals the opportunity to access high-quality representation instead.
“I wanted to establish a firm committed to ensuring clients were fairly compensated and just make a positive impact on people’s lives,” he explains. “Practicing in the personal injury field gave me the opportunity to accomplish that mission.”
Along with his partner Ted DiSalvo, Darryl has accomplished much, building up a firm that has become a strong presence in the Florida communities where they practice — but it hasn’t always been smooth sailing.
From hiring the right team to achieve their goals to implementing cutting-edge technology to selecting the best location in the most competitive markets in the country, business challenges have continued to push Darryl to rise to the opportunity to grow himself and his business.
With the help of his Crisp Coach membership, he’s been able to develop a meaningful vision and put powerful leadership practices in place to get him there — and the results speak for themselves.
As he says, “each obstacle has been a valuable lesson, pushing me to adapt and innovate.”
Let’s take a look at all the innovations that earned Kogan & DiSalvo the 2024 Excellence in Visionary Leadership Crisp Game Changer Award.
Visionary Leadership at Kogan & DiSalvo
Before implementing lessons learned through Crisp, Darryl struggled with taking on too many responsibilities, many of which were outside the realm of his unique strengths and expertise.
“I have struggled with firm culture, staffing issues, bookkeeping, accounting, metrics, scheduling, and overall running the business while managing all facets,” he remembers. “Between myself and my legal assistant (now executive assistant), we managed everything. We were working crazy long hours to get everything done, and still work was left unfinished.”
Thanks to the valuable insights gained from partnering with Crisp, however, Darryl hired an array of specialists to help distribute the load in a more strategic way. Adding a dedicated executive assistant, human resources director, accountant, and director of operations unlocked capacity and capabilities previously unavailable to the Kogan & DiSalvo organization.
“These additions have improved our team’s efficiency, streamlined processes, and allowed me to focus on strategic decision-making, leading to a more successful and thriving firm,” says Darryl.
Stepping into a true CEO role has opened countless doors for Darryl and his business. With Crisp’s help, he has been able to equip Kogan & DiSalvo with a more corporate management structure that made it possible to expand his vision to becoming a significant statewide firm — and they are well on their way to achieving that vision with 11 offices around Florida and a team of nearly 100.
One of the shining achievements of this expansion is Kogan & DiSalvo’s new office they built in Stuart.
“It is one of the most beautiful office buildings in town and easily accessible to our clients. The Stuart office has strengthened our commitment to our clients and has had a positive impact on our firm’s growth,” says Darryl proudly. “We are also now moving our firm headquarters to new space in Boca Raton, where we are the name tenant in the largest office tower visible from the Florida Turnpike and a major thoroughfare where we will now have signage (giant 10-foot lettering) on the building.”
Thanks to Darryl’s visionary leadership, Kogan & DiSalvo has grown in size, stature, and impact — and there is plenty more exciting growth on the horizon.
Kogan & DiSalvo Now
Learning and applying proven Crisp concepts has not only grown Darryl’s business, but has opened many doors for him personally and professionally as well.
“Now with my coaches’ help I have a great team managing the firm, and I was able to take off the entire month of July this year and stay in Vail, Colorado, while my firm had one of its best months in 30 years!” he reports.
“I now also have more time to do work in the community and take more personal time for travel and family time,” he continues. “My life is also better organized with the help of my executive assistant, as managing all that I do is more than a full-time job by itself. Last but not least, the firm has become more profitable than ever before, which speaks for itself.”
Being part of the Crisp Coach community has transformed Kogan & DiSalvo from “a mom and pop business” to a well-structured corporation with a great culture.
“The firm was awarded a Best Place To Work by the South Florida Business Journal and has wonderful Glassdoor reviews,” shares Darryl. “The management structure now in place has also helped me bring in new shareholders, which all by itself helps the firm’s footprint grow.”
By winning this year’s Excellence in Visionary Leadership Award, Darryl Kogan is living proof that hard work and dedication — “along with some great guidance and luck,” as he says — can make a huge impact.
“Crisp has enabled me to take my firm to the next level and then some, where we can really help so many people and still make a really nice living,” he says. “I am grateful that all these pieces have fallen in place, and for Crisp’s help in getting me there.”
