Cody Hand, LLC

Principal

Capitol Resources, LLC

North Carolina Managing Director

The Speakers Collaborative

The Speakers Collaborative is your one-stop shop to go from amateur and professional speaker in six weeks. Starting from scratch, you walk away with the training, promo material, and contacts needed to make money speaking.

Founder

North Carolina Healthcare Association

In 2022 I assumed the role of General Counsel while continuing to lead the Advocacy, Policy, and Communications team. Upon my promotion, I set out to streamline our contracting and legal processes, coordination of outside counsel, and collaboration with Association Member in-house counsel.

General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Advocacy, Policy, and Communications

After successfully lobbying in North Carolina and establishing a robust Federal presence, i was elevated to a senior leadership role. Moving into this role I understood the criticality of deploying a new strategic plan as quickly and seamlessly as possible to remedy longstanding impediments to progress. To begin, we reassessed the team structure, making staffing changes that refocused and realigned individual talents with outstanding organizational needs, even deploying some staff to partner organizations.  

With each of my adjustments, I remained cognizant of the importance of targeted efforts to increase staff satisfaction AND productivity, despite having an overall smaller staff. Simultaneously, I continued to lead in lobbying, working with my team and members to succeed.

Some of the initiatives I credit to this success include the implementation of a team-based approach to workflows and encouraging momentum by developing leaders and emulating open communication to support a robust, yet team-level, decision-making process. We even improved workload distribution based on staff feedback and dedicating time during work hours for team building.

I am happy to have achieved 100% buy-in on staff development initiatives by building comprehensive career plans for each staff member. Furthermore, improvements to staff engagement served to  increase member satisfaction in the perceived value provided by staff

Senior Vice President of Advocacy, Policy, and Communications and Deputy General Counsel

I was recruited to join the NCHA after demonstrating success in leading policy work at the General Assembly. I welcomed the challenges this opportunity presented and immediately met with members to gather pertinent information on pressing issues.

I leveraged the insights gleaned from these meetings in establishing formal processes to support the various functions of the job, to build my recommendations to the NCHA Board, and established multi-month collaboration sessions.

In the first year at NCHA, I was honored to have achieved an unprecedented 100% member approval of legislative priorities. The following legislative session, we capitalized on member engagement, defeating an effort to eliminate non-profit tax exemptions.

Vice President and Deputy General Counsel

North Carolina General Assembly

Upon assuming the role as the head of a team of six, I established an investigative practice within my team, deployed staff to impact locales, and collected situational knowledge prior to final policy recommendations and approvals.

As credit to the effectiveness of this practice, we developed and promoted new mechanisms to fund K-12 education and newer, less burdensome transportation funding requirements.

Relatedly, we halted outstanding proposals to close the Schools for the Deaf and the School for the Blind, and even gained traction in increasing focus on these resources to ensure success for all enrolled students.

Deputy Chief of Staff/policy director

The highest priority project during my tenure involved the overhaul of the $21 billion dollar North Carolina State budget to refocus resources on the priorities of the new General Assembly.

Two momentous wins overshadow all other accomplishments: securing a $2 billion allocation of Federal funds for new healthcare programs after diplomatically working with stakeholders to foster consensus and the attainment of a veto-proof budget vote through the successful mediation of a bipartisan collaboration.

Appropriations Counsel

In this role, I had the responsibility to draft legislation and public correspondence for a 20-member caucus resulting in an unprecedented program evaluation measure that passed without amendment. I also had the privilege to negotiate multiple agreements between both Democratic and Republican Legislators, interest groups, and state departments.

Caucus Attorney

I help you sleep at night - I take the legal problems off your plate | Lobby on your Priorities | Speak to your people.

With over two decades of of experience in the field of executive leadership and law, I bring a wealth of knowledge and lived experiments to help executives overcome the challenges of leading teams of talented humans, achieving high retention rates and improving the bottom line.

#LeadershipDevelopment
#ExecutiveCoaching
#TeamTrust
#GrowthMindset
#LeadWithImpact

What do you do at the office to shake things up?

Do issue new rules and directives to bring people in line,
or do you have a discussion about desired changes to reach new goals?

Do you take all the credit when everyone else contributes,
or do you take a seat and let your team shine?

Do you bah humbug business as usual during the holidays,
or do you let your people bring some cheer in?

Regardless - be a leader - not a boss.
and maybe have a tacky Christmas hairdo contest.
Cody

Cody Hand

General Counsel | Advocate | Executive Operations Leader | Author | Speaker shaping your work with trust and authenticity

There's fast
Then there is mag-lev fast.

On this #failurefriday I want to talk about failing up.

in 1909 Robert Goddard and Hermann Kemper discovered the concept of Maglev, using polar opposite magnets to levitate an object.

It took almost 100 years for a successful commercial implementation, the first 60 were trial and error.

1960s: The idea moved towards practical design, with Brookhaven National Laboratory scientists James Powell and Gordon Danby developing key concepts in the US.
1972: First successful test levitation in Japan.
1979: Germany begins testing, and the first test track is built in Miyazaki, Japan.
1984: First commercial maglev, the Birmingham Airport people mover, begins operation in the UK.
1989-1991: The M-Bahn operates in Berlin, Germany.
2004: The Shanghai Maglev, a high-speed commercial line, opens in China. 

are you wrong to expect instant success?
No. You are human.

but remember that no good innovations happens the first time. if you think it does, just wait until someone improves on your initial success and doubles what you could have made.

Have a great weekend!
Cody Hand

We have all been there - 
Everyone pauses.
No one moves.

Then suddenly the perceived strong man shoves the little guy forward.

In workplaces where the boss meets the classical definition,
He may look tough, he may have a big bark,
but at the end of the day he is going to use his employees as test subjects.
(and then report to the Board "under my leadership, we made it safely!")

But a modern, team based leader writes a new chapter.
They ensure everyone has what they need.
They discuss with the team the best way forward.,
They come to consensus.
and then, if someone needs to take the risky leap, they do it if they are the right person. usually by this time, someone on the team says "It could just be an illusion."
(and then they report to the board that progress was made and the team keeps moving forward.)

As cute as this reel is - it is far too common for this type of boss in the workplace.

Be Different.
Be Better.
Cody

It's #FailureFriday and today we are going to talk about the biggest flex.

Never Ever Ever Give Up.

When you fail, get up and go again.

The best flexes are those who try 9 times and fail the first 8.

Cody

I woke up this morning to some interesting DMs.
all congratulating me for 3 years at Cody Hand, LLC.
A fractional counsel and strategy firm I launched 3 years ago.

What a ride it has been. As I reflect on the last 3 years:
launched a few businesses,
sunsetted many of them,
learned a ton.

All right here on LinkedIn. 
With you all as my supporters and advisors. 

2026 is a growth year, 
and I plan to 10x my business,
and I cannot wait for a year from now.

Thankful for you,
Cody Hand

Until the last fan leaves.
Jesse Cole, founder of Banana Ball,
Could easily set himself apart from his fans.
Rings of security,
extra tickets for meeting the man,
all the things we have all seen when people become "it."

But Jesse Cole gets is.
He knows who got him here,
and he makes every one of them - us - feel seen and appreciated.

I work with many founders, and know many who have scaled to the sky.
Some of them get this.
This others - they find that the king of the hill is the loneliest person.

Don't forget who got you here.
Cody

I am counting my successes as we dance into the last six weeks of 2025:

1. I successfully back-burnered The Speakers Collaborative. It was my passion. My baby, life changing. It didn't get the traction and I couldn't afford to keep it.

2. I successfully took over an estates business. I now do more estate planning than fractional general counseling. 

3. I successfully met most of my fitness goals.

4. I successfully offboarded several GC clients and onboarded none.

5. I successfully wrote a book "Feed Your Team" and have yet to publish it.

Has 2025 been the year I wanted?
Not completely.

There have been wins.
There have been losses.
There has been growth.

As I spend the next six weeks wrapping up a year I don't care to repeat in whole,
My plan for 2026 is to keep the good, and toss the bad.
Who's with me?
Cody

PS - This place is filled with bragging, how about we all get real?

#failurefriday
#leadership

One tiny loose wire caused death and BILLIONS in damage.
I listened to the report out yesterday of the investigation into the Dali ship collision that caused the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore to collapse.

The ship is longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall and has miles of cables. 
In what was described as 

"finding the one loose bolt on the Eiffel Tower," 

the lead investigator said they found ONE wire where the label was too close to the plug.

That one label prevented the plug from fully and securely connecting.
That insecure connection came loose over time.
causing a breaker to flip.
causing a blackout.
causing lose of steering.
causing a collision with the bridge.
causing six innocent workers deaths.
causing over $5 BILLION in damages.

Encourage your team to do things the right way.
Reward them when the project is delayed because it wasn't safe.

The last thing you want is for your negligence to be the cause of a preventable tragedy.

Cody

You are being selfish.
If you do not have an estate plan that includes a trust,
You are thinking only of today, and not of the trouble you are causing.

Your loved ones will be sad when you die.
(and you WILL die.)
They will be processing their grief.
They will be comforting their children, your grandchildren.
So why do you want them to go 
- sit in front of a heartless bureaucrat
- - pay all those fees
- - - suffer unnecessarily

When, with only 2 appointments, 
You can meet with an experienced attorney and get all the details worked out.

If you are in North Carolina, you should call me before the end of the month. My clients that finish in 2025 get the 2025 rate, and my estate plan rates are going up in 2026.

If you are not in North Carolina, send me a DM and I will get you linked up with someone who can help in your state.

You have built a great life.
Now protect it with a great estate plan.
Mahalo
Cody Hand

PS - this is part of the work I do with my business clients. No owner should go another day without a succession plan that includes their estate. If you are looking for a GC that covers all the bases, give me a buzz.

You are at work today, but your head is elsewhere.

That is the downside of working until the day before a holiday.

So - here is a little joy to get you through.

Happy Thanksgiving
(we are closed through Sunday!)
Cody

This final stretch could be both painful and rewarding.
If you set your sights on worthy goals at the beginning of the year,
Now is the time to see them through.

Whether you are hobbling along,
still sprinting,
or even being carried,
you've got this!

As we roll into the end of 2025 and envision 2026,
I have an offer for you,
Because I love helping people achieve their dreams.

If you are feeling defeated by 2025 and want to end it well,
Book a call. We will spend an hour mapping that out for you.

If you want to have a vision for 2026 that is worth dragging your broken body across the finish line, 
Book a call. We will spend an hour mapping that out.

No pitch.
No follow up pitch
No half assed plan that makes you pay for a setup fee.

Just you, me, and hour, a whiteboard, and a plan.

Cody

PS - My name is Cody Hand and I am an operations minded attorney who loves launching audacious strategies for dream makers. 

#endofyear
#leadership
#generalcounsel
#vision

Coming full circle is fun.
Client Spotlight

In 2020, at the height of COVID, my hospital clients were looking for ways to keep people safely at home while received care. 

The Hospital at Home model was born (or revived?)

For years before that, we had been lobbying our friends in Washington to provide Medicare reimbursements for remote care. No Dice. They only paid for real time monitoring, and not much at that. 

Flash forward to 2025 and I am approached to partner with a company on the forefront of Remote Patient Monitoring. 

AND - they have Medicare reimbursement codes!

EmmiTec.Health is doing things that we have needed for some time. 

They provide better care, at home, by keeping an eye on the patient and intervening earlier. 

It saves everyone time, money, and the hassle of getting to a clinical setting.

It is cool that this new partnership was only after a decade of work to get here.

Want to know more about Emmitec and what they bring to your patient care?
DM me.

Cody

You haven't lived until you have eaten this one side dish:
My grandfather's oyster dressing.

Every year I make a full pan.
Every year I toss half the pan.
All because you "don't like oysters"

But you have never tried it.

You don't know the delectable, melt in your mouth deliciousness.

The Preparation is sacred.
Make the cornbread 2 days early, from scratch.
Simmer the turkey parts, mirepoix, butter, and stock on low OVERNIGHT.
Chop the oysters so fine their presence only adds to the richness.

Assemble and, as the final step, make sure there is a fine layer of that delicious stock covering the top when you place it gently into the oven.

I would eat this alone and call it Thanksgiving.

There is nothing today about leadership, law, or lobbying.
What is your go-to, die-for recipe?

Happy Thanksgiving, I am thankful for you,
Cody

Our Travel Tree is up!
We prioritize memories over material gifts in our budget.
Every time we travel we buy christmas ornaments,
Throughout the month of December we get to remember our trips and we often talk about them.
It is really cool.

I have started buying two of every ornament.
Because one day (hopefully in 52 years) my girls will be splitting up all of our things and I don't want them to have to pick who gets what memory.

mortem tuam memineris cum memorias tuas congeras

An estate plan is the same as this travel tree.
When I buy two of something, it takes one less burden off of my kids when I die.
My Advanced Directive means they won't have to decide when to pull the plug.
My Will means they won't have to fight the courts to close out my affairs.
My Revocable Trust means they won't have to even go through probate.

I got into estate planning when I launched my Crisis Proofing Your Business line of service for my Fractional Counsel clients, because succession planning is part of crisis proofing, and that business you built could die with you without a proper estate plan.

Do you have an estate plan?
(If you live in NC - give me a buzz and we will make sure yours is buttoned up!)
Cody

You are a bad boss
if you 
- Take over someone's time off with non-urgent issues.
- - Email them a list on a Saturday.
- - - Shame them in front of the team.

Just because it is on your mind and you cannot manage your own boundaries doesn't mean you should inflict that on everyone else.

Be a leader - respect your people. 

As I look to expand my law firm in 2026, these are some of the principles I will incorporate as I build my team.

What about you?
Cody

Here is your playbook for the Super Bowl of Mondays of 2025:

I don't take calls on the First Monday of the Month.
I don't take appointments on the First Monday of the Month.
I spend the day thinking and planning.

Every month I check in - 
- How did last month go?
- How is this Quarter going?
- How will we succeed this month?

Quarterly I add in planning for the next quarter.

But today is the Superbowl of Mondays!!!
The Last First Monday of 2025!!!

I also examine how 2025 is going,
How I will end 2025 well,
and I envision how 2026 will go.

I have four buckets of work/life and I do it for each of them.
Some buckets are bigger than others,
Some buckets are more meaningful that others,
but all buckets get attention.

If you live your life with intention, you crave these days.
Many fear them. Facing up to the failures.
I crave them. owning the successes and figuring out how to right the ship.

How do you plan to end 2025 well?
Cody

I can handle pandemic level chaos like a boss,
but give me a jacket for the season and I am lost.

Until the spring, I am constantly looking for my keys, wallet, and phone. 
In warmer months, I only have two options, and my habit is
- phone in left pocket
- wallet and keys in right pocket.

but throw a jacket on, and the world might as well end.
I now dedicate wasted time each day to finding things.

I suspect there are many like me - hiding in the shadows afraid to admit they were late because they forgot which coat they wore the last time they had their keys.

or worse - their keys were just in the wrong pocket on clothes they were currently wearing.

There is very little legal or leadership counsel here except this:
Maybe cut some slack to those of us flummoxed by winter wear.
on - and put us in charge of your crisis plans. 

We own that.
Cody

"I really love your Friday practice,"
my friend, who is helping edit my book "Feed Your Team" said after reading about it.

and so, on this Monday, with plenty of time before Friday, I present the updated, 2026 edition of 

"How to Friday Well,"

A practice I adopted to ensure work is on track, goals are met, and weekends are free to not work not only for you, but your entire team.

How do you Friday?
Cody Hand

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