S4 Eps 3: Chi Nguyen Interview
Fri Feb 06 2026
In this episode of The Dirty Verdict, Peter Taaffe and Kyle Herbert sit down with Houston branding powerhouse Chi Nguyen to unpack the real story behind one of the most recognizable legal marketing campaigns in the city: "We Push. You Win."
Chi shares his Houston roots, the wild origin story that pushed him toward law (yes—he got hit with a Nike cease & desist as a teenager), and how a marketing brain + personal injury law became the foundation for a firm built to scale. Then the conversation turns into a full-blown masterclass on billboards, repetition, commuter psychology, emotional decision-making, and building a brand that stays top-of-mind.
They also dive into the less-glamorous side of growth—systems, operations, HR headaches, and maintaining quality while scaling fast—before Chi shares what's next: launching The Nguyen Law Firm and building a legal tech / AI platform designed to help lawyers run leaner and serve clients better.
YouTube-style highlights (with timestamps)
00:00:39 — Intro + Chi Nguyen joins the show 00:00:53 — Why Chi is one of the most recognizable legal brands in Houston 00:02:15 — Chi's Houston upbringing + immigrant family background 00:03:13 — "I got sued by Nike for $1,000,000 in 9th grade." 😳 00:05:44 — The "Gucci monogram Jordan" moment… and realizing they were fake 00:06:23 — How Chi found a China supplier + created a dropship operation 00:08:04 — Early Google PPC: "Air Jordan" clicks were $0.10 00:08:30 — Scaling from 20 orders/day to 100+ orders/day as a teenager 00:08:50 — Nike demand letter hits: fear, panic, and the moment that changed his life 00:10:09 — Using the money to help family (not flexing shoes) + why he chose law 00:12:40 — U of H marketing + sales program (why it matters) 00:14:04 — Why personal injury: watching Jim Adler commercials as a kid 00:15:13 — South Texas College of Law + meeting Anthony + starting the firm 00:19:04 — The "biggest in Houston" vision + hitting goals early 00:22:42 — Spotting a funeral home "For Sale" sign… and turning it into the office 00:23:18 — Target audience strategy: why he focused on specific Houston pockets 00:25:03 — Billboard strategy begins: planning in 2021, executing in early 2022 00:26:34 — Google PPC got wrecked: $500–$600 per click for PI terms 00:28:00 — Why billboards still work in Houston (if you do it right) 00:29:39 — "You don't have to be everywhere—just be undeniable somewhere." 00:30:27 — Repetition math: 250,000 cars/day + stacking boards for 100% capture 00:31:21 — People buy emotionally, then justify logically (jury + marketing crossover) 00:33:06 — "Your logo is your face." Branding with faces > logos 00:35:37 — The psychological hack behind We Push / You Win 00:37:18 — Early boards were too busy → simplifying to face + website only 00:39:03 — Why they went all-in on branding instead of lead-gen 00:40:33 — Timeline expectations: committing to a full year with no panic pivot 00:41:52 — Starting budget: around $100K/month for the initial billboard run 00:43:31 — The iconic "viral" square board location off 45 & Telephone 00:43:58 — Scale: ~50 "permed" boards + building the inventory over time 00:46:27 — Scaling operations: bringing in a CEO to systematize and streamline 00:49:28 — The hardest part of growth: managing people + protecting culture 00:51:12 — What's next: The Nguyen Law Firm + launching a legal tech company 00:53:32 — AI thesis: the biggest flex is building lean with small teams 00:56:17 — AI for law: case management, comms, virtual depos/mediations 00:57:22 — Claude vs ChatGPT + "make the AIs argue" strategy 00:59:24 — What lawyers should fear: surveillance, not productivity 01:00:27 — Wrap-up + where to find Chi + beta testing timeline 01:01:28 — Outro + socials
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In this episode of The Dirty Verdict, Peter Taaffe and Kyle Herbert sit down with Houston branding powerhouse Chi Nguyen to unpack the real story behind one of the most recognizable legal marketing campaigns in the city: "We Push. You Win." Chi shares his Houston roots, the wild origin story that pushed him toward law (yes—he got hit with a Nike cease & desist as a teenager), and how a marketing brain + personal injury law became the foundation for a firm built to scale. Then the conversation turns into a full-blown masterclass on billboards, repetition, commuter psychology, emotional decision-making, and building a brand that stays top-of-mind. They also dive into the less-glamorous side of growth—systems, operations, HR headaches, and maintaining quality while scaling fast—before Chi shares what's next: launching The Nguyen Law Firm and building a legal tech / AI platform designed to help lawyers run leaner and serve clients better. YouTube-style highlights (with timestamps) 00:00:39 — Intro + Chi Nguyen joins the show 00:00:53 — Why Chi is one of the most recognizable legal brands in Houston 00:02:15 — Chi's Houston upbringing + immigrant family background 00:03:13 — "I got sued by Nike for $1,000,000 in 9th grade." 😳 00:05:44 — The "Gucci monogram Jordan" moment… and realizing they were fake 00:06:23 — How Chi found a China supplier + created a dropship operation 00:08:04 — Early Google PPC: "Air Jordan" clicks were $0.10 00:08:30 — Scaling from 20 orders/day to 100+ orders/day as a teenager 00:08:50 — Nike demand letter hits: fear, panic, and the moment that changed his life 00:10:09 — Using the money to help family (not flexing shoes) + why he chose law 00:12:40 — U of H marketing + sales program (why it matters) 00:14:04 — Why personal injury: watching Jim Adler commercials as a kid 00:15:13 — South Texas College of Law + meeting Anthony + starting the firm 00:19:04 — The "biggest in Houston" vision + hitting goals early 00:22:42 — Spotting a funeral home "For Sale" sign… and turning it into the office 00:23:18 — Target audience strategy: why he focused on specific Houston pockets 00:25:03 — Billboard strategy begins: planning in 2021, executing in early 2022 00:26:34 — Google PPC got wrecked: $500–$600 per click for PI terms 00:28:00 — Why billboards still work in Houston (if you do it right) 00:29:39 — "You don't have to be everywhere—just be undeniable somewhere." 00:30:27 — Repetition math: 250,000 cars/day + stacking boards for 100% capture 00:31:21 — People buy emotionally, then justify logically (jury + marketing crossover) 00:33:06 — "Your logo is your face." Branding with faces > logos 00:35:37 — The psychological hack behind We Push / You Win 00:37:18 — Early boards were too busy → simplifying to face + website only 00:39:03 — Why they went all-in on branding instead of lead-gen 00:40:33 — Timeline expectations: committing to a full year with no panic pivot 00:41:52 — Starting budget: around $100K/month for the initial billboard run 00:43:31 — The iconic "viral" square board location off 45 & Telephone 00:43:58 — Scale: ~50 "permed" boards + building the inventory over time 00:46:27 — Scaling operations: bringing in a CEO to systematize and streamline 00:49:28 — The hardest part of growth: managing people + protecting culture 00:51:12 — What's next: The Nguyen Law Firm + launching a legal tech company 00:53:32 — AI thesis: the biggest flex is building lean with small teams 00:56:17 — AI for law: case management, comms, virtual depos/mediations 00:57:22 — Claude vs ChatGPT + "make the AIs argue" strategy 00:59:24 — What lawyers should fear: surveillance, not productivity 01:00:27 — Wrap-up + where to find Chi + beta testing timeline 01:01:28 — Outro + socials