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At our February Cross-Chapter Power Networking session, we introduced a new format aptly named “Ask the Cross-Chapter Experts”. Our facilitator, XPX Nashville member, Lisa Kaufman, a sell-side M&A advisor to family-owned businesses called on 5 members (herself included) to present their “Current Client/Deal Challenge” to the group. Fellow members then became the “experts” providing input and possible resolutions for one of…
So you are thinking of selling your business… or someone you know is. Before you even look at an offer there are steps you should be taking. Check out the link to my LinkedIn video on the first step. Planning Well In Advance. So You Are Thinking Of Selling Your Business – Planning Well…
In our last article about life after the sale we discussed identity. Even when business owners are comfortable with who they are, however, there is still the nuts and bolts issue of activity. A business owner spends 20, 30, or (not uncommonly with Boomers,) 40 years focused on running a business. Unless they’ve built a substantial…
Program produced by XPX South Florida. Our Speaker: Eric KeilesEOS Implementer Eric currently is an Implementer of EOS, the Entrepreneurial Operating System. He works with the leadership teams of entrepreneurial companies to create a powerful framework that helps them scale and get everything they want out of their businesses.
On November 22, 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul of New York signed into law the “Freelance Isn’t Free Act,” aimed at safeguarding the rights of freelance workers. This bill closely aligns with the existing law of the same name in New York City, which came into effect in May 2017. Key Provisions of the Freelance Isn’t…
Work from anywhere has been a necessity, an epithet, an obstacle, and an opportunity over the last 3 years. To paraphrase Aristotle’s axiom about Nature (“Horror Vacui”), business abhors a vacuum. Where one occurs, it is quickly filled. Work from anywhere started as a COVID-induced necessity. During the lockdowns of 2020-2021 (and longer in some…
The Annual Government Contractor Awards celebrate Small Emerging Contractors Advisory Forum (SECAF) members and other government contracting organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to industry excellence. Award categories showcase companies of all sizes, plus key projects and outstanding executives. Your clients and exit prospects in the GovCon industry can benefit from the exposure that comes…
Please join us on February 29 for our 20th annual Cocktails and Conversations program, presented by the Women’s Network of Miles & Stockbridge and featuring Brooke Lierman — the 34th Comptroller of the state of Maryland and the first woman to be independently elected to one of our state’s constitutional offices. We’ll kick off Women’s…
Yesterday, Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law The Clean Slate Act (S.7551A/A.1029C) with an effective date of November 16, 2024. The law will seal certain criminal records following an individual’s release from incarceration: eligible misdemeanor convictions will be sealed three years after release, and eligible felony convictions will be sealed eight years after release –…
Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen a worrisome trend of employees disengaging from their work. Sometimes dubbed “quiet quitting,” this trend has sent ripple effects throughout business organizations across the country. To understand this problem, it’s first important to understand what employee engagement means. Generally, this term is used to denote team members…
In the fast-paced landscape of today’s organizations, the missing link that often separates successful ventures from mediocre ones is trust. Trust is the glue that binds leaders with their stakeholders, creating an environment where collaboration thrives, innovation flourishes, and everyone feels valued. To bridge this trust gap, we propose a formula that encapsulates the essence…
As we noted in Part 1, finding people with the right strengths is important to help your business grow and succeed. As you integrate the right engagement structures to ensure that your people will stay with your company for the long term, we want to explain the importance of onboarding in exit planning. We call…
As a long-time business consultant and value growth advisor to middle-market companies, I frequently met business owners who didn’t recognize the urgency to plan for an eventual business ownership transition. Such business owners commonly find themselves catastrophically unprepared when the time comes to sell their business, costing them millions of dollars in lost value. I…
Incite Creative Celebrates 24 Years as an Outsourced CMO Trailblazer As the business world looks forward to a fresh start, hiring challenges at the C-level will carry over from 2023 and include additional demands, shedding new light on the value of fractional Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs). Incite Creative, a Maryland-based marketing advisory firm, introduced its outsourced CMO…
Life after the sale is often both the most important and most neglected factor in exit planning. Although (according to two different surveys in 2013 and 2022,) 75% of owners report regrets or unhappiness a year after the transition, exit plans continue to be constructed primarily around financial targets. In the event you haven’t heard…
As we delve into 2024, the Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) landscape continues to evolve, shaped by the echoes of the COVID-era and the dynamics of the present. In a recent “Deal-by-Deal” podcast by McGuireWoods, I sat down with host Greg Hawver to dig into the trends and expectations shaping the M&A sector, particularly in the…
“I’m planning on selling my business, where should I start?” We get this a lot. Almost every company has gotten the call “I want to buy your business”. You need to step back, think, and plan. You need to understand the process and what lies ahead – before you act. Your business is likely your…
The national trend to protect temporary Laborers continues. This past August, Illinois passed legislation that expanded its Day and Temporary Labor Services Act. The amendment became effective on August 4, 2023 (immediately upon its signing). The Trend New Jersey, California, and Illinois have all passed laws that provide protections to temporary Laborers. Among the varied…
Planning an optimal business sale requires careful consideration and understanding of various sale options and structures, as well as a thorough understanding of the sales’s effect on the business owner’s personal financial planning. Many owners leave money on the table during a sale while they stay focused on growing their business or finding the right…
As a business owner, it’s important to start planning for your eventual exit from the company as early as you can. Whether you plan to sell the business, pass it down to family, or find new leadership, how well you onboard new managers and prepare your successors plays a key role in a smooth transition….
BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP INFORMATION REPORTING CORPORATE TRANSPARENCY ACT SUMMARY One of the unique and often attractive features of a Limited Liability Company can be anonymity. In most states, formation and registration of an LLC does not require disclosure of the owners or officers. For various reasons, legitimate and not so legitimate, the owners of a business…
Attention New York employers: On November 17, 2023, Governor Hochul signed S4516 into law, amending Section 5-336 of the General Obligations Law (“GOL”), commonly known as New York’s #MeToo statute. The amendment significantly changes the terms permissible in settlement agreements for claims relating to discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. As of the effective date, November 17,…
“You don’t belong here: you are a fraud! Why would smart people ever want to listen to you?” whispered the manager to the salesperson. Galvanized by this wake-up call that he desperately needed, the employee rose to the occasion and exceeded all expectations. Does this sound realistic? Of course not! Who would feel upbeat by such…
A Guide to the New 2023 SBA SOP Written by Live Oak Bank The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has implemented two Procedural Notices and new Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), which contain significant changes to the 7(a) and 504 lending programs. The 7(a) is the flagship program when financing change of ownership opportunities. We’re breaking…
Lifestyle and Legacy are two very different types of owner transition objectives. When we ask a client “What do you expect as a result of our exit planning?” the answer may be about the money, the time frame, or the impact on people. No matter how it is phrased, the response will break down into…