My Posts
Browse My Posts
The road less traveled is often a misimpression when considering a transition from business ownership. Surveys show that roughly 85% of owners expect their exit to happen via a sale of the business to a third party. A third-party sale is certainly attractive. The idea of monetizing decades of work in one lump-sum payoff seems…
By Tim Jung As CFO, you have 60 months before the private equity firm sells your company again. And the newly installed CEO doesn’t like the company’s reports. Maybe the reporting isn’t timely or lacks the right numbers. Maybe it doesn’t tell a story from the progress that has been made, how you’re going to…
Exit strategy planning is an essential part of any business owner’s long-term strategy. Whether you’re planning to sell your business, retire, or pass it on to the next generation, the key to a successful exit is maximizing the value of your business. One critical factor in determining the value of a business is human capital….
During COVID-19 we experienced inventory shortages and the ships lined up waiting to get into the ports. • Today’s new reality is having excess inventory and shortages. • E-commerce created a new reality. Instead of shipping containers to customers individual products are being picked at the warehouse and shipped to the consumers. • High returns of merchandise…
There is no “I” in team. It is a phrase often cited and not attributed to anyone. So, I am going out on a limb to say there is an “I” in team and it is the most critical aspect of a high-performing team. No, this is not a reference to Michael Jordan’s quote of…
There is significant evidence that supply chains have “normalized.” Delivery times are fast and overall demand is low. Many companies are now looking at “longer-term” supply chain planning and changes. Some of these changes include multi-sourcing and digitizing supply chain operations. Geopolitical events and resulting tariffs/sanctions could quickly change the supply chain landscape, however, so…
Whether you are advising a company preparing for a future sale, or working with a new acquisition, it is helpful to understand the value that independent board directors can bring – for M&A, growth, strategy, and more. See more at: Optimize the Value of Your Company’s First Independent Directors | Private Company Director Steven…
Owners don’t like the “Exit” word. They tell us regularly to change it, or that talking about it is uncomfortable. It’s the elephant in the room. I understand. Anyone selling life insurance or funeral pre-planning knows that you don’t start with “So, let’s discuss what happens when you DIE.” For business owners, leaving the business…
When a periodic technology assessment results in a detailed remediation and investment roadmap, the business gains a comprehensive and strategic plan that focuses on various facets that collectively drive value. Through our experience in assisting numerous clients, we’ve seen firsthand the multitude of benefits derived from such initiatives. Here are the top benefits: Structured Risk Remediation: With…
No attention to exit strategy. No attention to value creation. “I am tired, and I want to sell but I don’t know what it’s worth or how to design an exit strategy for selling my business.” We hear this from business owners over, and over again. To sell your company, to make it both sellable and…
Do you dread networking for new business? Here are some techniques to help you refine your approach so that networking becomes more enjoyable and productive. Several years ago I co-founded a networking group attended by experienced, successful professionals. What I didn’t anticipate was that many of these highly competent and engaging people struggled with networking….
By: Robert G. Brody When considering religious accommodation, employers have enjoyed great latitude with accepting or rejecting requested religious accommodations. This was thanks in large part to the Supreme Court’s 1977 ruling in Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Hardison, which held an employer need only show it would bear more than a “de minimis” cost/effort…
https://news.blueridgeesop.com/blog/esop-repurchasing-studies ESOP-Repurchasing-Strategies
By Eric Segal The banking landscape has consolidated in the last three years. Maybe it was runaway inflation that caused cost-cutting branch closings. Or it was bigger banks gobbling smaller banks for quick market share. And let’s not forget the industry’s ongoing march toward digital transformation, which grabs more traction each month. Whatever the cause,…
Emerald Publishing released the 22nd volume of Advances in Mergers and Acquisitions . Along with my coauthors Buddy Howard and Tony Stevenson, we contributed chapter 5 to this 2023 version edited by Professor Sir Cary Cooper,CBE and Sydney Finkelstein.
Just because you run a successful business doesn’t necessarily mean that you will exit from it successfully. Planning can increase the odds that you will transfer your business on terms you’re comfortable with. Yet very few business owners engage in proactive exit planning, failing to establish arrangements for a thoughtful transfer of ownership that protects…
INTRODUCTION Effective sales strategies are crucial for success in the dynamic landscape of modern business. Business owners recognize the pivotal role that sales teams play in revenue generation and customer acquisition. As a result, they must invest in training programs to enhance the skills and capabilities of their sales force. Two complementary approaches are “Sales…
The first bit of concrete feedback I recall receiving in the workplace was from a fellow colleague, a much more experienced person than I. The feedback was not part of a review, he was not my supervisor, but someone I worked with daily. I don’t know what prompted him to share the feedback. I am…
By Chris Delaney When it comes to managing their business, manufacturers need much more than historical financials to project their future revenue, profitability and liquidity. Historic numbers simply capture what has happened in the past—but traditionally do a poor job predicting where a company will be in the near (3-6 months) or distant future (1-2…
When preparing (hopefully in advance!) to sell your business, it helps to understand what buyers will looking for and asking about. While revenue and financials are well-known areas of due diligence, for companies in the product space the efficiency and riskiness of operations and supply chain are also fair game. Buyers are concerned about a…
A common area of confusion among advisors is understanding the difference between a “Main Street” business, a “Middle Market” business and a “Mom and Pop” business. Main Street Businesses The term “Main Street” is defined by the International Business Brokers’ Association and other professional intermediary organizations as any company with a Fair Market Value of…
It seems intuitive: a deal requires compromise. Sellers and buyers each have their own goals (some more realistic than others) and should come together, but each often begins the process oblivious to the other’s needs. Suppose you’ve owned an auto service station for 30 years. You are tired of all the hassles and have made…
At FIREPOWER, we’re here to help our leaders achieve growth and innovation through their biggest asset: their people. Together, let’s achieve the hardest growth goals and go beyond the surface-level approach of employee reviews by learning how to balance people, processes, and technology to establish an empowered workforce. It’s time to unlock the true potential…
For more information on the benefits of this IRC Section 453 solution, give this podcast a listen. While the topic of this episode dealt with the sale of land, the solution is also available to individuals selling their business, allowing them the unique opportunity to defer immediate tax obligations and maximize the sale through personally…
By Tim Jung A private equity firm just bought your promising firm with high hopes. You estimate that the company will be sold again for a much higher margin within 60 months. But your finance team has trouble closing the books in a timely manner. So, what does the company’s financial picture look like? You…