Owners’ Academy

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…

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…

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….

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,…

Mergers and acquisitions are successful because the subsequent integration provides value. The Board of Directors of the acquiring firm plays an important role in ensuring that the Executive Team has a good integration plan and implements it effectively. In addition, board members can be a great resource for those executives as they may have experienced…

The Occupational Safety Health Administration (“OSHA”) and the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) recently joined forces through a new Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”). Their goal, to further enhance collaboration between the two agencies during investigations and enforcement actions against employers. The move is expected to further blur the lines between the two agencies and the…

If the value of your company would suffer in your absence, the biggest threat to its marketability might be you. “Buyers generally aren’t interested in paying top dollar if the business is overly reliant on the owner for its success.” That excerpt from a long-ago IBG Business article (“How Can I Increase the Value of…

Popular

What's Trending

Whistleblowers can blow their whistles a little louder tonight. The Supreme Court’s recent ruling, Murray v. UBS Securities, LLC, decided that an employee may prove a whistleblower retaliation claim without showing that their employer acted with retaliatory intent. As a result, it is now easier for employees to succeed on whistleblower retaliation claims under the…

In the competitive world of business, marketing plays a pivotal role to drive revenue generation, brand equity, and overall business valuation. Companies that view branding and advertising as a growth strategy are twice as likely to see revenue growth of 5% or more than those that don’t (source: “Put Marketing at the Core of Your…

Unleashing the Power of Collaboration Today, we’re diving deep into a powerful quote by Jim Stovall that packs a serious punch: “You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins.” Are you ready for…

Do You Need a Virtual CFO? Every company must find an efficient way of handling accounting and bookkeeping functions. For many businesses, an outsourced accounting solution makes good business sense and provides much needed support with financial management. Some businesses and high net worth individuals will want to take their financial operations to another level…

On January 9, 2024, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) announced a six-factor test for determining whether a worker is an independent contractor or an employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). This new rule takes effect on March 11, 2024. Classifying workers as independent contractors or employees is extremely important—independent contractors do not receive…

Previous
Next

Explore the Knowledge Exchange

Search