Microsoft’s recent $26.2 billion acquisition of LinkedIn provides a graphic example of a strategic acquisition – the type of sale that generally garners the greatest gain for the acquired company’s shareholders. You may be wondering what a billion-dollar acquisition has to do with your business. The very same reasons a strategic acquirer buys a $26 billion business […]
Have you ever read or heard something that changed the way you see something forever? You can’t “un-know” it. Change has already taken place. Awareness is there, and it colors everything, consciously or not. That happened to me five years ago when I first read my friend John Warrillow’s book, Built to Sell. It’s a great, […]
For many, January is a time of rebirth and resolutions. It’s a month to reflect on last year’s achievements and to set goals for the year ahead. Some people will set personal goals like losing weight or quitting a nasty habit. Most company owners will set business goals that focus on hitting certain revenue or […]
Recently, I posed a question to my board of advisors, a diverse group of fellow professionals who work with small business owners. WHY aren’t business owners interested in discussing Exit Planning? One person, an attorney who’s also a small business owner, remarked “That’s the hardest subject there is for business owners!” “Why’s that?,” I asked. “It’s […]
Many business owners believe the act of selling their business is similar to passing the baton in a 400 meter relay: once you’re finished running, you get to relax. In reality, buyers will insist that you stay on for a transition period – anywhere from six months to five years – during which time you […]