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Business Strategy Insights
What Does ChatGPT Think?
October 14, 2024 / in Business Strategy, Business Valuation / by Joe Orlando
This October, I will celebrate my 12th year as an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) in Business Valuation with the American Society of Appraisers (also ASA). ASA members meet every year for an International Conference to discuss current topics and to share knowledge and best practices. I attended the most recent Conference in Portland, OR. A presentation entitled “The AI Revolution – Why it Matters to Appraisers & Application Strategies” by Greg Endicott of Strategic Value Group, …
M&A Tip: Use Acquisitions to Expand Your Business
August 8, 2024 / in Acquire a Business, Business Strategy / by Exit Strategies
In today’s competitive business landscape, standing still means falling behind. Business owners and management must constantly find ways to grow, and one of their most bold and strategic moves is acquiring other businesses. This “buy and build” approach can offer a fast track to expansion, with both benefits and inherent risks. Here we summarize the benefits and risks involved in inorganic growth, and the essential advisors needed to navigate this complex terrain successfully. Benefits of …
From the M&A Glossary: Sale Leaseback
July 20, 2024 / in Business Strategy, Exit Planning / by Exit Strategies
A Sale Leaseback is a financial transaction in which a company sells an asset, usually real estate, to another party and then leases it back from the new owner for a negotiated period and other agreed upon terms. This arrangement allows the seller to convert the value of the asset into cash while retaining the right to use the asset through a lease agreement. Sale leasebacks can be advantageous for companies looking for a source …
The Exit Podcast: Tactical Acquisitions and the Importance of Scaling Fast with Tony Westfall
June 19, 2024 / in Business Strategy, News / by Exit Strategies
Exit Strategies Group M&A Advisor Tony Westfall recently was hosted on Flippa’s “The Exit Podcast” where he shared his insights on growth acquisitions and the importance of scaling quickly. Tony stated, “I started my career as a big company corporate guy and then transitioned to being an entrepreneur. I always knew that I really wanted to be involved in deal making though. Even as an entrepreneur, my favorite activities were always acquiring other businesses. When …
Exploring Donor-Advised Funds for Privately Held Business Owners’ Philanthropy
May 17, 2024 / in Business Strategy, Business Valuation / by Joe Orlando
For business owners of privately held companies seeking a seamless and impactful way to contribute to charitable causes, Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) have emerged as a philanthropic and tax-efficient solution. These vehicles offer a flexible and tax-efficient way to manage charitable donations, allowing donors to make contributions to a fund and then recommend grants to their favorite charities over time. Many people have successfully used DAFs to support the causes they care about, and there are …
M&A Advisor Tip: Have the Discipline to Diversify
April 17, 2024 / in Business Strategy, Exit Planning, Sell a Business / by Exit Strategies
As a general rule, no single customer should account for more than 20-25% of your company’s revenue. While having major customers can be great for your bottom line, it represents substantial risk to you and the next owner. As you build your business, pay attention to what potential buyers will want. They’ll be looking for well-diversified customer base where the loss of one account won’t have a major impact on earnings. Do the hard work …
Are You an Expert at What You Do?
October 16, 2023 / in Business Strategy, Business Valuation / by Joe Orlando
So what is an expert and, more importantly, are you one? The term “expert” has many definitions. For anyone who has written a wedding toast or sat through a valedictorian’s speech you know how the next sentence starts…Webster defines an Expert as “one with a special skill or knowledge representing mastery of a particular subject.” If you click through the link you will notice an obsolete definition for the adjective: experienced. This distinction is important …
A Student of Business
July 18, 2023 / in Business Strategy, Business Valuation / by Joe Orlando
A Key Performance Indicator to Improve the Results of your Testing Lab Exit
May 22, 2023 / in Business Strategy, Sell a Business / by Adam Wiskind
When preparing to sell your Testing Laboratory using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can help to focus your efforts and resources in the right areas. While numerous KPIs exist, one metric that should be on the radar of all business owners in the testing laboratory industry is the Sales/Employee Ratio. Labor costs make up the largest single expense for Laboratory Testing businesses, accounting for an estimated 38.4% of industry revenue in 2022 (IBIS WORLD July 2022). …
Instead of selling, they’re growing
April 4, 2023 / in Business Strategy, Exit Planning / by Al Statz
If it’s a bad time to sell your business, consider growing instead. That’s the takeaway from one contractor whose plans to sell their business got squashed by inflation and supply chain issues in 2022. Pre-pandemic the business had been doing about $50 million in sales with $6 million in EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, and depreciation). In most markets, that would have made this business a highly attractive acquisition target. But problems started when the …