As a business owner, you are accustomed to, and perhaps even thrive upon, solving today’s pressing and pushing on tomorrow. But have you looked beyond this week, this month, or even this year?

When’s this economy ever going to break? Two years after the recession was officially announced to be over, the question still painfully lingers for many small and medium-sized businesses. The question I am often asked is, “What steps should I be taking?”

Peu de gens peuvent constater l'étonnante activité qui frappe depuis peu le marché des fusions et acquisitions.

Plusieurs sociétés, qui avaient imposé un moratoire sur l'activité de F&A en raison de la turbulence économique des dernières années, refont surface en cette période de calme relatif de lente reprise de l'économie.

Few can appreciate how surprisingly busy the market for mergers and acquisitions has recently become. Many companies, who put a moratorium on M&A activity as a result of the economic turbulence over the last several years, have re-surfaced during this period of relative calm with the slow recovery of the economy. 

Tax planning should be part of a holistic, coordinated strategy Individuals with significant assets encounter many obstacles before they can fully enjoy, grow and retain their wealth. At the same time, there are many opportunities to help avoid and get around the various obstacles and landmines for those prudent enough to take the proper precautions. It all comes down to advance planning.

The first quarter of 2011 has come and gone!  We have seen a noticeable uptick in deal flow and deal quality at the end of Q1 and into Q2. The owners that we have spoken to seem to be relatively happy with their 2010 results, current business momentum, and the 2011 outlook. In particular, with these economic tailwinds, buyers are once again active and are eager to buy.  Are you ready to sell?

Le premier trimestre 2011 est déjà dernière nous! Nous avons observé une hausse appréciable du nombre de transactions et de la qualité de celles-ci, à la fin du 1er trimestre et au début du deuxième. Les entrepreneurs contactés semblent relativement heureux de leurs résultats de 2010, du dynamisme commercial actuel et des perspectives pour 2011. Avec ce vent favorable, les acheteurs ont notamment retrouvé leur niveau d'activité et sont désireux de faire des acquisitions. Êtes-vous prêts à vendre?  

Management-by-walking-around and gut checks may help you initially, but their effectiveness diminishes as your business expands and you delegate responsibilities. As your decisions shift to strategies from tactics, you must use accurate data to make data-based choices.

Yesterday, stung by the recession, thoughts had been about protecting business assets and survival.  After a tough two years of hanging on, as a business owner, your thoughts now shouldn’t be about “hanging on” and waiting for things to change. Business owners must understand the environment they face and be prepared for the magnitude of potential political and economic changes they may face.  Growth and success is possible, but businesses should plan on an extended period of slow growth.

When things are good, businesses can get away with paying less attention to business performance. But with the challenges we’re now facing, working “on” your businesses is not just wise, it’s essential.

An Executive Director of a Chamber recently told me that of all the seminars she puts on, the seminars on business development and increasing sales are the most highly attended. Not surprising, given the struggles most businesses experienced during the Great Recession. Owners are also finding it more difficult to bring in more business than they did in the past. During the good times of yesteryear, businesses didn’t have to work real hard at bringing in new customers or increase sales to existing customers. They came in as part of what was then, the ever rising high tide of increased wealth and over spending.   

L’effondrement de la bulle techno d’il y a dix ans n’est plus qu’un vague souvenir, tout comme les convulsions économiques qui ont suivi les tristes célèbres attaques du 11 septembre. Bien que les hauts et les bas qui nous a amenés de la reprise à la croissance ait été grisants au milieu de la dernière décennie, si l’on fait un retour arrière à partir du milieu de l’année 2008 jusqu’à la fin de 2009 (période de 18 mois), ce qui se distingue est l’extraordinaire recul et dévastation économique que nous avons éprouvés. À l’aube d’une nouvelle décennie marquée par la reprise, nous avons quelque peu mûri, mais nous n’en sommes pas moins un peu « commotionnés ».

As a new decade dawns in a period of recovery; we’re a little older, but still a little “shell shocked”. Hopefully as we go forward, we’ve become more realistic with our “Great Expectations” for the decade ahead. The roller coaster we experienced over the last 10 years has perhaps stopped for the moment,   but only long enough to allow some brave souls to get on and others to get off.  As it is starting up again, what were the significant trends in Mergers & Acquisition activities of the last decade that might help us project how to better handle the ride ahead?

By following the “4 Step Process”, a one- or two-page outline can offer a concise and powerful plan providing needed direction and guidance in moving forward through the recovery. It will take some owner time, but not a large investment. Also, it is something that can be done on their own or with limited guidance.

Most business owners and managers today maintain a continuing concern and a crisis mentality dealing with the future economy. Why then is there still not more optimism and positive future planning? The reason is that while most executives are coping relatively well with the demands and effects of the economic crisis, they have not yet adjusted to the “new normal”.  However the “new normal” is not new at all. It represents a return to old-fashioned business values of using leverage judiciously, watching cash flow rigorously, investing in people and systems, and keeping an eye out for growth. This recession presents an unprecedented opportunity, at least in a generation, when small to medium sized businesses have access to a large pool of well-trained and highly experienced personnel; yet people problems loom on the horizon.

The party is over; you can no longer leverage yourself to success betting on inflated values and unlimited growth. Instead you must build an efficient business model predicated on sound financial principals and clear strategy.

To state that it has not been a terribly good year, would be a tremendous understatement. From real estate, to stock investments, to credit line decreases, to credit unavailability, both consumers and almost all sectors of business were hit and hit hard.

Eliminating the dependence of a business on its owner is arguably the most important factor in enabling a profitable sale.

A smooth exit requires sound planning years in advance.

Succession planning is one of those management issues that rarely gets attention until a partner announces plans to leave or retire, or, more disastrously, is suddenly removed by illness or death.

70 million baby boomers in the United States are fast approaching retirement age during the next five to 20 years. They will transfer 10 trillion dollars to later generations.

Just as the maturation of the baby boomer generation will place unprecedented strain on social security and health funding, so the boomer business transition bulge will strain and possibly overwhelm the available supply of buyers.

A family business holds both the financial capital of the family, and the ‘sweat equity’ devoted by its members. Attachment is both financial and emotional. Family dynamics are complex and have the potential to bring even the best business asunder.

Many business owners never achieve the full potential value when they sell their business. Why does this happen?

Most of us are well aware of the failure rate of starts ups. Around the world, the statistics tell the same story – 50 per cent of privately owned businesses fail in the first year and 95 per within the first five years.

With more businesses for sale than potential buyers, who will buy your business? And how significant is your business to your overall wealth? Your business needs to be rock-solid and able to generate continued earnings beyond transition.

Demographic trends & shifts are creating significant changes to the global economy with the implications flowing down to the economies of developed and developing nations and in particular to those wishing to exit their business over the next decade.

Only one third of privately owned businesses successfully move through transition to new ownership. While most owners have a vision for life after business the majority don’t have a plan in place to realize it.

An aging population, technology, changing world demographics and online growth are just some of the reasons why it's going to be anything but business as usual.

Shareholder agreements protect shareholders and relationships. The corporation is the most common structure for businesses around the world, regardless of their size or primary area of activity.

The second of a two part series. In Part 1 we looked at the mechanics of selling your business. In this one we deal with how to build the business’ value prior to sale.

Many business owners fail to realize the value of their years of effort and investment because the selling process itself is poor.

Preparing for a business transfer is a long and complex process that can entail many difficulties. It is best achieved with a firm of transition specialists to ensure coordinated action.