POST CATEGORY : Entrepreneurs

Why Private Companies Need to Act Like Public Companies

Here’s a good tip for all private middle market business owners looking to improve the value of their business: Act like a public company.

Why Private Companies Need to Act Like Public Companies

According to Robert Slee, author of Private Capital Markets: Valuation, Capitalization and Transfer of Private Business Interests, private companies that structure themselves and act like public companies reap tremendous advantages regardless of whether they ever become a public company:

Here’s why: When performing a market valuation of a private company for new financing or other reasons, analysts tend to use public “comps” of like public company transactions. In most cases this is the only available data in the market.…

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Is 2012 The Year You Propose A Business Offer?

things to consider when composing a business proposal

As the clock winds down on 2011, you may be considering the idea of crafting a business proposal going into the New Year.   If that is the case, there are a number of matters that will come into play.

In the event that the coming year is the time for you to throw a business proposal or two out there on a regular basis, keep several factors in mind.

Among them are:

  • When writing a business proposal, make sure that the documentation answers any and all questions that the client may have. Before you write the proposal, run through your head any and all questions you believe the client may come at you with, including funding, customer service, and quality of work and so on.
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How to Pick the Right CRM Software for Your Business

Running a business seems glamorous and exciting – you are not told what to do; you get to pick who you work with; you get to pick out the look of the office; you get paid the most money; get the best office; get to connect with powerful people. The list of exciting decisions truly never seems to stop; however there are plenty of boring and mundane decisions a business owner has to take into consideration – which HR software to choose; which email marketing software to choose; employee background check hassles, and finally, choosing customer relationship management (CRM) software.

hot to pick crm software for your business

For those who are unfamiliar, CRM software helps a company manage their interactions with customers and clients.…

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Personal And Professional Development With PRINCE2 Training

project management with Prince2 training

PRINCE2 is a process-based methodology that offers non-proprietorial best practice guidance on project management, encompassing the management, control and organisation of a project. In addition to being used as a widely-used standard for effective project management internationally, it also takes the form of an official certification for accredited project managers across a wide range of sectors. Effective project management is critical to any business or organisation looking to successfully complete a new project whether it is IT, building or any other sector.

When making sure you and your people have the skills they need to become successful project managers it’s important to look beyond the project management certification.…

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Priorities For Technology Due Diligence

There is limited time and access during M&A due diligence. Knowing this, it is critical to focus on the high priority areas with the largest affect on risk.

merger and acquisition IT due diligence

As we discussed in our previous article, “Due Diligence for Mergers and Acquisitions – Why include IT“, technology due diligence is a critical part to evaluating a merger or acquisition. The less time spent the higher probability of extended integration or other issues. We now discuss which parts of IT due diligence to prioritize in order to minimize risk.

People

  • If the organization you are acquiring has proprietary technology, evaluating the personnel is critical as they support the technology.
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5 Things You Didn’t Know Your Small Business Needs

5 things you didn't know your business needed

You feel good about the business you’ve built. You’ve got the funding; you’ve got the business plan. You’ve got everything you need to run a successful company”¦or do you?   We’ve compiled a list of the top five things you didn’t know your company needed to help make sure you do.

A website

You would think in 2011 this would be common knowledge but 46 percent of small businesses don’t have a website, according to Entrprenuer.com, so it needs to be mentioned.   So, what are they waiting for? If you want to be successful, you need to be online.

An online presence

What good is your website if no one knows where it is?…

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Due Diligence for Mergers and Acquisitions – Why Include IT?

include IT in merger due diligenceAs we start to see mergers and acquisitions activity ramp up, we shift focus to the value of technology due diligence.

What do you review during due diligence? You probably look at financials, customer lists, markets and existing executives. You may even review operations, eyeing potential efficiencies, such as those gained by integrating departments like HR, accounting and IT.

Randy Myers, CFO Magazine, states “For CFO’s, valuing the synergies to be realized by eliminating overlapping or redundant systems and operations is a fundamental aspect of M&A due diligence.” But how often do you review the technology area itself?

Not planning ahead can be painful.…

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How To Pick The Right Office Furniture And Why It Really Matters

choosing the right office furnitureAs a small business CEO, there is a ton to think about – finances, hiring, marketing, social media, branding, partnerships. As someone who gives advice to small business owners and entrepreneurs, I know just how much advice is out there when it comes to best practices and business plans.

However, as someone who also works in an office 40 hours a week, I also know that there is one subject that is not quite as discussed, but just as important – office furniture.

Many new CEO’s find themselves hard-pressed for time just before the opening of a new business, so office furniture is put by the wayside.…

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Does Your Business Really Need To Go Wireless?

In-Stat recently released a study which predicts that wireless services would have exceeded wireline voice by 2012. This is not surprising as more businesses consider mobility as a business necessity rather than just a lark.

small businesses are going wireless

The importance of connectivity is emphasized now more than ever and it is particularly crucial since more businesses operate online and do not have a brick and mortar presence. According to the same study, small business spending would be spent more on wireless technology and the largest that the industry will be spending on is cloud computing.

It seems that working in a remote location is more than just a passing trend.  …

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3 Ways To Ensure Your Business Is Protected Online

Technology has undoubtedly been beneficial to businesses of all sizes. With the promise of convenience, convergence and collaboration, we have yet to see a promising business which has an aversion to using technological tools.

Although it is tempting to get the latest trends and tools for business improvement, there are still, in my opinion, two things that may make business owners become apprehensive about: lack of budget and security breach risks. While the budget can be worked out by allotting funds to strengthen the business, security breaches are often the most overlooked.

keeping your business secure online

Small businesses have as much to fear on online targeted attacks as corporation giants do, maybe even more.…

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