M&A
Valuation
Financial Projections: Ensuring the PitchBook is Pitch-Perfect
Understand how financial projections factor into M&A pitchbooks, why buyers scrutinize them, and how advisors reconcile forward-looking assumptions with
May 15, 2014Insights
M&A insights & market research
Perspective on valuation, deal structure, and sector dynamics across the middle market — written for founders, owners, and investors.
M&A
Case Studies
Apple, Inc. Beats Acquisition: A Foot in the Door
Break down Apple's $3.2 billion acquisition of Beats Electronics, examining the strategic rationale, deal structure, and what it signals about big-tech M&A.
May 14, 2014M&A
Private Equity
Starting a MicroFund: Why Mini-Funds Will Be the Way of the Future
Makes the case for micro private equity funds as the future of small-cap investing, explaining how lower capital requirements benefit both founders and
May 13, 2014M&A
Business and Operations
Selling Your Business to a Competitor: Analyzing the Risk-Return Trade-offs
Analyzes the risk-return trade-offs of selling your business to a competitor, including when it makes sense, what premium to expect, and how to protect
May 12, 2014M&A
Business and Operations
Time to Sell Your Business: Five Reasons Why Now Might Be a Great Time
Review five market and economic conditions in 2014 that made it a favorable time to sell a business, including rising median sale prices, low interest rates
May 10, 2014M&A
Real Estate Investment
Real Estate: The Albatross of Today's Virtual Business Model
Owned real estate can become a liability for modern virtual businesses. Explore why physical property often weighs down asset-light companies and how sellers
May 8, 2014M&A
Marketing
Why Most Investment Banks Suck at Marketing
Most investment banks rely on referrals and ignore modern marketing channels. Explore why the M&A industry lags in content marketing and how advisors can use
May 7, 2014M&A
Market Research
Perfect Storm for M&A: Flush Balance Sheets & Higher Valuations
Examine why rising private company valuations and flush corporate balance sheets are creating ideal M&A conditions for mid-market deals in a post-recession
May 2, 2014M&A
Case Studies
A Mega-mess for Ad Agency Mega-Mergers
Examine the failed $35 billion Omnicom-Publicis merger, analyzing how disputes over power, tax approvals, and cultural clashes derailed what would have been
April 29, 2014M&A
Business and Operations
Owner Health Issues Plaguing Mergers & Acquisitions
Understand how owner health events can derail M&A transactions and why preparing to sell well before a health crisis arises protects business value and deal
April 28, 2014M&A
Business and Operations
Preparing Your Business For Eventual Sale
Learn why most middle-market owners fail to plan their business exit and how to build a practical sale preparation process that protects value well before
April 26, 2014M&A
Business and Operations
Throwing the Skeletons Out of the Closet
Learn why disclosing legal, financial, and operational issues before going to market is critical in M&A, with a real-world example of how hidden problems
April 11, 2014M&A
Business and Operations
How to Boost Business Value
Discover qualitative and quantitative methods to boost business value before a sale, from cleaning up financials to strengthening sales processes and
April 11, 2014M&A
Personal Growth Career
3 Posts I Wish I Would Have Written
A roundup of standout finance and M&A blog posts and videos the author wishes he had written first, covering clever ideas and educational content in investment
April 10, 2014M&A
Tax Strategy
Compensation Equity Transfers
Transferring equity to key employees or successors as compensation avoids gift tax pitfalls and supports smooth ownership transitions without triggering family
April 9, 2014M&A
Business and Operations
Key Questions to Shape Your Exit Strategy
Preparing for a business exit requires answering critical questions about taxes, timing, and ownership transfer. Learn the key considerations that shape a
March 21, 2014M&A
Tax Strategy
Self Directed IRAs: ROI Assessment
Self-directed IRAs offer a tax-sheltered way to diversify investments beyond stocks. Learn how to assess ROI potential and set up accounts that were once
March 20, 2014M&A
Personal Growth Career
Creativity is the Key to Business Success
Creativity drives business success by enabling entrepreneurs to connect disparate experiences and synthesize innovative solutions, as Steve Jobs and other
March 11, 2014M&A
Technology Software Development
Business Planning: Investing in Technology
Technology investment is a core component of small business planning and operations. Discover how strategic tech decisions support growth, improve efficiency
February 18, 2014M&A
Private Equity
Mistakes When Pitching to Angel Investors
Avoid the most common mistakes when pitching to angel investors by crafting a concise, compelling pitch that grabs attention and earns a formal presentation.
February 17, 2014M&A
Business and Operations
M&A: Stock Cross-Purchase Strategy
A stock cross-purchase lets shareholders buy out an owner directly rather than through the company, preserving flexibility and avoiding some drawbacks of the
February 17, 2014M&A
Business and Operations
How to Build a Scalable Business
Build a scalable business by automating processes, reducing asset-intensity, and reinvesting cash flows to sustain growth without proportional headcount
February 13, 2014M&A
Business and Operations
Proper Prior Preparation for a Corporate Merger
Prepare your company for a successful corporate merger by identifying synergies, evaluating potential partners, and addressing key pre-merger planning steps.
February 12, 2014M&A
Private Equity
Understanding the Role of Angel Investors
Learn what angel investors are, how they differ from venture capitalists, what they look for in startups, and how founders can effectively approach them for
February 10, 2014