BUSINESS MATTERS
best practices at work
No matter the stage of business you are in, we can help!
DEVELOPMENT
GROWTH
SURVIVAL
EXIT
It all begins with a conversation. Contact us to discuss options for regarding business advisory and/or strategies.
What’s your business worth? If you are like 98% of business owners, the value of your largest asset may be a mystery.
The Power of Valuation
You would not start to plan your retirement 30 days before you retire right? So why wait to find out what your business is worth? Our cloud based valuation service harnesses the power of big data to deliver accurate valuation in the fraction of time and expense of a traditional valuation. We provide insights that save you time and money while making it easier to plan for the future of your business and your life.
Reasons for a Business Valuation
- Better understanding of Your Business and its potential
- Know the value of your largest so you can plan for Retirement.
- Ensure the business and your family are Properly Protected.
- Create a Succession Plan.
- Pay the right amount when you Buy a business.
- Get what its worth at sale.
- Create Buy/Sell Agreements with business partners.
- Explore Funding Opportunities.
- First step to an effective Exit Strategy
- Prepare for Taxable Events such as gifting or grants.
Bidding, Contracting & Bonding Strategies
We assist our clients with gaining more business, especially those clients who earn their work by bidding and contracting. The best technique used is Break Even Shifting, and it has taken our clients from a previously low bid success rate to winning 80% or more of bids made. In addition, we strategically assist clients to increase their bonding capacity and insure the most key elements of their contracting have been addressed prior to the bidding process to avoid potential oversights. Work with the experts who understand the process so your opportunities are not wasted.
Business TRusts
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The Corporate Holding Trust protects the shares membership interests or the stock ownership of the principals.
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The Sweeping Trust, lives outside of the company as a free standing entity and is designed to protect the liquid holdings and cash flow of the corporation.
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The Executive Holding is designed to protect the personal holdings and assets of the owners, officers and/or executives of the corporations. This is especially true with pass-through organizations.
Business Formations
The words legal and law seems to strike fear in the heart of most people. A lot of people fear going to an attorney’s office or even having to bring a matter to an attorney, mostly because of the unknown fees. Take comfort in knowing, when you have a need for legal business formation documents, you don’t always have to seek an attorney. Leave the fear behind. We are here to help.
Corporate Formation
Corporate Documents should be reviewed more often then when first prepared at the starting of your business or organization. Most have the original documentations, but in our experience we have learned most do not have comprehensive Operating Agreements, Articles of Incorporation, Minutes, Bylaws etc. These documents are must more than words on paper. It is your road map of how you conduct business, and insure your business is compliant as you address everyday corporate matters.
You also should have policies and procedural manuals and things of this nature. If you are ever brought to court, you will appreciate everyday documentation and its importance. Operational documentation should address procedures such as email handling, emergency operations, and more. All things that affect your business both from its internal and public practices. Your financial documents and contracts factor as well. If you need assistance and/or guidance to create or revise your corporate documentation, we stand at the ready to assist you.
Charitable Formation
LLC Formation
Are you certain your corporate structure allows you to pay less in taxes?
Have you truly examined your growth?
Is your business growth in alignment with an LLC structure?
If you are the 100 percent member, ask yourself what liability have you limited?
We can help you to examine if your structure is limiting your business.
The Debtor, The Saver & the Wealth Creator
CASH FLOW MANAGEMENT
The cash flow management process is essential to the ongoing success of a business. It of course starts with budgets in varied areas such as Operational, Marketing and Departmental. In order to properly adjust cash flow, you must be able to identify and prioritize these areas. You should know where and when funds should be spent, and always be aware of where funds are going to determine the best ROI.
It is also important to understand, when a change has to be made where should funds be allocated from. When is a line of credit appropriate? When is a loan appropriate? What type of loan? Without proper cash flow management, a business can suffer. Most companies are operating in a negative cash flow space, as their outgoing funds far exceed the income generated by the business.
We work with our clients to establish a positive cash flow management system that allows them the comfort of being able to handle emergencies and to get through the challenging economic seasons of business.
What’s your business challenge?
It's Just Good Business! You planned the start, did you plan the end?
BUSINESS CONTINUATION
Most companies establish and implement a disaster or emergency plan as a normal practice, yet they have not considered a proper business continuity plan. A disaster/emergency plan outlines the response actions for an unplanned interruption all with an element and goal of successful recover to restore normal operational functions.
What would happen if the business owner dies? The sudden death of a business owner may have a detrimental impact on the business, its employees, relationships, other owners, not to mention the owner’s family. A properly structured business continuation plan can answer the natural questions that arise such as: “What happens now?” Who is going to ….? How do we …? What do we about…?
The plan not only provides for the continuation of business management, but also a source of income for the decedent’s family, and a clear direction of future ownership.
BUSINESS SUCCESSION
The business succession is like the will of the owner of the company for a business. It comes about because the business owner cares and has considered the people employed, their future, the promises they have made over the years and their wish to have the business continue for their legacy purposes.
In order for this to happen, there must be a succession plan that speaks to the business continuing in the event of a sale, retirement, or death of the business owner. It would speak to how stock, shares, and other matters continue. Without a Business Succession Plan, it’s much like dying without a Will; however it addresses the business. It would be in the hands of the court to decide, and most often its liquidation. If this is not your plan, contact us to begin development of your Business Succession Plan.
Exit Strategies
Every smart investor, entrepreneur and business owner does not start a business without an exit in mind. You considered its ending just as you considered the start up. You have planned and thought about how and when you would like to retire, if the business is duplicated, if the business should continue under a partner or family member, and/or if you should sell the business.
If you haven’t thought about any of this, then our question is simple…What is your exit strategy? Have you thought about how and when you would leave the business? Have you considered profit high points, and the value of your business? What does the market tell you? Can you exit the business in tact? Also, does anyone else know of your exit strategy or is it simply only in your head, with no written and measurable plan?
Plan options are often established by combining a written agreement with certain types of business insurance, and may provide in great detail how issues are to be resolved in certain circumstances.