Why You Should Fire Yourself
Articles, Improving Company Value If you find yourself in a position where your customers always insist on speaking with you directly instead of your employees, then you might want to consider shifting your structure so you can improve the value of your business. Here's…
Why Companies are Adopting Subscription Billing Models
Articles, Recurring Revenue Volvo recently announced they will make their cars available on a subscription model where consumers will pay one fixed fee per month for access to a car which includes insurance and maintenance. Everything from tooth brushes to flowers…
The One Number Owners Need to Stop Focusing On
Articles, Building a Valuable Company The value of your business comes down to a single equation: what multiple of your profit is an acquirer willing to pay for your company? profit × multiple = value Most owners believe the best way to improve the value of their company…
The Hidden Downside of This Common Management Idea
Articles, Improving Company Value Cross selling new products and services to your existing customers may be a great marketing strategy, but if your goal is to increase the value of your business, the added revenue may do nothing for your company’s value – and may even lower…
The Big Thing Holding Back Small Businesses
Articles, Improving Company Value Small businesses stay small either by choice, or because they start chasing growth in the wrong places. When you strip away the layers, it all comes down to darts. Imagine a dart board with a bull’s eye and around it is a series…
Why You Should Exit While You’re Ahead – A Cautionary Tale
Articles, Exit Plan The very best time to sell your business is when someone wants to buy it. While it can be tempting to continue to grow your business forever – particularly when things are going well -- that decision comes with a significant downside. Take…
Starting Vs. Growing a Business
Acquisition, Articles Most company founders are good at the first stages of entrepreneurship. But in the phases that follow, they may only be average. Just because you have a knack for starting companies, doesn’t necessarily mean that those skills translate well…
Ownership Has Its Privileges
Articles, Building a Valuable Company Walk down Nashville’s Lower Broadway any night of the week, and you can hear aspiring artists belting out cover tunes from Elton John to Garth Brooks. In many cases, these musicians come to Nashville to be discovered but pay…
Run Your Private Company Like It’s Public
Articles, Building a Valuable Company Small businesses often operate as if their sole purpose is to fund the owner’s lifestyle, but the most valuable companies are run with financial rigor. You may be years from wanting to sell, but starting to formalize your operations now will…
Being Stingy With Your Equity
Articles, Selling Your Business It can be tempting to offer shares in your company to finance its growth. These days, there are plenty of investors chasing promising new companies and, in today’s tight labour market, employees are getting more brazen in their demands for…