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How Accelerators Can Help Your Business Grow Startups need money to, well, startup. In order to get money, fundraising is a likely path that most startups will travel. There are many different funding sources available, and the usefulness of each[...]

The A to Z’s of Carveout Guaranties When utilizing a loan to acquire an investment property, there are two basic types available to the buyer: recourse and non-recourse. Regardless of the type of loan, the borrower may be asked to[...]

The legality of investing in life settlements* (also referred to as a "life settlement") traces back to a 1911 Supreme Court decision, Grigsby vs. Russell, 222 U.S. 149. In Grigsby, a life insurance company refused to pay out the death benefit proceeds on the grounds that the policy had previously been sold to a third party who had no insurable interest in the insured.

So You're Selling a Business: Now What? For most business owners, selling a business is a once-in-a-lifetime event. These owners want to maximize their proceeds and they may be super salespeople, but likely have little experience selling a business. In fact,[...]

Agriculture, as an investment sector, is in its infancy. Even though agriculture accounts for 3% of global economic activity, related public markets are still severely under-developed. In addition, the sector has recently been out-of-favor; so many investors are either ignoring or overlooking its longer-term potential.

A Company Is Only as Good as Its Worst Behavior What is the worst behavior that your company’s leadership will tolerate? Think about it for a minute. That behavior, particularly if it is repeatedly tolerated, defines your organizational culture. There[...]

How to Move on Quickly and Successfully We have all experienced failure in our professional lives. And while no one enjoys opening old wounds, it is important to examine our failures so we can learn from them. In the workplace[...]

The market for online alternative investments has been growing at a steady pace the past few years. Issuers of private placements have realized that they have the opportunity to reach a larger number of accredited investors by using third-party internet platforms. As an investor, it is important to know what distinguishes each type of platform out there, and what to watch out for when considering an online alternative investment.

Let’s Make this (Customer) Relationship Work The customer relationship is one of the most important relationships a business will have. As companies grow, expanding their customer base, their sales and marketing activities can become vastly more complicated. Companies that have[...]

Weekly Meal Planning for a Healthier You and a Happier Bank Account Being fit and healthy impacts more than just clothing size. Research has shown that employees with a healthy BMI earn more money over the course of their career[...]

An introduction to Employer Site Visits It is nearly impossible to imagine the modern U.S. workplace without foreign nationals. Companies across the nation, in a wide variety of industries, rely on their specialized knowledge and invaluable professional experience to remain[...]

An Overreliance on Market Terms Business professionals commonly negotiate transactions by reference to what is “market.” This makes great sense for the people who are responsible for negotiating price. Valuation and pricing methods are relatively tried and true after all,[...]

Succession Planning Means Looking Beyond the Second Generation Most family businesses don’t make it beyond the second generation. Even fewer reach the third generation of ownership. Why is that? As much as one generation would like to hand the business[...]

Change is Constant, the Pace of Change Increases Our world is constantly changing but the pace of change has increased exponentially. The way we adopt and adapt to new technology far outpaces 10, 20 or 50 years ago. People expect[...]

Your Closet and Your Career Will Thank You You have finally decided that it is time to amp up your wardrobe! Boring black pants and a button-down shirt are not cutting it anymore. You want to get noticed by your[...]

Striking a Balance in the Relationship Between GPs and LPs The relationship between GPs and LPs- that is, between a “General Partner” and “Limited Partners” in the multi-trillion private equity industry is a complex symbiosis. General Partners (GPs) are the[...]

Is One a Better Investment Than the Other? Some of my investors have recently expressed concern about owning single-tenant properties.  They cite the all-or-nothing risks of occupancy and renewal as the primary objections to these types of investments.  These are[...]

Editor's Note: This is an updated version of a similar article published on February 3, 2016. This article updates, amends and supersedes that earlier article. Nobody Said It Was Easy (Selecting a Private Equity Manager) Selecting a private equity manager[...]

The “This is Spinal Tap” Lawsuit If you’ve never seen This is Spinal Tap, close your browser immediately and watch. The 1984 “mockumentary” about a fictitious British rock band touring America belongs on the Mount Rushmore of movie comedies. It birthed[...]

How Do I Love Thee Advantages of a Buy-Sell Agreement? Let Me Count the Ways... Businesses with more than one owner face unique challenges in planning for the future. A buy-sell agreement is an arrangement between business partners to govern[...]