Financial Poise™ has one mission: to provide reliable plain English business, financial and legal education to individual investors, entrepreneurs, and other private business owners.

Normalization of marijuana continues to push legislatures towards legalization, which will have an important effect on private equity firms as they invest in cannabis.

Whether you are a lone wolf angel, part of an angel group, or investing in a VC fund, the threshold question is: is investing in venture capital for you?

Safeguarding Your Business with a Solid Risk Management Plan All business entities face risk.  Some aspects are insurable, while some are not. But just because it’s insurable, does that mean you should buy insurance?  Organizations today are transitioning from simply[...]

Investing in Hollywood diversifies a portfolio for investors who deem it “worth the risk,” with the potential for venture capital-style returns.

The Purchase Agreement is the principal arena of negotiation. Understanding the document and its risks is foundational to the sale of your business.

More than 42% of Americans will retire broke, according to a survey taken by GOBanking Rates. For the third year in a row, thousands of individuals were polled to ascertain how much the average American has set aside for retirement, and the results may, and should, shock you.

Looking to invest in a startup? Learn about investing in venture capital, the perfect stage to invest and what to know about VC fund management fees.

The crowdfunded securities of yesterday were rife with illiquidity. Today, secondary markets for crowdfunded securities have emerged and continue to grow.

Whether you’re considering investing in cryptocurrencies, cannabis, businesses that leverage blockchain or the latest emerging technology, you’re ultimately considering investing in non-traditional, “alternative” investments.

What happens when a family business with debt and no exit strategy faces a crisis? Read about their alternative solution: a distressed debt investor.

Consumer trends are changing rapidly due to technology, social consciousness and emerging industries, making the consumer goods industry an exciting one to consider adding to your portfolio.

There is considerable potential in equity crowdfunding, but all investors should be aware of the advantages and disadvantages to such investing.

Equity crowdfunding has changed in notable ways since its introduction in 2012, and is now primed to revolutionize how we finance companies and investments.

Learn how EBITDA, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, facilitates financial comparison among companies in the same sector.

Your company has decided which marketing tactics to use, now how do you use digital marketing analytics tools? Learn about google analytics and other tools.

In Part 2 of the series on online marketing, we explore social media marketing strategy, email marketing, pay per click and blogging as effective tactics.

Read this first of three articles on online marketing for entrepreneurs, and learn the importance of building a website and mastering SEO.

Get high returns by diversifying your portfolio with tangible assets like sports memorabilia, fine art and precious metals. Invest in an existing hobby and diversify with your diversion.

Are you planning to sell your business or otherwise transition its leadership? Here's how to plan and stage your company for transitioning at maximum value.

What is the difference between angel investing and VC? The first difference is money. Angel investors invest much smaller amounts. VC takes it from there.

Divorce is more than a legal process. It’s an emotional one, too. Read about the four divorce process steps, including the announcement and the aftermath.

How does the court calculate damages in trade secrets misappropriation cases? Learn how to measure actual loss, reasonable royalty rates and other remedies.

In John Drachman's latest article, he explores six ways private equity can be a terrific component of a savvy investor’s retirement plans.

Think of the LOI as akin to a father asking his daughter’s date, “What are your intentions with my daughter, young man?” but doesn’t have to be that intimidating.

Crowdfunding has evolved from rewards-based funding to equity crowdfunding under Title III of the JOBS Act. Is crowdfunding for you?

Equity crowdfunding developed under Regulation D matches startups with angel investors in weeks rather than months, shortening timelines all around.

In the first of three parts, discover the origins of crowdfunding, which started as rewards-based funding allowing investments in projects in return for rewards.

Take a lesson from poker, where an increasing number of sharks are chasing fewer fish. Today’s investors must raise their skill level over other investors or (cue Jaws theme music) bad things can happen.

Marketing to Millennials: A Major Challenge for Financial Services Industry When it comes to managing their money, the nation’s millennials march to a different beat; one that has the financial services industry feeling out of step. Predictably, millennials are more[...]

Employees Have Retirements Staked on Company Success An employee stock ownership plan, commonly referred to as an ESOP, offers a range of benefits for sponsor companies, in addition to its owners and employees. As a qualified employee benefit plan, an[...]

How Non-Grantor Trusts Help Protect Your Assets from State Income Tax In 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was signed, restricting many of the deductibles on state income taxes. As a result, a great deal of discussion lately[...]

Inaction Dissatisfaction is Preferable to Buyer's Remorse At a client’s recent board meeting we were evaluating making a bid on a rival business worth $100 million. Our management had spent years positioning itself for the opportunity to obtain this business,[...]

Bad Bosses Don't Communicate Vulnerabilities In her campaign for the Democratic nomination, Minnesota’s Senior Senator Amy Klobuchar’s campaign has had to deal with blowback from former staff, who alleged mal-treatment. She was asked about this on a recent CNN-hosted town[...]

Like Snowflakes, They Vary Transitions in family-owned businesses can take many forms and be challenging endeavors. From a change of control, as the torch is passed from one generation to the next, to the much more life-changing sale of the[...]

How Non-Disclosure Agreements and Precautions Can Save a Business Deal In the summer of 2014, French asset manager Vincent Le Stradic boarded the train from London to Paris. Deciding to work on the train, Le Stradic laid bare the details[...]

Counseling Family Businesses Through Divorce [Editor’s Note: It has been three years since we profiled Financial Poise Columnist Carrie Rosenbloom, who is also an attorney, educator, mediator and therapist. She has since opened her own firm, Evolve Family Business, and[...]

As Legalization Nears, Marijuana and CBD Investment Opportunities Surge Cannabis-infused beer? How about Cannabis Gummy Bears? With more states legalizing marijuana for medical and recreational use, the opportunities for investing in cannabis are now endless. Recently, House Representative and Rules[...]

Business valuation is both a science and an art You need both your right and left brains when you set about valuing businesses, which is an endeavor that is mostly science, with a fair bit of art added in. To[...]

Buyers' End Game Affects Suitability As an owner considers a sale of a business, it is critical to identify the goals of the transaction, and match those objectives with the most suitable prospective buyer. There are many different kinds of[...]

Incidents are Perpetually, Dramatically On the Rise Data breaches are happening at an alarming pace and, just as disturbing for those trying to head them off, there is no common denominator cause. Fortunately, adopting a best-practices approach can help your[...]

Overview of the Alternative Assets Landscape [Editor’s Note:  This is the fourth installment in a series of articles dedicated to the 95% of people in the U.S. who have never invested in a startup, a venture capital fund, a private[...]

What to Consider Before Making Your Retirement Move The best advice for retirement is simple: plan early. You may have enrolled in a 401k and saved money, but knowing how to retire is more than that. Whether you want to[...]

Does Legacy Rate Higher with You, or Pure Profit? Thinking about selling your business? Is maintaining its integrity and mission more important to you than pure profit? Then an Employee Stock Ownership Plan may be something to consider. Some business[...]

We recently got to know DarcMatter - a fully transactional platform that offers transparent, institutional-level access to alternative investment opportunities, and the company's CEO, Sang Lee. Investors can source private investment opportunities in hedge funds, private equity, venture capital, and structured debt opportunities. By using technology and designed feeder funds, DarcMatter can provide a frictionless process for both investors and private issuers while remaining fully compliant with all financial regulations.

You are a small business owner and you’ve had a great relationship with your lender. In fact, your relationship manager is a member at your country club. Everything has been great for years, business has been booming and there have[...]

The North Capital companies consist of a registered investment advisor (RIA), a registered broker-dealer, and a financial technology company that has developed innovative, proprietary platforms focused on transforming the accessibility, transparency, and cost structure of advisory services and private markets through the use of technology. Jim Dowd, Founder and Managing Director of the North Capital companies, has 30 years of industry experience in global financial services. Jim is leading the charge in pioneering the democratization of venture capital through offerings such as what it describes as the first online crowdfunding marketplace syndicating broker-vetted private offerings.

A Rankings Review Thanks to CB Insights, Mattermark and Preqin, it’s now easier to find top venture capital fund managers based on performance, fees and follow-on investments. The institutional alternative asset classes, such as Venture Capital and Private Equity, can[...]

IRAs Defined An Individual retirement account (IRA) is just that – an account where an individual, without the assistance of an employer (like a 401k requires), invests money that will grow over time. The purpose of this exercise is to[...]

Essential (& Some Surprising) Facts Credit Suisse’s Global Wealth Report is one of the most comprehensive analyses of the world’s wealth, and provides keen insights into the health of the global economy. We took a fresh look at the most[...]

A Conversation with Jim Poolman [Editor’s Note: Jim Poolman is Executive Director of the Indexed Annuity Leadership Council, a coalition of life insurance companies that offer fixed indexed annuities (FIAs). He outlined the benefits of this stable retirement savings vehicle[...]

Clarifying Roles and Responsibilities for Smooth Transitions In family business, a succession plan guarantees continuity. It ensures a smooth transition of leadership so that the business can carry on. Where no succession plan exists, the risk of turbulence and conflict[...]

Qualified Opportunity Investing with LIHTC Transactions There’s a lot of buzz on the subject of investment in Qualified Opportunity Zone Funds. Congressional sponsors were hopeful that this new tax benefit regime, created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of[...]

Diversification is Almost Always a Winning Strategy As noted in “When Stocks Decline, Alternative Investments May Help (Part 1),” the impact of asset allocation on volatility and returns has been widely debated, but a landmark study from the CFA Institute[...]

With Bear Market Approaching, Diversification an Attractive Option Someday you may be asked: “Where were you on March 9, 2009?” For market historians, that day marked the bottom of the Great Recession: the S&P 500 had just sunk below 700[...]

Avoid These Common Mistakes in Venture Capital The modern venture capital fund structure dates back to the 1960’s – but change is coming fast and furious! This article can help you make money in venture by conveying an insider’s tips[...]

Long-Term Care Insurance Protects You and Your Assets The biggest threat to one’s nest egg or the assets that he wishes to leave his loved ones is not necessarily a recession or tumbling stock market, but rather the debilitating march[...]

Advisory Board Roles and Responsibilities for Any Stage of Business The boards of directors of for-profit and non-profit organizations have the same fiduciary responsibilities: duty of care, duty of loyalty and duty of good faith.  While similar to fiduciary boards,[...]

Making Improvements that Will Benefit the Seller and the Buyer As you start thinking about selling your business you should also think about how you might make some improvements to the business to maximize business value to a buyer. Identify[...]

Many Moving Parts Drive a Sale As you consider selling your company, there are many different topics that, as an owner, you may need to assess. In evaluating whether to sell, an owner’s time and energy can become focused internally,[...]

To Make a Profit, Know the Do's and Don'ts Many people who consider themselves savvy investors have little or no direct experience with alternative investments, such as precious metals. The reasons for that are diverse and plentiful, but some of[...]