An Online Publication by Generational Equity
In recent months, the media has been bombarding us with stories related to hackers and cyber security. With large corporations like Sony having been the victims of hacker attacks, and MasterCard having been shut down by denial of service attacks, it can leave the small- to medium-size business owner feeling a little overwhelmed.
Still, one basic security measure many overlook is a simple focus on their individual and company password policies.
By Jerod Morris
We kick off today’s PBO link roundup with — shockingly — positive news from the mainstream media! The Wall Street Journal outlines why now is a great time to seek funding for your business due to a special tax break that closes at year’s end.
Also included in the roundup: important tips for business owners’ whose employees work outside; the inside story of Martha Stewart’s deleterious return to her company; why social media isn’t doing what we all thought it would; and, how the Chinese continue to hijack not just the products of others, but even entire stores.
As we have indicated before, M&A activity has made quite a comeback so far in 2011. With strategic players flush with cash and credit flowing, it is not surprising that deals are once again resurging.
In fact according to Dealogic, spending on M&A increased nearly 33% in the first quarter of 2011 over the prior year, reaching $608 billion. And most of that activity was driven by strategic acquirers.
If you want to sell your business, your timing couldn’t be any better. According to the ACG (Association for Corporate Growth), M&A activity is up by 30% through May of this year. The ACG’s 14,000 members include professionals from private equity firms, corporations and lenders that invest in middle-market companies, as well as law, accounting, investment banking, and other firms that provide advisory services. It is an international organization dedicated to fostering sound corporate growth primarily via mergers and acquisitions.
Because their membership is largely skewed towards dealmakers focusing on the U.S. middle market, their information is a really good barometer of M&A activity. According to the ACG, although M&A activity has not reached pre-recession levels yet, valuations have largely recovered. Given the significant amount of capital chasing deals right now, this is not surprising. In fact, according to Pricewaterhouse Coopers, we are at the beginning stages of a seller’s market. [Read more…]
Those of you that read this online publication on a regular basis know that we started a conversation several weeks ago on the topic of creating a buyer ready business. The first article looked at the emotions involved in deciding to sell and the second article examined some specific steps to create a buyer ready business.
So I was intrigued when a colleague forwarded an article delving into the challenges of growing an “entrepreneurial business.” This is a business that doesn’t just survive through the years but also thrives. This would also be, in keeping with our theme, a buyer ready business. So I thought I would share a few ideas from Ed Hess, professor of business administration and Batten Executive-in-Residence at University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.