Lessons from misalignment

Conventional wisdom – backed by plenty of research by esteemed consultancies such as KPMG, A T Kearney and McKinsey & Co – suggests that four out of every five mergers/acquisitions fail to deliver shareholder value.  So despite the billions of dollars flowing into...

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The Passion Trap

It's a funny thing, passion.  A quick Google search will unearth hundreds of quotes exhorting the reader to focus on doing what they love or have passion for, from Steve Jobs' "...the only way to do great work is to love what you do", to Marc Anthony's "If you do what...

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You may have heard this before, but…

"Repetition is the mother of learning, the father of action, which makes it the architect of accomplishment."  Zig Ziglar All too often, we need to hear things multiple times before they sink, particularly in the context of the sheer volume of communication noise we...

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The danger of aimless acquisitions

As you might expect, I deal with buyers on a daily basis, each enquiring about current opportunities or sharing their specific requirements in the event that something appropriate comes up.  In virtually every situation, the buyer appears to have a clear rationale for...

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It’s not just a business, it’s an asset

Consider this: you have studied the opportunities for a new widget, identified your target market, crafted a bulletproof marketing plan and commenced manufacturing.  You have dedicated months, perhaps years, to researching, testing, developing and funding this new...

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Book Launch: On Your Terms

I am very excited to announce that my first book, On Your Terms: 101 ways to prepare a business for sale or succession has just been launched and is available for purchase via Amazon.com.  As a launch special, On Your Terms is available for purchase for a limited time...

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The 10-minute Exit Plan

Okay, so by now you should be familiar with the concept and importance of exit planning if you own a business. It is fairly evident to all that at some stage, every business owner will depart their enterprise– voluntarily and by design, or otherwise. It is inevitable,...

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5 Ways to Prepare for Due Diligence

"You will find out things about your business that even you didn't know." And so it was that due diligence expectations were set for the CEO of a mid-sized consulting firm during a recent transaction.  The buyer, with the experience of dozens of prior transactions,...

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The 6 Ds of Business Ownership

An oft-cited theme amongst predatory property investors is the 3 Sacred Ds of Real Estate, which relates to three life events creating a "highly motivated vendor" scenario, being Death, Divorce and Debt.  Deceased Estates are prime targets of well-funded investors, as...

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