03:28:23 - This week in The Hub - Main Street Weekly

Curated from the world of SMB (small to medium business), From Tech Guide, Internal Communications, AI for Growth and more...

March 28, 2023

We do the research and bring you what’s pertinent when you want to grow, scale, buy or sell your first or your next business.

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In the News/Blogs …

Iron ore billionaire and green energy crusader Andrew Forrest has just fired the starter’s gun on what’s likely to be a wave of merger and acquisition (M&A) activity among small miners.

Forrest’s $760 million bid for nickel miner Mincor (ASX: MCR) is set to succeed, not because it’s a particularly generous offer, it’s more case of him having liquid cash firepower at a time when financial markets are in turmoil. [Smallcaps.com.au] (900 words) Read on…

If you’re looking to drive growth and expansion through mergers and acquisitions in the middle-market technology sector, discover the key steps for a successful M&A and unlock the potential of these smaller yet promising companies.

Dive into this comprehensive guide and find strategies to identify the right targets, conduct due diligence, and develop a winning M&A strategy. Don't miss out – find out how to navigate the complexities of the M&A process with ease and confidence. [Forbes.com] (1000 words) Read on…

For entrepreneurs, business owners and C-suite executives, a rise in M&A activity means they could be part of a deal in the near future. It would be wise to consider an employee communication plan a vital element in the event that an enticing deal comes to fruition.

Your merger and acquisition letter to your staff should include the following (in this order): [Business.com] (1350 words) Read on…

For businesses looking to optimize their operations and enhance customer experience (CX), artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as game-changing technology: systems that can perform complex tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as speech recognition, decision-making, and content creation.

With its capability to automate processes and personalize experiences, AI, including platforms such as ChatGPT, has become an invaluable asset for businesses of all sizes. For small businesses, AI offers three strategic advantages to enhance customer service, strengthen marketing and sales, and drive growth. [Harbard Business Review] (608 words) Read on…

The Fed chair said that recent developments, such as the SVB collapse, are likely to result in tighter credit conditions for both households and businesses. Nonetheless, the Committee remains highly attentive to inflation and continues to aim for an inflation rate of 2% in the long term. In support of these goals, the FOMC decided to raise the target range for the federal funds rate to 4-3/4 to 5%. [Forbes.com] (920 words) Read on…

When you should and shouldn't outsource, and how to find the right provider.

There are many benefits that small businesses can experience from outsourcing. It can be cost-effective and efficient and provide access to a larger pool of talent than what's available locally, which can help with scalability as well as provide specialized skills when you need them.

Find out the exact benefits of outsourcing and how can you do it effectively. [Inc.com] (800 more) Read on…

In the Pods …

Looking at M&A transactions from the sell-side, building value is the foremost goal for a business owner. Jonathan Wilson, the founder of Dubb Value Creation (Consulting Firm), returns to M&A Talk to discuss the importance of incorporating sell-side readiness into a strategic plan and outlines his eight key concepts for building value. He covers the importance of financial forecasts, reducing concentrations of risk, recurring and repeat revenue, synergies and dis-synergies, and the need to always have a growth strategy that can be described to a buyer.

(45:51) Listen in…

Michael Girdley (@Girdley) and Bill D’Alessandro (@BillDA) review a company that rents tents to colleges and universities.

Girdley also tells some stories, and Bill is smart as always! (24:21) Listen in…

FE International is an award-winning global M&A advisor of SaaS, e-commerce and content businesses. It has completed acquisitions for thousands of founders, owners and acquirers, and is the preeminent valuation thought leader in the industry. Its team includes experts in exit planning, valuation, accounting, legal and more.

94.1% sales success rate. Over 1,200 successful acquisitions. $39Bn of capital across an extensive global network of 80,000+ pre-qualified technology investors (51:13) Listen in…

In this episode, they talked about Mark's book, Exit Right. The book focuses on how to sell a business. Mark has sold companies as a CEO, invested in over a hundred businesses, and been on dozens of boards. He also shared why some transactions fail, what makes a good client, and more. He wanted to provide real stories and advice to help entrepreneurs navigate the process and make better decisions. (54:18) Listen in…

Structuring an acquisition can be complex, involving legal, financial, and operational considerations. Our panelists of top M&A experts provide their views on strategies and best practices.

Joining us are: - Marc Morgenstern - Author, Soul of the Deal: Creative Frameworks for Buying, Selling, and Investing in Any Business - Bill Snow - Author, Mergers & Acquisitions For Dummies - Kenneth Marks - Middle Market M&A: Handbook for Advisors, Investors, and Business Owners. (1:00:15) Listen in…

I fell into M&A by accident in 1999 with the sale of my publishing business. Fast forward a few years and I’d bought out a large competitor in another sector, merged it with my existing business, and sold it on to a London-based private equity firm in 2007 in a life-changing deal. (31:02) Listen in…

In the Knowledge

Many small businesses lack a full financial plan, even though evidence shows that it is essential to the long-term success and growth of any business.

For example, a study in the New England Journal of Entrepreneurship found that entrepreneurs with a business plan are more successful than those without one. If you’re not sure how to get started, read on to learn the six key elements of a successful small business financial plan. [Business.com] (1650 words) Learn on…

A variety of studies have recently crunched the numbers to find the best and worst states to start a small business.

The ranking method used data on a state’s business environment, access to resources, and the cost to run a business.

Here are the five best and five worst states to start your small business. [Yahoo Finance] (1072 words) Learn on…

You’ve heard from fellow creators how artificial intelligence is speeding up their content creation and increasing output. Some are touting hours of saved time, like Kajabi Hero Douglas Boyce III, and exclaiming that it’s the end of writer’s block once and for all. You’re sold.

You power up a content generator, prompt it to “write a blog on how to forage for mushrooms”, and the machine gets to work. A few seconds later, it spits out what it believes to be the perfect article—but it’s far from perfect. It’s missing important information, the tone of voice is all wrong, and it wrote only 500 words when you wanted 1,000. You could have written it better yourself. With one swift click, you close the tab and write off artificial intelligence forever. [Kajabi.com] (1482 words) Learn on…

In the BIG Guys Corner … (middle market and above)

North Carolina lender First Citizens Bank has agreed to take over most of Silicon Valley Bank, assuming $238 billion worth of assets, deposits and loans held by the entity created following the bank’s collapse.

As part of the transaction, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation said around $72 billion of assets are being bought at a discount of $16.5 billion. Around $90 billion in securities and assets will remain in receivership to be sold by FDIC. [Pitchbook.com] (350 words) Read more…

Toshiba has accepted an offer from a group led by Japan Industrial Partners in what would be Japan's biggest PE-backed take-private.

The consortium first offered to buy the struggling industrial giant in October and then made a formal offer of 2 trillion yen (around $15.3 billion) Feb. 9 after securing $10.7 billion in loans. [Pitchbook.com] (320 words) Read more…

In the Sosh … who to follow this week

I'm a Tech Entrepreneur with extensive experience (and a lot of luck!) in building tech-enabled companies in the digital media and publishing space. Bootstrapped >15 Content Websites in 10 countries, facilitating >$250m GMV p.a.

Co-Founded TreasureHunter to acquire, operate & scale Content Websites, thereby leveraging the pre-existing tech stack, international teams, know-how, and partnerships with renowned media outlets to help Content Creators and Founders to get to the next level and enable them the exit they dream of.

Get acquainted with Michael on LinkedIn and Treasurer.media and email.

Cliff provides a fully equipped, step-by-step methodology to help you support your clients in strategic business growth and intentional exit planning.

The key to successfully exiting your business is to understand three main elements: What your current position is from a Business, Personal and Financial perspective. Where you are going i.e.: how you plan to exit your business, what you are going to do post-exit and how much money you are going to need to retire - in order to live the lifestyle you want.

Create a plan to move you from where you are now to that exit-ready position.

Connect with Cliff on LinkedIn and Business by Design and email.

In the calendar …

The Exit Meetup is a local meet-up for like-minded business owners.

Meet others, and talk about growth and the opportunity to buy or sell. Plus, hear from a successful acquisition entrepreneur. This is an informative and entertaining meetup aiming to connect owners and investors in a fun environment. Check it out

A twice-monthly networking meeting where acquisitions entrepreneurs come together online to build teams, share ideas and resources, and help each other succeed. The first and Third Tuesday of each month. Check it out 

A live gathering of SMB, Micro-PE, and ETA Owners, operators, and Investors. Check it out

The official “Un-Conference” of micro-PE. Where Holding Companies Meet, Learn, Scale, and Grow. Check it out

YOUR SPONSORSHIP GOES HERE

(Reach out to Gia or Ron and show us some love). 

Connect with Gia Cilento - Editor & Co-Founder — LinkedIn Twitter

Connect with Ronald Skelton, Co-Founder — LinkedIn Twitter 

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