Author Archives: Dave Berkus

Isn’t the goal of any negotiation to get the maximum possible out of the other side?  I have learned from long experience that the last bit of concession is the most expensive in a negotiation.  Invariably, it’s after the negotiation, … Continue reading →

You’ve surely heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, in which Abraham Maslow laid out a human’s needs from the physiological first, to safety, then love and belonging, on to esteem and finally self-actualization. Assuming that you have now passed through … Continue reading →

Some companies have good, formal stock option plans with properly priced options set to reward all in the event of a corporate sale.  Usually, the higher the ranks, the more the options held and therefore the greater reward at exit.  … Continue reading →

                Be honest now.  Have you ever thought of what legacy you’ll leave behind?  If you are an entrepreneur or CEO, surely you’ve thought of how you’ll be remembered by your associates and stakeholders after you move on.                  We’ve … Continue reading →

               I’ve been involved with well over a dozen successful exits and four initial public offerings over the years, some of them with monstrous gains, some more modest.  Then in addition, there are the exits that returned some portion of … Continue reading →

I have saved this next story until now because it is one of my favorites, and certainly illustrates the point as well as anything I could devise from fiction. First here is a bit of the background.   The year was … Continue reading →