-
Search this blog
Archives
-
Recent Posts
Categories
Author Archives: Dave Berkus
Fight for balance on your board!
In my last insight, I described the CEO who stacked the board with two friends, making a majority for control purposes and relegating the investor representatives to insignificance. There were no outside board members with industry experience, no members the … Continue reading
The need for a board grows with complexity
Start-ups with one founder rarely have or need a board of directors. In fact, such a board would seem out of place in a one person company. As soon as any outside money is ingested into the corporation, others have … Continue reading
Board members must protect the coporation before themselves.
All other board functions are secondary. Even venture capitalists who sit on boards where they have significant investments often forget this point. They write into their investment documents that they will occupy a seat on the board for as long … Continue reading
Posted in General, Surrounding yourself with talent
3 Comments
Consultants are only as good as the advice you take.
At one time or another, most all businesses use consultants to fill the gaps in knowledge or to provide guidance for management. Consultants are good in that you can sample their work with short projects, change to other consultants … Continue reading
Good tax planning is both legal and smart.
When do you cross the line between honesty and dishonesty in tax planning? Is it ethical to allocate income between periods to take advantage of tax breaks? Can expenses be put off until the next period to increase income, or … Continue reading
Accountants “plan-alyze”. Bookkeepers count beans.
This is a distinction we need to repeat on occasion, especially for new CEO’s looking to pay a low wage for advanced financial analysis, whether with an independent contractor or an employee. Accountants are trained, certified and usually quite experienced … Continue reading
The value of legal advice isn’t measured by a law degree.
Over the years in business and as a member of over forty boards, I have received good advice from corporate attorneys and on occasion bad advice as well. There is a line that should be drawn in a relationship … Continue reading
Associate with competitors. Share carefully.
Many of us belong to industry associations and find ourselves at conferences and trade shows with time to spend with competitors. Some of these are old friends; some even former associates. It is natural to want to associate with … Continue reading
Posted in Growth!, Surrounding yourself with talent
3 Comments
Great relationships are among your most valuable assets.
As you follow these insights from ignition to liquidity event, you’ll detect a continuing theme, emphasizing the need for deep and wide relationships that the CEO and senior staff can call upon for advice and guidance. This is the … Continue reading
Outside directors are a price of investment.
Once a company founder has tapped the funds available from his or her resources and from friends and family, if the company needs more cash for growth, the most obvious next step is to look for money from angel … Continue reading
Posted in Growth!, Ignition! Starting up, Raising money
Leave a comment
