Category Archives: The liquidity event and beyond

A successful exit is a great measure of a good journey.

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Dave Berkus

               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 →

Posted in The liquidity event and beyond | 2 Comments

Timing is everything in a sale of a business.

Posted on September 17, 2011 by Dave Berkus

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 →

Posted in The liquidity event and beyond | 3 Comments

List ten companies that could buy your business.

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Dave Berkus

                This is an exercise I perform with my boards no less than once every several years in planning exercises attended by the board and senior management, sometimes augmented with an industry consultant or expert from the outside.                 Use a … Continue reading →

Posted in Positioning, The liquidity event and beyond | 2 Comments

There are three kinds of business buyers.

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Dave Berkus

           This is one of my favorite insights, since I lived this one in a positive exit from my computer business.  Most people will tell you that there are two kinds of eventual buyers for your business: financial and strategic.  … Continue reading →

Posted in The liquidity event and beyond | 2 Comments

Think of your exit as you commit your resources along the way.

Posted on August 27, 2011 by Dave Berkus

           Each decision you make to commit resources affects the future value of the business to some degree.  Minor decisions, such as replacing employees who have left the company or equipment needing updating, are usually considered operational in nature, and … Continue reading →

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Create equity value with every step.

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Dave Berkus

You may be an architect or doctor or other professional managing your business, knowing that the end game value of your client or patient list is small and not easily transferred to any buyer without attrition.  In such a case, … Continue reading →

Posted in Positioning, The liquidity event and beyond | 1 Comment

Does even a taste of ownership make a difference?

Posted on June 2, 2010 by Dave Berkus

                 How about incentives for employees all the way down the line and through the corporation? How do we align them to the goals and strategies of the enterprise?  Obviously for the appropriate individuals, a bonus program aligned to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Depending upon others, Surrounding yourself with talent, The liquidity event and beyond | 1 Comment