Sears, which was once a thriving department store, is dying a slow death and the company is grasping for cash in order to stay afloat. Last year, Sears borrowed $200 million from CEO Eddie Lampert’s hedge fund and most recently Sears agreed to sell Craftsman to Stanley Black & Decker. Under the terms of the […]
Strategy and Company Growth
Explore how to craft a robust and actionable strategy for the future.
Many company owners and executives know that M&A could hugely accelerate their growth. But they hold back for several common reasons. Let’s take a look. 1. “There Are No Suitable Companies to Buy” You’re probably right—almost. There are no suitable companies for sale. That does NOT mean there are no great companies to buy. You just have […]
When you think growing your business in 2017, you probably picture hiring more sales people, opening a new branch, developing additional products or acquiring state-of-the-art technology. Today I want to introduce a new concept for consideration: growing by exiting a business. Before you immediately dismiss the idea, take a moment to challenge your assumptions about company […]
Are you exploring all your options for growth? When you think about a growing your credit union or CUSO through a “merger” strategy, you may be tempted to focus on consolidation alone. While combining two credit unions can be a pathway to growth, it is important to recognize it is just one of a number […]
The demand for “healthy” or “better for you” food and beverages continues as consumers become more health conscious. Following this trend, Dr. Pepper Snapple (DPS) has agreed to acquire Bai brands, the maker of antioxidant and other “all natural” drinks for $1.7 billion. Founded in 2009, Bai has about $300 million in revenue and 373 […]
When you acquire a company, the biggest risk you face in the unknown. You put a potentially large sum of money down for results that are not guaranteed. Whether you are acquiring a company for a new technological capability, to expand your geographic footprint, or for its complementary product line – there’s always the possibility […]
Are you thinking about growing your business? In any business endeavor, having the right questions is often half the battle. Join us for a new webinar on “7 Strategic Questions to Ask Before Pursuing Mergers & Acquisitions” on Wednesday, December 7. We will cover 7 powerful questions that have been tried and tested with dozens of […]
Expanding your business into a new market, especially an international one, is an exciting, yet tricky undertaking. There are many benefits to growing your business globally including reaching a new set of customers and a new geographic market. At the same time, success does not come easily. You must grapple with regulatory challenges, cultural differences, and country-specific […]
On June 23 the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union (E.U.). Many were shocked at the outcome of “Brexit” and the markets reacted badly. The day following the vote, the pound dropped down to the lowest level against the dollar since 1985, stocks in the U.K. and U.S. fell, and on June 27 […]
We all know growth is vital to the success of our organizations, but knowing exactly how to achieve growth can be challenging. Credit unions today face many issues such as regulatory challenges, industry consolidation, economic and political uncertainty, and tough competition. In such an environment how can you continue to provide value to your members? […]
We recently had a situation where our client, the buyer, was pursuing the acquisition of one of their suppliers. The buyer expected the process to be relatively easy because he and the seller had known each other for years. However, when he tried to speak to the owner about possibly selling his company, he was […]
As a leader, it can be difficult to determine the best way to grow your business. Some leaders find themselves stuck in the same rut and struggle to generate new ideas to spur growth. They realize business as usual or what worked 10 years ago will no longer work in today’s market. On the other […]
Instead of investing in growth, companies this year have been holding more than $1.4 trillion in cash – close to a record $1.65 trillion in 2014. Oracle’s $56 billion cash stockpile is 1.5 times its sales and Cisco’s $60 billion in cash is 1.2 times its sales. Eleven companies have cash reserves double their annual […]
On yesterday’s M&A Express videocast, The Hidden Power of Minority Ownership, I mentioned Marcus Lemonis, a businessman who turns around struggling businesses in the CNBC show, the Profit. I’ve written about Lemonis before on the blog, and how he really prefers to use minority ownership so that the founders or original owners of the business continue to […]
Ikea has purchased a forest in order to have better control over their supply chain. Simply put, this move is backward integration – moving “back” or further up the supply chain, closer to raw materials and farther from end customers. It’s an interesting strategy from both the supply chain and cost perspective and also from […]
It seems as though the employee vs. contractor issue is popping up all over the news. Virtual assistant startup company Zirtual just fired over 400 employees by email because the company couldn’t sustain its payroll once it converted contractors to employees. The Wall Street Journal has also highlighted the many startups that are now grappling […]
Most companies are seeking growth outside of their core business through organic means or mergers and acquisitions, according to a new survey by McKinsey. What’s interesting is that although many companies want to expand beyond their mainstay business, most do not have the capabilities to do so. Here are three best practice steps noted for successfully […]
“We have a strong vision and a clear plan for growing the company in the future,” Sarah, the CEO, told me with complete confidence during a recent strategy session. Her CFO disagreed: “We have no vision.” Various members of her executive team shared similar sentiments privately with my team and me. Many expressed anxiety; they […]
Are you unusually busy? If you’re like most people the answer is yes! With the holiday season upon us, we are most of us inundated with commitments to work, family and friends. While it might be easy to get caught up in the bustle of the season, I recommend pausing to plan your growth path […]
Research indicates that up to 70% of mergers and acquisitions fail to meet stated objectives, and of those 50% will destroy shareholder value. Those are daunting statistics. Yet acquisitions remain a top means for growth in companies in the U.S. and around the world. So a key question for any organization looking at M&A as […]
