Practical guidance for business owners navigating ownership transition, succession, and equity compensation.
The inaugural issue of our quarterly index finds that owners of closely held businesses delegate far more than the folklore says, in a predictable order, with one thing reliably last.
August 13, 2026 · 8 min read
A reference for the financial ratios buyers, lenders, and acquirers use to evaluate a closely held business, with benchmarks and what each number signals.
May 19, 2026 · 8 min read
How owners of closely held businesses should think about gross profit, net income, and operating margin, and what each number signals to a buyer.
May 19, 2026 · 7 min read
How LLC members should think about buy-sell agreement structure, valuation, funding, and the gap between an operating agreement and a buy-sell provision.
May 19, 2026 · 7 min read
How partners should think about buy-sell agreement structure, triggering events, valuation, and the funding gap that breaks most agreements.
May 19, 2026 · 7 min read
A buy-sell agreement protects your ownership, your partners, and your business when life changes. Here's how they work, what they cover, and the mistakes that make them worthless.
March 26, 2026 · 7 min read
Performance equity compensation defined in plain English. What it is, how it differs from bonuses, the main instruments, and why closely held businesses use it.
March 23, 2026 · 7 min read
A management team that wants to buy the company isn't enough. Lenders need to see cash flow, track record, deal structure, and skin in the game before they'll finance a management buyout.
March 19, 2026 · 7 min read
Key employees don't leave just for money. Learn how phantom stock, SARs, and performance equity can retain your best people without diluting ownership.
March 16, 2026 · 7 min read
