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Have you ever dreamed about taking your company public -- the relative ease of raising capital, the ability to use your company's stock to buy other businesses, and the liquidity of your own shares so that you can "cash out" when you are ready? This all sounds good, and it is. But not every business...

This is the time of year when the small-business owner has to start thinking of year-end strategies for his/her company. Because tax strategies have a large, yet controllable, influence on your business, they should be your main focus as a business owner. The business owner's tax decisions depend on...

Today, with the pressures on business executives to meet their projections and to always present a glowing picture to analysts, it is understandable how some succumb to the temptation to present a rosy outlook when things actually might be deteriorating. This article analyzes ways by which the CEO o...

Most businesspeople get a knot in their stomachs when they think of bankruptcy. The reasons for this, I believe, are twofold: They don't have the basic knowledge about the implications of bankruptcy; and they feel a loss of control whenever they think about it. This article attempts to dispel the my...

Has this thought ever haunted you: "What if one of my big customers goes under?" And, have you ever felt out of control when having such worrisome thoughts? Well, you don't have to sit back and wait for something to happen. You can be proactive. There is a way by which you can protect yourself again...

Have you ever dreamed about taking your company public -- the relative ease of raising capital, the ability to use your company's stock to buy other businesses, and the liquidity of your own shares so that you can "cash out" when you are ready? This all sounds good, and it is. But not every business...

One of the greatest challenges facing small businesses today is the acquisition of capital. In a previous article, "Finding Dollars for Small-Cap Companies," I explored the non-underwritten IPO as a source of capital for the small business. This article addresses two other sources of capital for the...

If someone were to ask you, "What are the most important financial controls for a small business?" what would your answer be? This article looks at the minimum monitors that must be in place in order to protect and preserve the assets of a business. What you should aim to achieve is to have a system...

In my last article, Sarbanes-Oxley: Avoiding Its Pitfalls, I talked about alleviating the fears of well-meaning management. This article addresses the concerns of sincere board members of publicly held corporations and of privately held companies. It provides guidance that will enable board members ...

Since Sarbanes-Oxley (S0X) was enacted into law on July 30, 2002, management has been scrambling to comply with the Act. In a previous column, "Sarbanes-Oxley: Insurmountable Hurdle for Small Business?," I gave some background as to what gave rise to SOX, how Congress reacted to the public outcry, a...

All executives of public companies know of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), which was signed into law on July 30, 2002. Many owners of small businesses planning an IPO certainly are aware of it, and some dread it. In fact, there are owners of small-cap companies who have withdrawn their IPO application...

You may not have heard of the phrase "pump and dump." I would be surprised, however, if you haven't been personally solicited by a so-called investment advisory firm that was trying to sell you a penny stock. What's the connection? Pump and dump schemes, which are illegal, usually involve the heavy ...

It has become increasingly obvious that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reverse mergers and shells in its sights. Is this a temporary phenomenon? Will it pass? This column talks about what is happening in the small-cap industry that will affect companies that want to go public throu...

When a privately held company goes public, it is invariably worth more. Specifically, how does this "alchemy" work? Isn't it like turning lead into gold? Yes, but once the process is dissected, it's far easier to understand. One must understand how market value is set for a closely held, private com...

Many businesspeople have thought about the thrill of going public: the challenge, the excitement, the bragging rights and the "pot of gold" at the end of the rainbow. But what should you know about the downside and cost of such a venture? Are there important things you absolutely must be aware of be...

To anyone who runs a small company, raising capital might seem like an overwhelming task. Venture capital companies usually want a big piece of your pie if they are to invest in your business. Often, this means that you have to give up control of the business you worked so hard to start. Financial i...