By Dave Taddei The economics of software are changing quickly, creating new choices for growth companies and their boards. For years, companies have relied on generic SaaS platforms because building custom software was simply too expensive. In the process, businesses often adapted their workflows to fit what I call artificial constraints – limits set by the software they were using, not by […]
By Jim Morozzi Diligence has a way of finding the small cracks in a company’s foundation. Issues that seem manageable during the normal course of business can take on greater significance when a buyer begins looking closely. Left unaddressed, those vulnerabilities can raise questions about the strength, scalability, and long-term value of the business. In my experience […]
By Francesca Molinari Boards routinely review financial performance, strategic priorities, capital allocation, and risk. Those discussions are essential, but I believe one of the strongest predictors of future performance often receives far less attention: whether decision rights remain clear as an organization grows. As companies grow, decision-making naturally becomes more complex. Additional layers of leadership, more formal governance, and greater specialization […]
By William “Bill” Jones A dusty closet of long-forgotten oil portraits is not where you would expect to find lessons in stewardship and leadership. But that is where mine began. In 1998, more than 110 years after its founding and through the tenures of six leaders before me, I was handed the unenviable task of […]
By Syd Weinstein Most growth companies think about pricing too late, and for the wrong reasons. It usually comes up when growth slows, margins get tight, or the sales team starts pushing for more room to close deals. Suddenly pricing is “the problem” and discounting becomes the solution. But when companies start leaning on discounts to drive growth, it’s usually a […]
By Robert L. Reisley Most founders and boards have a clear sense of what is driving their growth. What they are often less certain about is whether that growth will hold up when a sophisticated buyer starts asking hard questions. That gap matters more than most companies realize, and it tends to surface at the worst possible […]
By Thomas Anderson Across a company’s life cycle, there are repeated moments where the organization will run up against skills and competencies that simply are not there yet. That is the discipline gap in practice. It’s not a singular event tied to a revenue milestone, but it will show up over and over again as the […]
By Chuck Kerrigan We all love music, regardless of the genre. When we listen, we pick up melodies, individual instruments and voices—and, if it’s done well, a sense of harmony. Business plans work the same way. When you listen to the “parts” of a business plan, do they fit together? Do they create harmony? Do […]
By Bill Morgan and Hsing-Hsing Li In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, selecting the right SaaS platform is a critical decision that impacts business efficiency, productivity, and scalability. When evaluating systems such as ERP, CRM, SCM, or HCM, decision-makers must consider the immediate functional requirements and the long-term scalability and integration capabilities of these solutions. […]
By Bill Jones The old adage is true – who you know can be as important as what you know. Networking is a powerful tool, especially when aiming to secure a board seat. Research from Harvard, search firms, and executive- and board-related associations reveals that 70 to 90% of board seats are obtained through networking. […]
By Chuck Kerrigan While mentioning a business exit within the same context as a startup may seem incongruous, the two are very much correlated. Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and Habit 2, “Begin with the End in Mind,” can be applied to business. An effective startup begins with a written business plan […]
By Bill Jones “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence.” — Albert Einstein The ability to pose incisive questions is not merely a skill; it is an art form. Used in company governance, it wields transformative influence over the trajectory and vitality of an organization. As a […]