Poised for Exit

How Do You Make Uncomfortable Situations Comfortable This episode of #PoisedforExit we featured Mike Gregory, who specializes in conflict resolution , using a method he calls  " The Collaboration Effect ".  Mike is also a national speaker, instructor, consultant and professional Mediator, who has worked with families, communities and shareholders in resolving disputes of various types . ...

Today's #PoisedforExit episode features  Andy Tellijohn , Editor and Publisher of UpSize MN Magazine . UpSize is a magazine for entrepreneurs , with content that focuses on growth and improvement strategies, how-to tips, professional advisory and other matters relevant to business owners.  UpSize was founded 20 years ago by Wes Bergstrom and two other partners. Unfortunately, Wes died suddenl...

In this episode we interviewed Russ Fleming , a partner at Baker Tilly , who runs their Real Estate and Construction division in Minneapolis. Russ and I talked today about Private Equity as a viable option, and specifically what he and his clients are experiencing with that type of exit strategy. Some of the Private Equity trends he's noticed are really trends that concern all business owners...

Today on #PoisedforExit we talked with Tim Reed , a business consultant and podcaster, specializing in services for owners in the fireplace sales and manufacturing industry. A very niche market, for sure.  Tim's podcast show " The Firetime Podcast " provides listeners with valuable content specifically for people in the fireplace industry! Tim is also very focused on the marketing a...

Our guest for this #PoisedforExit episode is Kit Welchlin . Be prepared with a notebook when you listen to the show!  We've all had to deal with very tough situations over the past year and a half. It could be that some of your relationships which ordinarily would have been counted as your closest, are now strained due to emotions running higher than normal, with opinions and world views that...

In this episode of #PoisedforExit , we interviewed Bret Erickson, President of Passkey Technology , a managed IT services firm. Bret has been on the show before, and we brought him back because we know by the number of downloads from the previous episode, he was a popular guest speaking on a hot topic. Bret talked about how things have changed in technology since his last interview with us! Ransom...

Contingency Planning: In Case of Emergency -Break-Glass- Do This! Business owners and individuals alike have been well acquainted with the need for a Back-up plan in these times! Our guest for this #PoisedforExit episode is Cindy Reid-Shelton , partner, co-founder and adviser with the Ready For Next brand of companies. Cindy has been advising business owners and other advisers for 30 years. She&ap...

In today's #PoisedforExit episode, I interviewed a true Long Term Care expert , Ruth Fay , of Versatile Insurance Services . Ruth has been in the insurance industry for over 30 years; 20 of them in Long Term Care. "It's come a long way" she said. "With the types of products and options available now, you can really customize a product that suits your needs vs the cookie cu...

Today's #PoisedforExit episode featured Marcia O'Connor , CEO and Founder of the award winning firm, The O'Connor Group based in Philadelphia. Marcia humbly told her success story of how she has built her company over the last fourteen years on referrals and treating people well, or "spoiling them" as she puts it.  The O'Connor Group, a 60 person firm of recruiters an...

It was a blast spending time with today's #PoisedforExit guests, Sam and Peter Blankenship , owners and founders of Wahiwater . When we first met in 2018, I was one of the speakers for an event they attended and afterwards we chatted. We worked together for a while as they assembled their start up team, took a break as they raised capital, and now as guests on my show, I got to catch up and h...

On this #PoisedforExit episode we had the pleasure again of hosting Aleesha Webb, President of Village Bank . We talked a great deal about the times being ripe for acquisition ! Whether you are looking to sell or buy a business, it's a great time to do it and Village Bank has the expertise and loan programs to help make it happen.  Financing a business through the SBA can be one very smart wa...

For this #PoisedforExit episode we are taking it back to nearly a year ago and reprising episode 13 - All in the Family (Business) Our #PoisedforExit show today focused on family business success tips with Jon Keimig , Director of the Family Business Center at the University of St. Thomas. Jon's been a family business advocate for many years and his programs are known and respected across the...

For this #PoisedforExit episode we are taking it back to over a year ago and re-featuring episode 6 - Marketing: Metrics that Drive Revenue If you're like most business owners, you're wondering how to gain a better return on your Marketing spend. For owners who are preparing their company for a future sale, it's even more vital to have a clean, consistent brand message and marketing...

My guest today is Todd Krough, a Senior Wealth Adviser with Tealwood Asset Management . Tealwood is a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) group who specializes in working with business owners.  Todd is a CEPA (Certified Exit Planning Adviser) like me and helped me launch the Twin Cities EPI Chapter in 2016. We talked today about the importance of business owners having a 3 pronged plan: Personal P...

This episode of #PoisedforExit featured J. Forrest , a Principal of Employee Strategies , a firm providing Organizational Leadership services to low-middle market companies.  We've talked about Culture development before on the show, but never from the standpoint of a future merger or acquisition. That we learned, is a different animal! To provide a bit of background, J. has always had a love...

Our guest for this #PoisedforExit episode is Emma Gergen , Principal with Carlson Private Capital .  Emma's role is to find investments among privately held businesses whose owners are looking to scale back, recapitalize or grow beyond what the current team is capable of, and then become the owner's trusted liaison and adviser within the firm's professional team. Emma and her team u...

In today's #PoisedforExit episode we interviewed Sue Crockett , who is the Executive Director of the Minnesota Center for Employee Ownership ( MNCEO.org ). If you thought ESOP was the only form of employee ownership , think again. Sue talked about two other forms, that depending on the company size and goals of the owners and employees, can be great alternatives. The focus is on helping the o...

Our episode on #PoisedforExit today will inspire any listener , regardless of whether you own a business. Melissa Johnston , a long time business banking executive, tells the story of how she made the leap from being a loyal, job-loving employee to co-founding a bank holding company.  Melissa grew up on a farm in southern Minnesota with a love for math. She pursued a degree in Math, and found she...

 The 1 Year #PoisedforExit  Anniversary Show Featuring Guest Host Heather Keyes! Hard to believe it's been a year since we launched the show, but it's true. I thought it would be fun to change it up and have my daughter Heather be my guest host. She's been an integral part of the success of the show; handling all of the behind the scenes work and Social Media too, so I wanted to giv...

This week on #PoisedforExit we featured Jaime Taets , CEO and Founder of Keystone Group International .  Her firm delivers business consulting services with an emphasis on team development and accountability.  Jaime said that her background in facilitating growth and improvement plans has helped her to forge her own way as an entrepreneur. Building Culture in a company takes a process, and it&apos...

Guess Who's Center Stage in Business Today? HR! That's right, Human Resources, one of the most neglected aspects of running a business is taking over as the main focus for many employers. Our episode today with Amy Crews , of Crews HR Consulting tells why.  Here we are (almost) post-pandemic and what is happening with our small business employees? They're leaving; in droves. It&apos...

Our guest for this #PoisedforExit episode is Sean Hutchinson , partner of Ready For Next , a family of companies that caters to successful business transition.  Ready For Next Academy provides education and peer groups for advisors and owners to learn how to enhance enterprise value and a process to prepare for a future exit.  Ready For Next Advisors provides individual consulting and group adviso...

This week on #PoisedforExit we featured Nina Hale , a pioneer in the world of digital advertising, who sold her company Nina Hale to an ESOP in 2014. The company has been renamed Collective Measures and is growing strong, with many of the same employees who worked for Nina. She now sits on several non-profit Boards and helps educate business owners on what ESOP's are and are not.  ESOP is an...

The Family Business of Knutson Construction:  Building for the next 110 years Our featured guest for this episode is John Curry , 3rd generation owner of Knutson Construction, a commercial construction company that boasts 110 years in business!  Before joining the company, John spent some time playing hockey as a Goalie; in high school, college and for the pros! He started his construction career...

Getting 'Poised for Exit': Understanding Buyer Strategies Our #PoisedforExit episode today featured Russ Fleming , partner at Baker Tilly in Minneapolis. Russ grew up with an interest in accounting and gained a great deal of exposure to it from his father (a CPA) whose clients were real estate and construction industry business owners. Thus, Russ acquired many clients in these industry s...