So you say you are a market leader?
Really? Oh, come now… in every press release I ever saw the company says they are the market leader, but in what? Market-share? Revenue or installed base? Technology perhaps? And in who’s eyes; besides your own? And why is this really important anyway? Well it IS important, and it is important because often success begets […]
If Google Steps In It Regarding Independent Contractor vs. Employee, How Can You Protect Yourself?
If Google, a publicly-traded company with about $40 billion in annual revenue, can’t figure out if someone is an independent contractor or an employee, what does this mean for you? An article from Reuters last week, notes that Google is being sued by a former contractor, Jacob McPherson, alleging violation of federal labor standards, and that […]
Bright Summer for Manufacturing – Best Performance in a Decade
This August was not the time to be away on vacation if you’re in manufacturing. According to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), new orders reached a level not seen since April 2004 and the pace of growth rose in August to its highest level since March 2011. The ISM said its index of national factory […]
“$163 million?!!!? Hey, Terminate ME!” (Break-up fees in the middle market)
Hillshire Brands agreed last month to acquire Pinnacle Foods for $4.3 billion in a deal intended to broaden Hillshire’s product offerings beyond Ball Park hot dogs, Jimmy Dean sausages, and other protein products by adding Pinnacle’s roster of iconic grocery brands including Birds Eye, Mrs. Paul’s, Log Cabin, Duncan Hines, Vlasic and more. The market […]
5 Reasons to Sell Your Business in 2014
Owners of many privately-held businesses have sat out the recent resurgence in M&A activity while waiting for their company performance to rebound and waiting for M&A valuations to match their expectations once again. Abundant capital and fervent demand are fueling a strong M&A market, so owners should consider these five reasons to sell their businesses […]
There’s A Skills Gap, But It’s Not What You Think It Is!
Where is the gap? In Adecco’s 2013 State of Economy and Employment Survey, they asked 500 senior executives where they feel the biggest skills “gap” is. Their results are a little surprising – 44% believe that the biggest gap is in soft skills: communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. The second highest gap they identified is […]
Made in Massachusetts – the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative
Mirus recently sponsored the Advanced Manufacturing Summit in Worcester, which attracted hundreds of executives, local and state political leaders, and academics interested in the manufacturing industry. Governor Deval Patrick spoke about the important role advanced manufacturing plays in the local economy and multiple speakers discussed how their businesses, and the manufacturing sector, have changed over […]
What should business owners learn from Friday’s ruling against RBC Capital Markets?
Background: RBC Capital Markets LLC, the investment banking arm of Royal Bank of Canada, was representing Rural/Metro Corp. in the sale of their business. Another team at the bank was trying to get the financing work from one of the buyers, Warburg Pincus LLC, a private equity firm. According to a recent article in […]
