As startups and emerging companies expand, they inevitably face the question of how to grow in international markets. Too often, companies haphazardly build their international businesses and are frustrated by the results. International strategy requires surveying the market and weighing a number of considerations. A good international strategy will address the following: Approach Starting Point: In what region should you [...]
Exit planning is essential to achieving maximum shareholder value and ensuring that all your hard work is rewarded. Without an effective plan, market forces or some unforeseen event could leave you scrambling to find an exit. If you sell under distress and without preparation, your valuation will be significantly less. Exit planning is like an insurance policy. You pay a [...]
Companies inevitably face the question: how to grow the business outside your existing market? Emerging companies as well as established companies face this question. When a company is started, the best strategy is to focus on a single product and a single market to marshal all your resources towards winning that market. After a few years, you realize that the [...]
Some M&A strategies involve more risk than others. The biggest risk factor is the disruptive change required in your core business. For example, if you are trying to consolidate an industry through multiple acquisitions, then significant risk exists in the integration process. On the other hand, the classic private equity “financial engineering” is less risky. While you are slashing costs, [...]
Choosing a buy-side M&A advisor requires deciding what skills and expertise you need to make your deal successful. Most M&A advisors focus on sourcing and structuring the deal, which is logical since most M&A advisors come from investment banking. However, if you want to make your deal successful, you should think about what other skills and expertise you need throughout [...]
Everyone has heard the statistic that over 50% of buy-side M&A deals fail to meet their stated objectives. The reason is fairly straightforward: the M&A industry is geared towards “getting deals done” and not making deals successful. Companies don’t engage in M&A simply to do a deal. Instead, the purpose of M&A is to achieve a corporate objective through which [...]
A software startup had developed a break-through concept for restaurant supply chain management technology and was evaluating different funding options. We advised on financial and business model, and developed a B2B platform licensing model, that would allow for the development of a proprietary exchange on top of the licensed technology, We helped save $5 million dollars in technology development cost, [...]
ICE Trails is an early stage startup providing an emergency tracking app that enables users to notify friends and families in case of an emergency (ICE). The app utilizes geolocation API, and provides the ability to send alerts to friends and family when a pre-determined geographical location or area is left, or if the user doesn’t check-in within a specified [...]
A career management consulting startup had developed a framework for the IT infrastructure required to support their specific business model and service offering. The company was looking for assistance with evaluating options, and finding the right partner for their technology development. We helped define their technology strategy, and evaluate strategic options of in-house versus outsourcing the development. We assisted with [...]
Moot Alumni Association (MAA) is a non-governmental organization (NGO), which promotes international arbitration and trade law. MAA is the host of several annual conferences around the world, and publishes a global law journal, the Vindobona Journal focused on current issues and developments in international commercial law and arbitration. The MAA works in cooperation with UNCITRAL on a worldwide accessible set [...]
