WITH MARTHA SULLIVAN
Our set of values, expectations, and operating parameters define our companies, which in turn directly impacts our success, financially as well as in other intangible ways such as reputation, ability to attract talent, and so on.
One of my fondest memories growing up was watching the Peanuts specials with my father. While we laughed at the fact that Charlie Brown always got faked out by Lucy with the football, pulling it out from him just as he was about to make the kick, we both felt bad for Charlie Brown.
I don’t know about you, but last week sucked. I mean sucked. A close set of friends lost a loved one. Every time I turned on the news, my head exploded for more reasons than are appropriate to discuss here. And my car was more than casually wounded in a roundabout.
It’s vacation season, and not a moment too soon for most of us. It’s been a while since we felt free enough to hop on planes and go away for longer than a long weekend or a day or two.
Not too long ago, I was working with a business owner who was assessing their options for a sale. We started talking about private equity (PE) as a viable option.
The hallmark of an entrepreneur is their “Can do!” and “Let’s go!” attitude. They have an energy and sense of possibility that drives them and can be infectious.
Are you one of “us” or are you one of “them”? What’s the real deal here? Can I trust you?
How often have you heard the statement that “failure is not an option”? In a recent strategic planning session, the owner of the company, Dan, was adamant about this.
Being a part of a family business is not for the faint of heart. While Succession is an act of fiction, the challenges it depicts can hit too close to home for some family enterprises.
Every year about this time, scores of people sit down to write out their goals for the new year — for their family, for themselves, and for their business. It is an important exercise that clears the cobwebs out and has the potential to jump-start real progress.
A one-time information systems consultant turned her most brilliant act of rebellion into a career as a CPA, CFO, COO, and profit and value growth strategist, consulting to hundreds of clients and colleagues over the past three decades.
Martha Sullivan, president of Provenance Hill Consulting LLC, founded her firm with one purpose: Help business owners build, buy, and sell strong, profitable companies that are attractive enough for someone to want to buy when the owner decides to chase their next adventure.
In addition to Provenance Hill, Martha is a consultant with The Family Business Consulting Group, a Chicago-based group of independent consultants working together to guide enterprising families and create the foundation for better business performance and stronger families.
Martha can be reached at msullivan@provenancehill.com or sullivan@thefbcg.com.
