Building a successful business frequently takes many years of hard work and many more to sustain that success. Understandably, few owners relish the prospect that their company might collapse once they are no longer at the helm. Fortunately, one can avoid such fears with appropriate succession planning. For a traditional family business, the process may entail selecting which son or daughter will be most capable of taking on the leadership role after their parent’s exit from

The economic climate during the past few years has not been easy for many South African business owners. However, for others, it’s been a time of opportunity. While some chose to divest, others were hungry to acquire. For some opportunity seekers, the best option was to leverage the resources of another business to further their growth plans. In practice, these scenarios occur in good times and bad. In each case, professional mergers & acquisitions advisory services can help

Just as an acorn will transform into a giant oak, the germ of an idea can blossom into a thriving commercial operation. In each case, the entity grows. However, while the former attains its impressive size largely unaided, the latter must generally rely on hard work, cash and an effective business growth strategy. Initially, a company tends to grow slowly, taking on additional staff, purchasing essential equipment and financing marketing campaigns as its turnover increases. A

Following the dissolution of the Union and the formation of the Republic, the Apartheid system ensured that South Africa’s commercial world became the near-exclusive domain of the caucasian population. After the demise of this divisive system, the new democratic government sought ways to promote a more equitable distribution of wealth through various affirmative action projects. The BEE business deal is one such option and has benefits for all involved. The three-letter acron

We frequently read stories of two or more businesses agreeing to combine their resources or hear statements by the relevant CEOs in television interviews. In practice, company mergers are a reasonably common feature of the business world and are of three main types: horizontal, vertical, or conglomerate. Let’s examine each of these in more detail: Horizontal This type accounts for many of the largest unions and involves businesses that perform similar services within the same

Perhaps you are one of the South African entrepreneurs who have opted to build a company and now wish to sell it. Be aware; there can be a vast difference between achieving an acceptable cash return from your investment and negotiating a business exit strategy that will provide for your every need. For a start, why settle for “acceptable” when there is every chance you could do a lot better? Secondly, the process is more complex and will take correspondingly longer than selli