Is Your Goal More Revenue or More Profit? Your Next Hire May Tell According to BVR’s 2023 Business Valuation Firm Benchmarking Survey, the demographics say you, dear reader, most likely run your firm as a solo (24 percent of respondents), are in a firm with one or two employees (21 percent), or are heading up a small valuation practice in a traditional CPA firm. In this article, Rod Burkert shares his thoughts on factors you may want to consider if you are thinking of growing your firm and the reasons for pursing this growth. According to BVR’s 2023 Business Valuation…
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For Free Imagine streamlining the administrative and marketing tasks of your business valuation or forensic accounting firm, freeing up valuable time to focus on higher-value activities. In the dynamic landscape of these industries, professionals are constantly seeking innovative solutions to boost productivity and efficiency. In this article, we delve into the extraordinary capabilities of ChatGPT and its potential to transform your firm. Imagine streamlining the administrative and marketing tasks of your business valuation or forensic accounting firm, freeing up valuable time to focus on higher-value activities. In the dynamic landscape of these industries, professionals are constantly seeking innovative solutions to…
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This is Why You are Not Generating Leads on LinkedIn The LinkedIn platform provides BVFLS professionals a potential avenue to showcase their firm’s knowledge and specialization. In this article, Rod Burkert shares why many BVFLS professionals on LinkedIn are unable to generate business from their presence on the platform. Did you know: Close to one-half of the USA’s millionaires are on LinkedIn—just the kind of people you want to rub elbows with. And almost two-thirds of LinkedIn members have never worked at a company with more than 200 employees—indicating most LinkedIn users likely work for private businesses you might be…
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Emerging Technologies, Emerging Ethical Risks This article summarizes points made at the Address at the 2023 NACVA Annual Conference. On-Demand Course: We Know Smart Contracts are “Smart” but Are They “Ethical”? Emerging Technologies, Emerging Ethical Risks It is not the business of the botanist to eradicate the weeds. Enough for him if he can tell us just how fast they grow. –C. Northcote Parkinson, in Parkinson’s Law, 1957. On July 13, 2023, I was invited to deliver the Keynote Address at the NACVA and the CTI’s Business Valuation and Financial Litigation Super Conference held at the Cliff Lodge in Snowbird,…
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Move Out of Your Comfort Zone In this month’s column, Rod Burkert discusses embracing risk and a growth mindset. If you are unhappy with your practice for any reason, is it because you are playing it too safe … too small? Is your reluctance to take risks (which aren’t really risks) holding you back from reaching the next level … whatever that might be for you? Read on, learn from a seasoned BVFLS expert. If you’re unhappy with your practice for any reason, is it because you are playing it too safe … too small? Is your reluctance to take…
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An Interview with Zain Kalson, founder of Etheia As part of a broader dialogue around business valuations in the context of divorce, this article features an interview conducted by Andrew Thompson, Esq., with Zain Kalson, the founder of Etheia. The article discusses trends regarding how advanced data analytics are helping attorneys and experts sort through hidden assets, analyze expenses, and improve outcomes in marital property divisions. As part of a broader dialogue around business valuations in the context of divorce, I (Andrew or “Drew”) recently had the opportunity to sit down with Zain Kalson (“Zain”), the founder of Etheia, and…
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Evaluation of Your Priorities Most BVFLS practitioners happen to have fallen into this line of work by accident or chance. How can we prioritize and also find meaning and purpose in our profession. Rod Burkert shares his views on this subject. Henry David Thoreau said, “The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” This made me think, “How much of our lives are we exchanging for the price of our practices?” Most of us wake up in the morning with a combination of these business-related thoughts: How do I get the work I have done?…
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Steps to Immediately Take Before Focusing on Marketing In this month’s article, Rod Burkert details six positioning and marketing blunders too many appraisers are making with respect to building and growing a BVFLS practice. I just passed the seven-year milestone of launching my coaching career. And I have to say (as someone else has previously said), “I know a thing or two because I have seen a thing or two.” Here are six positioning and marketing blunders too many appraisers are making with respect to building and growing a BVFLS practice. Not Differentiating (Branding) Themselves Most consumers of BVFLS services…
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A Primer on the Tax Law Issues Years ago, “golden parachute” payments were fully tax deductible by the employer if they were “ordinary and necessary” business expenses under Internal Revenue Code § 162. However, due to controversy over large executive pay packages, the Tax Reform Act of 1984 added § 280G to the Internal Revenue Code. This article discusses planning and tax deductibility issues under the current law. Golden parachute arrangements typically provide for large cash payments to a corporation’s key executives if those individuals are terminated due to a change in the control of the company. Years ago, these…
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Reflections from an Experienced BV and Litigation Support Professional The author recalls that he originally thought that going solo was an ideal world. He distinctly recalls “I imagined hanging out my shingle and top shelf clients calling me to do their valuation projects on day one. Those clients would pay premium fees for my sage advice and bespoke reports. And the workflow would be steady.” Given his years of experience, the author shares eight truisms of being a solo practitioner. In my original, ideal world of going solo, I imagined hanging out my shingle and top shelf clients calling me…
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Selection of Metrics to Measure Success Over the past years, companies have adopted a hybrid work model, that is an alternative to the Monday through Friday 9:00–5:00 in-office model. What hybrid model works best? This article discusses the emergence of the hybrid work model and metrics applied to test the model. With 74% of U.S. companies transitioning to a permanent hybrid work model, leaders are turning their attention to measuring the success of their hybrid work model. That is because there is a single traditional office-centric model of Monday–Friday 9:00–5:00 in the office, but many ways to do hybrid work.…
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There are riches in niches! That’s because you cannot be everything to everybody. Sounds reasonable. But what is missing is the advice that will help you identify your practice niche that everyone says is the secret sauce to making more money. There are riches in niches! That’s because you cannot be everything to everybody. Sounds reasonable. But what is missing is the advice that will help you identify your practice niche that everyone says is the secret sauce to making more money. I’ve written previously that my niche was tax purpose valuations for manufacturing and distribution companies. (I practiced what…
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Client Onboarding Onboarding clients is a critical task. This is a process that enables practitioners to mitigate risks and set client expectations. The author shares his views on the importance of client onboarding. While the experience of a new client or matter can be enthralling, practitioners should consider utilizing a formal, comprehensive client onboarding process to mitigate risk. Accepting a client or matter that does not align with you and your organization’s business goals can be a deflating experience for a professional and his/her team. Professional organizations have created standards for which their members should ascribe to and serve as…
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Really? How are professional fees determined? What role, if any, does the “market” have on this question. In this article, Rod Burkert shares his views on this matter. You get what you pay for. We hear this cliché most often in a pejorative sense, but is it true? How do we know? Take your practice … how do you determine the fees you set for your professional services? Only one answer makes sense, which you will undoubtedly agree with yet likely dismiss (read to the end). This QuickRead was inspired by a LinkedIn conversation with a BVFLS colleague. Here is…
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There is a difference between a difficult client and a bad client. In this article, the author shares the distinction between the two and shares his views on how a difficult client can provide valuation professionals a professional growth opportunity. Related to who I choose to work with, I just closed out a valuation that I was engaged to perform. As I usually do, I went through my version of an “after action review” … reflecting on what went well, what did not go well, and what lessons I learned for the next time. When things do not go as…
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And Setting Up an Office Creating a checklist may seem boring, but a checklist provides the end-users with a process that enables the business owner and service provider to identify processes that are useful to build and someday sell the company. This article contains such a list. This article provides a guide of the issues that need to be considered by someone starting a business. No opinions are offered or should be inferred. You can use this to advise clients and should also advise them to seek professional guidance and advice where necessary on some of the issues. Introduction Creating…
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How many clients will you gain or lose this year? A rough gauge of those figures might come from identifying whom among your client or referral bases is passively or actively loyal to you or your firm. Author Rohit Bhargava has written about this concept and understanding it presents two massive opportunities for your practice. The author of this article shares the insight gained from Rohit Bhargava. How many clients will you gain or lose this year? A rough gauge of those figures might come from identifying whom among your client or referral bases is passively or actively loyal to…
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Answer These Five Questions How do you know if social networking will work for you? If you are using social media and not getting results, are you wasting precious time? If you are not using social media, are you missing out on a gaping opportunity? The author of this article has invested about 16 years on LinkedIn and about five years on YouTube. Based on what he has done and the results he has achieved in those years, here are five questions he raises that can answer if social networking will work for you … and whether you should make…
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It is that time of the year when we take stock of what we accomplished, what we did not, and plan for next year. But chances are, you may be too focused on tasks you can check off when they are done and not the big picture goals or where they are leading you towards—or not. This article discusses the importance of taking-in the big picture—the goals, strategies, and tactics—as one develops and/or reviews the marketing strategy. It is that time of the year when we take stock of what we accomplished, what we did not, and plan for next…
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No matter what marketing strategies we use, we must be committed to them—and be consistent with them—if we want to see results. Intuitively, we know this is true. But it’s not what many practitioners do in real life. The author shares two strategies that are needed to successfully market services. No matter what marketing strategies we use, we must be committed to them—and be consistent with them—if we want to see results. Intuitively, we know this is true. But it’s not what many practitioners tell me they do in real life. Many of you tell me that you start marketing…