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The Latest on Interest Rates and What it Means for the Lower Middle Market

Sep 17, 2019
2 min

The Latest on Interest Rates and What it Means for the Lower Middle Market

Interest rates were expected to possibly move in 2019, like they did at the end of 2018. Now, that appears to be on hold, de facto, by the man in charge of hikes or drops. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s initial comments on the possibility of movement in the interest rates occurred last week. Following the conclusion of a recent multi-day meeting with the Fed, Powell implied that there would be no more interest-rate hikes in 2019 and that the U.S. economy’s growth was s

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Free Ways to Maximize Small Business Software Needs

Sep 17, 2019
2 min

Free Ways to Maximize Small Business Software Needs

Not every small business has the means to pass out hundreds upon hundreds of dollars for software upgrades. This means things like Microsoft Office might not even be in the cards right now. Luckily, a number of free software programs exist to keep your small business running smoothly. In many cases, free options are evenly or exceedingly beneficial when compared to paid options. Here are some options to consider making your small business run smoother than ever. Obviously, th

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Three Aspects of Small Business to Remember During a Start Up

Sep 17, 2019
2 min

Three Aspects of Small Business to Remember During a Start Up

Startups can be tricky, especially in the lower middle market where money can be tight. Nevertheless, small business drives economic prosperity in the United States, so it’s crucial that entrepreneurs continue to take risks. Just because it is a risk does not mean you should not do your research, so consider these three important aspects of small business when a startup seems on the horizon. Starting a company is the first step in the business life cycle, and the one where th

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Small Business Tax Tips

Sep 17, 2019
2 min

Small Business Tax Tips

Small business owners in the lower middle market know tax season is more like 12 months of planning and paperwork. As the new year has brought new tax tips, any last-minute work ahead of April 15th could make things a bit busier for you and your business. Consider these tips if you are still working on taxes before the deadline. First and foremost, planning is the first and most important step in the process. Taking the time to organize your paperwork and receipts cannot just

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Rethinking your Small Business

Sep 17, 2019
2 min

Rethinking your Small Business

Rethinking a small business does not always mean things are going poorly. In fact, some of the strongest lower middle market businesses are constantly changing and shifting. Most successful small businesses stay on top of innovation and progress, rather than find a groove and stay in it. If you don’t rethink things, they’ll change without you, leaving you to play catch up rather than reap the rewards. The problem with change is it often means breaking the status quo. With the

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Saving Money in the Early Years of a Small Business

Mar 28, 2019
2 min

Saving Money in the Early Years of a Small Business

The first few years of a small business are stressful, but they do not have to be. “Save money anyway you can” may sound easier said than done, but these tips behind how to make the first few years in the lower middle market smoother can make a huge difference both financially and mentally. Let’s start with the topic nobody wants to discuss debt. Most small business owners seem to have it, yet very few of them ever directly confront it until they’re in deep. Whether it’s stud

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Why Small Businesses in Rural America Need Digital Tools

Mar 28, 2019
2 min

Why Small Businesses in Rural America Need Digital Tools

It’s no secret that small businesses in the lower middle market have a huge impact on the national and global economy. The latest surprise, however, is just how much of that influence comes from rural America. A new report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce discovered that unlocking the digital potential of rural businesses across the U.S. could add over $140 billion to the U.S economy over the next three years and create an additional 360,000 full-time jobs in rural communities

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More Women are Starting Businesses Than Ever

Mar 22, 2019
2 min

More Women are Starting Businesses Than Ever

It’s been a positive trend in the lower middle market for quite some time now, but women are taking over the startup world with great ideas and a new outlook on small business. Startups founded and co-founded by women are consistently found to perform better over time relative to startups founded by men only, yet for some time now, women have seemed discouraged from doing so. In Europe, only 5% of leadership positions in the technology industry are held by women, and the US d

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How to Maximize Growth During Mergers and Acquisitions

Mar 22, 2019
2 min

How to Maximize Growth During Mergers and Acquisitions

Regardless of which market segment you look at, 2018 was a strong year for mergers and acquisitions. The lower middle market, most familiar to many in the United States, posted total transaction volume of $349 billion, which exceeds last year’s total of $329 billion. This represents a year-over-year increase of $19 billion, or 6.0%, meaning a lot of optimism, and rightfully so. Several factors will continue accelerating M&A activity as we get deeper into 2019. First and forem

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Is it Time to Finally Sell Your Business? The Market Says Yes

Mar 20, 2019
2 min

Is it Time to Finally Sell Your Business? The Market Says Yes

No one can accurately predict with any degree of certainty what the market will look like in two to three years. Even today, some experts predict that we are headed for a recession sometime during 2019 through 2021. For the lower middle market, that might not mean much, especially if you are stable now and are always looking ahead. However, if you were already thinking of getting out of the game, now might be a good time with the recent lack of clarity for the years ahead. Wh

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Does Less Small Business Hiring Mean Trouble? Not Necessarily

Mar 20, 2019
2 min

Does Less Small Business Hiring Mean Trouble? Not Necessarily

The start of 2019 hasn’t shown much of a slowdown in the economy, except for one section. Federal jobs numbers have been underperforming in regards to expert expectations, but the concern for some in the lower middle market is that it also is occurring in the private sector as well. Small business hiring slowed dramatically in February, which some are seeing as a sign that company owners may be getting cautious about the economy. With economists forecasting a slowing of the e

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Taking Smart Chances in the Lower Middle Market

Mar 18, 2019
2 min

Taking Smart Chances in the Lower Middle Market

If you are starting out in any business, you will not find yourself making easy decision. Even from day one, every choice you make will have an impact on your company’s success, rate of growth, and trajectory. This statement is not meant to be a warning or point of fear, in fact, it should encourage those who are entering the lower middle market to maneuver their way into smart chances rather than blind ones. Taking a smart chance is more than just guessing. Smart chances are

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Government Shutdowns: Do they Affect the Lower Middle Market?

Mar 18, 2019
2 min

Government Shutdowns: Do they Affect the Lower Middle Market?

It might seem counter-intuitive to think about private small businesses somehow being affected by a federal government shutdown, but in a way, there are a few things to keep in mind when things in Washington go awry. Uncertainty is a bad thing, no matter what level of the market in which you work. Needless to say, uncertainty when it pertains to the federal government, especially in the early days of a new year, can cause an uncomfortable stir no matter where you work. For fe

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Mergers and Acquisitions Will Shape 2019

Mar 18, 2019
2 min

Mergers and Acquisitions Will Shape 2019

As the benchmark for lower middle market success continues to rise with more innovation and technological advances, things are sure to be interesting in 2019 for small business. Already, just days into 2019, lower middle market investors and business owners are anticipating a better year than the last, riding a consumer confidence that grew during the holiday season of 2018. For many, the New Year can be a time of optimism, often altering the true expectations of how the year

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“Tidying Up” Your Small Business

Mar 18, 2019
2 min

“Tidying Up” Your Small Business

A popular Netflix Show, “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” is centered around a few basic principles and taking audiences by storm. The first principal of Kondo’s method of keeping things tidy and never excessive is to simply evaluate whether or not it “sparks joy.” For a small business owner, joy might not mean the same thing at work that it does at home. In the lower middle market, joy is often found in a business’ ability to sustain growth and continue to set and achieve busine

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Must Have Marketing for Small Businesses

Mar 12, 2019
2 min

Must Have Marketing for Small Businesses

There are a number of ways to get ahead of the game when growing your lower middle market business. Especially as you begin to ramp up the early stages of growing your clientele and spreading the word about all that you do. The easiest way to do this is actually to have a set of plans for each time you’re going to plan on presenting your business to a new audience. The plan does not have to be complex but should include a quick explanation of what your business does, and a mo

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Finding Ways to Stand Out in the Lower Middle Market

Mar 12, 2019
2 min

Finding Ways to Stand Out in the Lower Middle Market

As hard as it might be to believe, even the smallest “main street” businesses have trouble differentiating themselves from one another. In the case of some of the more rapidly growing sectors like tech and information science, there are a slew of possible ways to stand out amongst the growing crowd of businesses in your field or sector. An easy way is to be connected to a better network of investors. Not only do you have their financial resources but working with more develop

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Geographic Trends for the Lower Middle Market

Mar 12, 2019
2 min

Geographic Trends for the Lower Middle Market

The United States had a strong 2018 for small businesses and the lower middle market, and as things start to slow back down to a normal rate, there are a number of trends to keep an eye on. Depending on your location, sector, and position in the market, 2019 might be your year for a big gain in exposure and profits. A look at December 2018’s data for small businesses in the lower middle market show a few glowing trends that you’ll want to consider in the first quarter of the

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Changing Paths: Why it’s So Scary to Leave One Business for Another

Mar 12, 2019
2 min

Changing Paths: Why it’s So Scary to Leave One Business for Another

A lot of lower middle market business entrepreneurs aren’t new to the game. In fact, many begin to look at a lower middle market business after working in the corporate world or owning another small business themselves. This means they are bringing a lot of experience with them, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a painless venture. Much of the struggle in starting a new small business is transitioning to such a new territory, no matter how long you have been working in the lowe

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What are Buyers Looking for in the Lower Middle Market?

Mar 6, 2019
3 min

What are Buyers Looking for in the Lower Middle Market?

For owners looking to sell their businesses, it can be hard to know what buyers find attractive. This is particularly true in the lower middle market. While small business indexes point to more confidence in main street and a growing ecommerce market, the question remains: what is expected and aspired for in the lower middle market from investors and buyers? In this lower range of business value, there are a lot of financial buyers, private money, and search fund advisors. Th

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