Unlocking the mystery of taxes on employer-issued nonqualified stock options
Employee stock options remain a potentially valuable asset for employees who receive them. For example, many Silicon Valley millionaires got rich (or semi-rich) from exercising stock options when they worked for start-up companies or fast-growing enterprises. We’ll explain what you need to know about the federal income and employment tax rules for employer-issued nonqualified stock […]
Surprise IT failures pose a major financial risk to companies
Surprise IT failures pose a major financial risk to companies. It’s every business owner’s nightmare. You wake up in the morning, or perhaps in the middle of the night, and see that dreaded message: “We’re down.” It could be your website, e-commerce platform or some other mission-critical information technology (IT) system. All you know is […]
Turnaround acquisitions are risky growth opportunities for today’s companies
When it comes to growth, businesses have two broad options. First, there’s organic growth — that is, progress made through internal efforts such as boosting sales, expanding into other markets, innovating new products or services, and improving operational efficiency. Second, there’s inorganic growth, which is achieved through externally focused activities such as mergers and acquisitions […]
Working capital management is critical to business success
Working capital management is critical to business success. Success in business is often measured by profitability — and that’s hard to argue with. However, liquidity is critical to reaching the point where a company can consistently turn a profit. Even if you pile up sales to the sky, your bottom line won’t flourish unless you […]
How businesses can better retain their salespeople
The U.S. job market has largely stabilized since the historic disruption of the pandemic and the unusual fluctuations that followed. But the fact remains that employee retention is mission-critical for businesses. Retaining employees is still generally less expensive than finding and hiring new ones. And strong retention is one of the hallmarks of a healthy […]
Business succession planning: owners sometimes need to switch successors
Business succession planning can be personally tough on business owners. Owners sometimes need to switch successors. For many business owners, choosing a successor is the most difficult task related to business succession planning. Owners of family-owned businesses, who may have multiple children or other relatives to consider, particularly tend to struggle with this tough […]
Does your company have an EAP? If so, be mindful of compliance
Many businesses have established employee assistance programs (EAPs) to help their workforces deal with the mental health, substance abuse and financial challenges that have become so widely recognized in modern society. EAPs are voluntary and confidential work-based intervention programs designed to help employees and their dependents deal with issues that may be affecting their mental […]
Brand audits can help companies in a variety of ways
A strong brand can help boost revenue, while a weaker one may reduce sales opportunities and stifle growth. Like many business owners, you’ve probably spent considerable time and energy crafting your company’s brand. Doing so has likely involved coming up with a memorable business name and logo, communicating with customers in a distinctive manner, and, […]
IT strategy showdown: Enterprise architecture vs. Agile
Few, if any, companies can operate successfully today without the right information technology (IT) strategy. And as businesses grow, their IT needs and infrastructures become even more complex and costly. This push and pull of managing growth while grappling with tech has brought two broad approaches to IT strategy to the forefront: enterprise architecture and Agile. […]
Which leadership skills are essential to strategic planning?
To help ensure continued stability and profitability, businesses need to engage in some form of strategic planning. A recent survey by insurance giant Travelers drives home this point. In its 2024 CFO Study: A Travelers Special Report, the insurer surveyed 610 chief financial officers (CFOs) from companies with 500 or more employees in various industries. One […]
