“What is my business worth?” That is the question every private business owner will ask at some point in time. While publicly-held businesses can instantly derive values from stock markets, the owners of privately-held businesses have no such markets available. Notwithstanding, the underlying concepts used to value public businesses are equally utilized by potential buyers [...]
Cash flow is more important than ever. Even when markets are down, taxes will come due, loans will need to be repaid, and investments will be required to keep your organization on sound footing. While a positive cash flow is not the only factor that influences success, it’s a good indicator that a business is [...]
The temptation might be substantial, but contractors should avoid under-bidding projects during an economic downturn. While the reasons might seem logical – it keeps cash flowing and enables a contractor to retain its workforce – the end doesn’t justify the means. It could have disastrous consequences. These are surely uncertain times, and in times of [...]
When managing our business operations in times of economic instability, we tend to focus on the expense side of the equation. We ask ourselves: Where can we cut costs? Is this a necessary purchase? Can we negotiate a lower fee? The revenue side can easily get overlooked. But just like our cash outflows, we can [...]
Sometimes progress comes from dire situations. Consider the lodgepole pine: The tree’s hard cones release their seeds only when exposed to the crucible of a fire. Likewise, economic crises can highlight the natural resilience of members of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The COVID-19 pandemic has uprooted our lives and the way we work, but agile and [...]
“Bad businesses are destroyed by a crisis; good businesses survive them; great businesses are improved by them.” —Andy Grove, former CEO, Intel There’s nothing like a crisis to give people clarity and crystallize the fundamentals of running a successful business. Although this crisis has been unlike anything we’ve seen before in our lifetimes, it has [...]
As business losses continue to mount from the pandemic-induced economic shutdown, parties from different civil arenas are pursuing various solutions to cover the losses. Judicial, legislative, and political developments are all pressuring insurance companies to contribute. Despite these forces, the insurance industry continues to balk at the notion of covering business insurance (BI) claims that [...]
CRI Partner Michael Cerow recently spoke in a virtual webinar where he spoke to small business owners in Brevard County, FL. This webinar discussion included information on the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).
As businesses continue to deal with the effects of COVID-19, it is imperative to focus on the steps you can take to protect and help your business withstand the coronavirus storm. For a closer look at the filing process for business interruption claims, be sure to check out our previous articles regarding Business Interruption Loss [...]
UPDATE: As of April 24, 2020, the federal government approved replenishment funding for the PPP by way of the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. Learn more. The recently passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or the CARES Act, has earmarked nearly $350 billion in a relief program through the Small [...]
The effects of the COVID-19 virus are only beginning to be felt within our communities and across the nation. Both business leaders and employees are looking for answers to difficult questions as we work to control both the spread of the virus and the economic effects after its curtailment, resulting in significant insurance policyholder considerations [...]
In the event that your business suffers an interruption or loss of income as a result of the pandemic or restrictions imposed by civil authorities, there are steps that you can and should take to assess the impact on your business, mitigate your losses, and chart a path forward. Next steps Thoroughly review your policy [...]
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a devastating impact on people, communities, and businesses worldwide. Virtually every business has been affected, and losses continue to mount daily due to both government and self-imposed restrictions. This inability of businesses to operate as usual can create what is known as business interruption losses. These losses consist of both [...]
Business owners across the United States are experiencing unprecedented challenges as they navigate the uncertainty of COVID-19. With many businesses required to significantly limit operations or even close down for extended periods of time, business owners are left wondering how they can survive the storm. One potential lifeline may very well be hidden inside your [...]
On March 18, phase two of the Coronavirus Economic Response package was signed into law. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (HR 6201) extends paid sick leave to employees all over the country affected by the pandemic (“COVID-19”). The paid leave is paid for by the federal government and funneled to the employees through the [...]
A hot topic within the hospitality industry right now is whether insurance policies will cover the drop in revenue (and subsequently, lost profits) arising out of both the pandemic and civil actions taken by federal, state, and local officials. Typically, this issue would arise months down the road when businesses would begin to file interruption [...]
Constant vigilance is the most critical control to prevent fraud risk. Employee fraud happens when a motivated individual who knows of a weakness decides that no one is paying attention. The minute that directors and employees let their guard down, someone who has been thinking about stealing will become much more likely to start doing [...]
Every year, businesses lose billions to fraud schemes perpetrated by employees who found ways to take advantage of inadequately protected systems. In many cases, these losses could have been limited or even prevented by following some very basic low-cost and even no-cost business practices for fraud prevention. Set an Ethical Tone More than anything else, [...]
The CFO is an important ally in the fight to keep information and IT assets safe and secure. “Given the risks that cybersecurity threats pose in a technology-driven, global economy, today’s CFO must ensure that adequate steps are taken to protect the company’s reputation, stock price, and mission-critical assets,” said information security expert and former [...]
Headlines about data breaches seem to hit us nonstop. The March 2019 hack of Capital One’s databases exposed the personal information of over 100 million people. Capital One says its stolen data probably wasn’t used by the hacker or disseminated to anyone else, but even if that’s true, data breaches are all too common. Equifax [...]
