Insights
How to Navigate Business Debt and Equity Options
When closely held businesses need capital, they generally have two options — getting a bank loan or seeking out private investors. While a loan isn’t going to be a viable solution for every liquidity need a business has, it can be significantly less expensive in the...
Can a Nonprofit be Acquired by a Corporation?
Can nonprofits be acquired by corporations? Is it a good idea for for-profit businesses to acquire nonprofits? Learn everything you need to know.
Venturing into Capital: Understanding Small Business Private Equity
Explore small business private equity and all of its alternatives to reach new heights for capital in your company.
How to Merge Nonprofits: Acquisition, Stakeholders, Post-merger Integration, and More
Merging nonprofits is not as hard as it sounds. Just make sure goals are aligned, assets are well assessed, and that you have the right advisors by your side.
Consulting vs. Investment Banking: Which Approach Suits Your Business Needs?
Understand the main differences between investment banking and consulting. Get the best services for your business and unlock new opportunities.
How to Assess Non-Profit Financial Performance: A Step-By-Step Guide
Gauge your organization’s financial health effectively. See how to assess non-profit financial performance and unlock more opportunities to accomplish your mission.
Analyzing Broad vs. Narrow M&A Deal Processes
We respect the unique M&A market insights that Sutton Place Strategies, an affiliate of Bain & Company, creates from its business development work with PE firms. SPS Founder and CEO Nadim Malik gave a presentation at ACG Boston's M&A Outlook forum in...
How to Sell a Business in 5 Simple Steps: A Guide for SMBs
In all honesty, there’s nothing simple about selling a business, whether it's a family company, an SME, startup, or big enterprise. The road to a successful sale is often rocky, with plenty of detours and wrong turns along the way. There might be a missing bridge or...
Takeaways from Axial’s Recent ‘Dead Deals’ Analysis
Those of us who negotiate M&A transactions for, and with, small- to mid-sized businesses know a few hallmarks of the process: For any company, there is a limited universe of buyers. Each buyer's interest is unique, so average valuations are not reliable indicators...
Who We Helped in 2022
At the start of every year, we at Oaklyn Consulting like to look back at the past 12 months to reflect on projects accomplished and lessons learned from our clients. Building on our achievements from 2021, Oaklyn Consulting worked with 34 organizations in 2022 on...
Who We Helped in 2021
We learned these 10 lessons from our 30 clients last year and believe they reflect the times: 1. Companies faring well and poorly are evaluating strategic alternatives We worked with 14 clients that came to us with questions about strategic alternatives, because...
Who we helped in 2020
As we all look forward to the possibilities of 2021, it’s tempting not to look back on 2020 at all, happy for it to disappear in the rearview mirror. But sometimes a review can hold helpful lessons. We found that the turmoil of the last year provided opportunities to...
How to Talk to Your Banker and Investors During Uncertain Times
NOTE: This blog was written in March 2020.I’m now four recessions into my career. Each one is different, and this is the first one associated with a health crisis. But in some ways, they follow a similar pattern — signs of strain followed by crisis, complacency and...
Making High-Impact Decisions In Uncertain Times (Part 2 of 2)
NOTE: This blog was written in April 2020. Many of us are grappling with high-impact decisions that need to be made right now. For the most immediate decisions, a checklist to help organize thinking can be a useful tool. For issues that must be grappled with over...
Making High-Impact Decisions in Uncertain Times (Part 1 of 2)
NOTE: This blog was written in April 2020. From the Coronavirus pandemic to Saudi Arabia’s oil price cut, bond market liquidity issues and the stock market correction, this week’s events have presented scenarios that we probably didn’t plan for. It’s natural to be...
Who We Helped in 2019
During the holiday season, our tradition is to reflect on the year and assess how we fulfilled our purpose as a firm. Maybe you do something similar. Oaklyn Consulting's purpose is to be a good citizen of the business communities where we operate. In particular, we...
Who We Helped in 2018
During the holiday season, our tradition is to reflect on the year and assess how we fulfilled our purpose as a firm. Maybe you do something similar. Oaklyn Consulting's purpose is to be a good citizen of the business communities where we operate, by handling...
Why Business Owners Shouldn’t Get Complacent During Good Economic Times
Even the most optimistic of us know better than to coast in good times. Yes, there will be periods when the Dow is hitting new highs, unemployment is low and growth is happening, but none of these things can last forever. There are changes that come with growth and...
Who We Helped in 2017
In this season of giving thanks, we’d like to extend our gratitude to the entrepreneurs and investors we’ve worked with this past year. Thank you for the strong working relationships we’ve shared and for entrusting us with the big decisions concerning you and your...
Our Time-Based Billing Approach Helps In These Four Situations
Our by-the-hour-model allows us act as a counselor, working alongside our clients to help them achieve their objectives. It seems like a little tweak, but the billing model allows us to help in many situations where traditional investment bankers cannot. Here are the...
Nelson Mullins’ Rhys Wilson – “How To Prepare Your Business for Sale”
Nelson Mullins lawyer Rhys Wilson wrote a very good article for Industry Today about how to prepare a business for sale. I liked both the content of his points and the order in which he addressed them: 1. Know your minimum sales price. If you’re considering a business...
Can Your Startup Generate Venture Scale Returns? Check the Math.
My good friend Beezer Clarkson at Sapphire Ventures spots the best articles. This one, by a partner at JME Venture Capital, shows one way for company founders to see their businesses through investors’ eyes. I’ve summarized the article here, so the post is longer than...
Who We Helped in 2016
As the holiday season arrives, Oaklyn Consulting is 6 months old. The firm was founded on the idea that we could help more business owners considering mergers, acquisitions or fund-raising in a way that “just don’t do it” stayed on the table as an option. We are...
Four Takeaways for Any Business Owner
Oaklyn Consulting was honored to sponsor the VentureSouth Summit in Greenville, SC. We took away 4 lessons valuable to both angel investors and business owners at almost any stage of development: Selling a business is just one strategic option for a founder, but it is...
Going Big at BIG Council: An Overview of the M&A Market
North Carolina’s BIG Council is known for coordinating must-attend events for regional business owners. I (Frank) took part in a BIG-organized event focusing on strategies to build, scale and monetize a high-performance business. I co-led a presentation with...
6 Ways to Get Your Business in Shape for the New Year
Near the close of every year, middle-market company owners should be taking stock of recent successes and making plans to enter the new year in the strongest position possible. Whether your business is looking to sell or seeking outside investment for continued...
There is Capital…You Just Don’t Know How to Ask for It
When faced with hurdles in obtaining financing, some business owners throw up their hands and conclude there is no capital to access. That’s not true. While investors might be more inclined to say “no” in certain economic environments, there are dollars out there. To...
Showcasing the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Charleston, South Carolina
I (Frank) had the opportunity to take part in the annual DIG SOUTH event, participating in a panel on crowdfunding. DIG SOUTH founders Stanfield and Sunny Gray are doing a great service, drawing attention to the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Charleston, S.C., and...
Most Common Problems with Family-Run Midmarket Firms and How to Correct Them
According to Family Enterprise USA, there are 5.5 million family-owned businesses in the U.S. These companies employ 63 percent of the workforce and contribute 57 percent of America’s gross domestic product, making them a crucial piece of our economy. Based on my...
The 12 Days of Christmas For Your Business-Complete List
With holiday hustle and bustle in high gear, many business owners are winding down—carving out time for the annual office party and preparing for a smooth coast into the new year. Though distractions tend to be abnormally high, the month of December is available time...
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