the end game

Upcoming Appearances

Mary Adams — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:16:55 +0000

Upcoming appearances by Mary Adams (links provided for public events):

Association for Consulting Excellence - The Intangible Drivers of Future Performance and Value: Understanding the intangible infrastructure of your business, April 20
Turnaround Management Association - Panel discussion Never Underestimate the Power of a Brand, April 24
The Conference Board - Innovation Council, May 9
CEO Club of Boston, May 17
American Society for Information Security - Webinar on Safeguarding the Intangible Drivers of Corporate Value, May 23
The Conference Board – Brand Council, June 7

Succession Planning: A Personal Story

Mary Adams — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:44:37 +0000

Last week we announced that Trek Principal, Michael Oleksak, has joined State Street Global Services in Boston. This opportunity pulls together all the threads of his career in banking, sales, portfolio management software and consulting. It’s a wonderful opportunity. And, as Michael’s business partner, co-author and spouse, I am really excited for him.

Losing Michael will be a big change. Anyone who knows him knows that there is no replacement for his infectious enthusiasm, endless energy and great ideas. Our clients and I will miss that. But I’m happy to report that we were actually more prepared for this transition than you might think.

That’s what makes this a powerful moment for our company. Over the past ten years, we built a body of intangible capital that made Trek more than just two consultants. Beyond this human capital, we developed:

Structural Capital - Including our IC Value Drivers measurement system, Trek to Success change management program, Intangible Capital book and years of exit planning articles, intangible capital articles and newsletters (notice that this is Issue # 95).
Relationship Capital - Trek co-founded the Exit Planning Exchange which now has five chapters on the East Coast of the U.S., the IC Knowledge Center which has 350+ members from around the world (would love to have you join too!). The firm also has a strong presence on social media including Twitter profiles for ourIntangible Capital and Exit Planning networks.
Strategic Capital - To date, our business has used a classic consulting model based on fixed price projects. We have been exploring a number of alternatives to add on more scalable product-based revenue sources in the coming years.

As consultants to private business owners, we often ask the question, “Can your business survive without you?” It’s the ultimate test, a significant differentiator that translates into increased exit value for a business. The key is always maintaining a balance between these critical intangible capital components: human, relationship, structural and strategic capital. Such a balance brings sustainability as well as to innovation, performance and value.

I’m excited to continue to build Trek with your help. I plan to continue this newsletter and our various blogs, websites and communities. I hope that you will continue to share our firm’s Trek to Success.

Tweets on 2012-03-24

Michael Oleksak — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 09:57:00 +0000

At the XPX Summit today at Babson College. Great program! #xpxboston #

Tweets on 2012-03-21

Michael Oleksak — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 09:57:00 +0000

Don't miss the Exit Planning Exchange Summit this Friday in Boston! http://t.co/JyhZNhzA #

Tweets on 2012-02-22

Michael Oleksak — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:57:00 +0000

RT @maryadamsICA: @AskJoshPatrick Succession plans subset of exit plans (which encompass a lot of activitites: http://t.co/Qq17R94z) #

Tweets on 2012-02-21

Michael Oleksak — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:57:00 +0000

Tuesday night in NH: Intangible Capital -The Real Value of a Business http://t.co/750aYKh2 #

Tweets on 2012-02-16

Michael Oleksak — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:57:00 +0000

Event next week in NH – Intangible Capital : The Real Value of a Business http://t.co/750aYKh2 Hope to see you there! #

Tweets on 2012-02-15

Michael Oleksak — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:57:00 +0000

Check out our new exit planning ecosystem chart http://t.co/Qq17R94z Let me know what you think! #

Tweets on 2012-02-13

Michael Oleksak — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:57:00 +0000

What to do if someone makes an offer for your company http://t.co/WRAlPLXK #

What’s your story?

Mary Adams — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:32:51 +0000

Here’s an economic indicator from the front lines: we have been busy writing business plans with a number of our clients. This is a cyclical activity, something people do when they see opportunities on the horizon. Based on what we are seeing, lots of companies are seeing opportunities to grow and build value.

A business plan is important any time you want to communicate in a meaningful way with external stakeholders. It’s about more than your strategy. It’s a formal presentation of your company, its market opportunity, how and why you are in a position to hit the cover off the ball in the future.

What’s your story? Do you want to:

Get financing like the service company that changed its bank or the software company that got its first bank line?
Raise capital like the high-end consulting firm that wanted to expand overseas?
Develop a strategic partnership like the integrator that wanted to create a deeper relationship with one of the platform companies in its industry?
Rally the troops like the firm that now uses (most of) its business plan as part of its on-boarding process.
Sell at a premium like the software company that responded to an acquisition inquiry with a knock-your-socks off plan that closed the deal.

The twist that we recommend on the standard business plan is to include measures of your intangibles. Since 80% of the value of the average company today is intangible, making intangibles visible and concrete makes the entire story stronger and more compelling. Here’s one way we do that.

Are you ready to stir up some action, raise some money, fuel some growth? It may be time to package your story in a compelling business plan.