How well will your closely held business survive a dispute?

Closely held businesses face unique challenges. For example, less than 50 percent of family owned businesses make it through the second generation because they lack strong succession plans. Well-known start-ups, from Microsoft to Tesla succeeded after the founders moved on; others, like Hyperloop, face bitter litigation that hinders the company’s ability to attract the investment needed to achieve results.

Whether you are crafting a succession plan or contending with a dispute among owners, an analysis of your matter by Asterion’s experienced consultants may be essential in reaching a resolution that allows your business to endure.

Are you reading what you sign?

How often have you or someone close to you clicked the agreement button to a set of terms and conditions without reading to the end of the document? Pokemon Go includes among its Terms of Service requirements mandating arbitration and prohibiting participating in class action litigation. Will gamers who have been injured trying to “catch them all” remember to opt out before the thirty day window closes? If recent studies are any indication, the answer is no, since 98 percent of participants signed away their firstborn children in order to use a fictitious social media site. Creatives eager for a big break are making the same mistake by not reading or understanding the fine print in the agreements they are asked to sign.

If you are considering an agreement and you are not sure of the financial impact of its terms, you may want to consult with Asterion’s staff of experts before you sign.

On the Lighter Side: Is this the reason we sign agreements without reading? 

Too much information can become a bad thing. Sometimes, the revelation of a conflict of interest creates unexpected pressure on us to accept biased advice; sometimes the information we need is hidden in plain sight.

The Thread Recommends: Against getting a parrot as a pet if you have anything to hide.

Spotlight on Mergers and Acquisitions

Asterion, Inc. (“Asterion”) has experience in assisting businesses, funds, law firms and individuals before, during and after a merger or acquisition transaction.

July 19, 2016