Give yourself the best chance to succeed in your next M&A transaction

Over the last few years, many businesses have turned to mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to generate growth or enter new markets. However, if past performance is any indicator, a large percentage of these acquisitions will turn out to be failures. Smart Business spoke with Christopher F. Meshginpoosh, Director at Kreischer Miller and a Certified M&A […]

We all benefit from a diversity of perspective

This month’s issue is all about strong, smart women driving their companies forward, and ultimately, sustaining Cleveland’s renaissance. I feel fortunate to work in the field of philanthropy, where brilliant and dedicated women make up the majority of the workforce. At the Cleveland Foundation, for example, nearly half our board is comprised of women, and […]

Business owners have many ways to grow with private equity

Although private equity is much better understood today than even five or 10 years ago, many myths persist with business owners. The caricature of PE professionals as corporate raiders is one thing, but the widely held belief that partnering with private equity means ceding control is just as stubborn. As the co-CEO of a private […]

Leaders look to build on the legacy of Carl and Louis Stokes

Fifty years ago, Carl Stokes became the first African-American mayor of a major American city. Mayor Stokes and his brother, Congressman Louis Stokes, played key roles in the advancement of the city and the nation through the civil rights movement and beyond. In many ways, Cleveland’s current national and international recognition owes a debt of […]

Why women must continue to find ways to thrive

I have not met many women that shy away from hard work or demanding deadlines. However, some work environments make it difficult for high-impact women to consider professional advancement. In Brittany L. Stalsburg’s Huffington Post article “Women Are Working More Than Ever — Inside The Home And Out,” she highlights Whitman Insight Strategies’ research outlining […]

No one will wait for you to catch up in a crisis

How fast is social media? Faster than you. Especially faster if you or your organization faces a crisis or issue that threatens your reputation. Consider a situation involving a school in Westfield, New York, from late last year. Here’s the first paragraph of a story from the Westfield Republican: “Parents need to realize that we […]