By Leon J. Owens Every enterprise is forced to deal with the business cycles of the financial markets, consumer issues, and the swings of supply and demand. No matter what business you are in, you’re always at some point in a business cycle of highs, lows, and transitions. Your course is rarely a straight line. To move forward, you’ll be forced…
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by Leon J. Owens Is your lawsuit really worth it? After law school, my first real experience in the business world involved working with David Weisz, who mentored me in the world of distressed businesses, insolvency, and bankruptcy. My introduction was a true “baptism of fire,” as I found myself holding the reins of the Hollywood entertainment industry’s most notorious bankruptcy auction…
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Seven ways to end the year with a plan for the future by Leon J. Owens As the calendar year draws to a close, many business owners think about the value of working with a business consultant…and worry that it might be too late to prepare for next year. But when you have unmet business goals or questions about current…
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If you’re thinking about bankruptcy…maybe you should consider an Assignment for Benefit of Creditors (ABC) by Leon J. Owens If you’re in business in the digital universe or just on Main Street, USA, look at two other businesses around you, in your “space”, or in your market. The odds are that in the foreseeable future one of you will be…
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by Leon J. Owens Nobody likes rules. They tell us to do things that might not come naturally, or that are simply “hard” to do. But follow these simple rules and you’ll be moving closer to achieving business success. In business, what we want—what is essential for survival—is a level of success over the long haul. Yes, business is full…
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by Leon J. Owens As a “seasoned” consultant with decades of experience dealing with business managers, I’m frequently confronted by desperate business owners wringing their hands muttering “I don’t know what went wrong.” When a business is headed toward catastrophic failure, there are a number of possible reasons, including general economic downturns (remember 2008?), disruptive technologies (anyone used The Yellow…
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Compromise is the best and cheapest lawyer. –Robert Louis Stevenson Whether you’re running a business or just helping to manage your homeowner’s association, problems will occur. Negotiations fall apart, disputes arise, and sometimes legal action is required. When the time comes to get legal help, failing to thoroughly research the lawyer you hire can lead…
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Life, by its very nature, is an emotional merry-go-round. In the world of business negotiations, how you ride that whirling carousel of human feelings and relationships can either throw you from the saddle or help you snag the winner’s brass ring. Early in my career, working for master negotiator David Weisz, I learned that all business dealings take place on…
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by Leon J.Owens After several decades of balancing the needs of my clients with those of their creditors and competitors, I’ve learned that the very act of negotiating—whereby two or more parties come together over a single issue, each with competing interests of their own—is at the foundation of nearly everything we do on a daily basis. Whether we’re buying…
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I recently had a wonderful experience I’d like to share with you. It had nothing to do with “closing another deal” or marketing to new business clients. It had to do with the future. Our future. When we deal with the daily challenges of today’s competitive environment, it’s easy to become so focused on the next “crisis of the moment”…
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