The Business Pre‑Nup vs. The Business Divorce In our previous article, we discussed the importance of a shareholders’ agreement as the “business pre-nup” i.e., setting ground rules for managing a business together as co-owners. But what happens when someone decides to leave the partnership? Every business partnership has two chapters: coming together and parting ways. The Sale & Purchase Agreement (SPA) governs the second. If the shareholders' agreement is the "pre-nup", then the SPA is the divorce agreement drafted before the wedding. One party exits and the SPA decides who keeps what, how the price is paid, and who bears responsibility if any surprises come up later. For example, Party A and Party B have been business partners for years.…
Ever heard the phrase, 'Accounting is the language of business'? Well, that nugget of wisdom originates from none other than business magnate, Warren Buffett. Consider this: accounting is like a puzzle within the business realm. But Buffett's thoughts in 2014 went beyond this simple comparison. He drew a parallel between accounting and learning a foreign language – and he was serious. Just as deciphering a foreign language as a native English speaker, diving into accounting terms can be like wading through a dictionary with no end in mind. Fixed assets, retained earnings, accounts receivable – they might as well be coded messages! But don't worry; you don't need to become an accounting expert overnight to do business. One key takeaway…
Image by Lightspring via Shutterstock_Resized Startup culture is a term that encapsulates the attitudes, values, and behaviors that differentiate startup companies from their more well-established counterparts. It's the secret sauce, the mojo, the lifeblood that gives a startup the power to innovate and outperform even the largest of competitors. This lively and dynamic environment, typically marked by open communication, flexibility, and a passionate commitment to the mission, plays a pivotal role in shaping the startup's future. Let's be real, people are your cherished treasure, and when we talk about people, their collective approach shapes your company culture. Your startup culture, when cultivated thoughtfully and intentionally, can be the catalyst for extraordinary growth and success. Ignored or mishandled, however, it can…
woman shopping online with VR headset and colorful shopping bags are all around Imagine this: customers effortlessly order products through their smartphones, then stroll into a store to collect their items. They employ Augmented Reality (AR) to virtually test products, engage in witty banter with chatbots before human assistance steps in. Are they in a digital daydream or a physical escapade? The truth is, they're immersed in both, surfing the vibrant waves of the 'phygital' experience – an emerging trend that is redefining customer engagement post-pandemic world. Coined by Chris Weil in 2007, the Chairman-CEO of Momentum Worldwide, ‘phygital’ highlights the inextricable links between our tangible surroundings and the virtual spaces we navigate. But how did this fusion of "physical"…
You Can’t Control a Complex System, But You Can Influence It We often think in linear terms: cause and effect, input and output. We’re taught to solve problems by tracing a single cause and applying a direct fix. Yet, complex systems—like ecosystems or business organisations—are a network of feedback, interdependence, and tipping points. In nature, change doesn’t happen in isolation. The smallest shift can echo across the entire system. Coral reefs demonstrate this clearly. They rely on intricate relationships, particularly between coral and microscopic algae called zooxanthellae. A seemingly minor increase in ocean temperature—just 1 to 2°C—can trigger a cascade of systemic breakdown in a coral reef. This slight change causes corals to expel the algae they depend on, leading…
