Mr. Masahiro Nishii, Managing Director of Nihon M&A Center Singapore Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in Singapore start off as family-run businesses that are built with blood, sweat, and tears. After about 20 years of steady growth, owners are either looking for succession or to sell the company for retirement. But how does one even start to navigate the complicated M&A landscape, and more importantly, how can one ensure that the legacy lives on even after the company is sold? This is where Mr Masahiro Nishii comes in. As the Managing Director of Nihon M&A Center Singapore, he and his team connect SME owners in Singapore with Japanese investors looking for opportunities in the region. Nihon M&A Center is…
Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik Imagine - It's the dawn of the 21st century. The economy is booming, dot-coms are soaring high, and among them, a particular star shines the brightest - Enron. An energy company that at its peak carried a worth of about $70 billion. But within a span of few years, this magnificent empire crumbled into nothing, drowning in a sea of fraud and deceit. "The Enron scandal drew attention to accounting and corporate fraud, as its shareholders lost $74 billion in the four years leading up to its bankruptcy, and its employees lost billions in pension benefits." What truly unfolded in this financially catastrophic event known as the Enron Scandal? You're about to uncover this riveting and…
Rooted Beginnings: It Started With a Feeling The truth about starting your own business is there is no "perfect time" nor a "secret formula" to unlock. Most meaningful businesses often begin with something more intuitive: an intrinsic feeling, a deep-seated knowing, or a sense of misalignment that signals a need for change. For many, it is simply having the courage to lean into that instinct and build from where they are. This article delves into the journey of one such individual who listened to her intuition, illustrating that the most powerful moment in any entrepreneurial journey is daring to take the first step. Trading a conventional career path for an entrepreneurial venture, Ash Mendelsohn established a business embedded with creativity,…
According to Exploding Topics (latest data in 2023), 90% of startups fail. Wait, let’s break it down. “Nine out of every ten startups crash and burn. But, hang on! Wasn't the dream to be the next, dare I say it, Elon Musk, or Jeff Bezos?” Surprised? But this is just the start of our harsh and enlightening ride. Think about it. You have your perfect product in mind, the dream team lined up, your business plan readied, investors ready to shower you with their money, and you even have the departmental desk color scheme sorted (we all know that's important). Yet despite all this, you are more likely to fail than to succeed – hard pill to swallow, right? Grit your…
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are complex endeavors that require meticulous planning, strategic foresight, and, above all, comprehensive data. In the contemporary business landscape, where data drives decisions, understanding what information is crucial to the M&A process can significantly influence the outcome. Therefore, the first step in any successful M&A transaction is Data. This article will explore the critical aspects of data in M&A, focusing on identifying the right data, understanding customer and market insights, the role of operational metrics, and the broader scope of data beyond financials. Identifying the Right Data The first step in any successful M&A transaction is identifying and preparing the right data. Sellers often wonder what data buyers need to evaluate the deal and decide whether…
