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Axispoint's New Corporate HQ
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Hello everyone! It’s been a while since my last blog, as my travel schedule has been quite hectic.
I am very excited to announce Axispoint’s new state-of-the-art corporate headquarters at 350 Madison Avenue. We literally moved in a few weeks ago. For eleven years, our home base (we have offices in several cities) had been at 21 West 38th Street in New York. We simply outgrew that locale and needed to find and develop an office environment that represents our future. What we have created at 350 Madison Avenue is a new 20,000 square foot facility to allow our teammates to better collaborate with each other and our clients. Our new facility will feature the same leading-edge tools and technology that Axispoint delivers to customers every day, including Web 2.0 Collaboration, Dynamic Data Center, Unified Communications, Enterprise Mobility, and Videoconferencing.
This is an important moment in Axispoint’s history, and our new corporate headquarters is ideally suited to help us achieve our customer, team and company objectives. I encourage all of our clients, prospects and partners to come by and see our new space!
BizBuySell.com Third Quarter 2009 Data Signals Improving Business-for-Sale Market
After multiple quarters of declining business-for-sale transactions, BizBuySell.com's new data for the third quarter of 2009 suggest that the state of the small business economy is
finally beginning to improve.
The report shows a 24% year-over-year drop in closed small business
transactions. While still lagging behind year-ago transaction numbers,
BizBuySell.com's previous report -- which included data for the second
quarter of 2009 -- showed a dramatic 50% decline in closed
business-for-sale transactions when compared to the same time period in
2008. Closed transactions are reported to BizBuySell.com by business
brokers nationwide.
BizBuySell.com's quarter-over-quarter data also supports the rebound
in the business-for-sale marketplace. The number of closed transactions
reported in the third quarter increased by 7.4% as compared to second
quarter transactions. Just one year earlier, when the recession was
hitting its stride, that same quarter-over-quarter statistic dropped
30%.
BizBuySell.com believes this is a sign that the market has hit bottom and is fortunately now beginning to turn around. As credit eases, business fundamentals recover and SBA lending criteria
change with respect to goodwill, the fourth
quarter of this year and the first quarter of 2010 will likely show increased
signs of recovery and growth.
BizBuySell.com's third quarter data suggests that business sellers are
dropping their prices, which is making it possible for more deals to
close. For example, the median sale price for closed transactions fell
to $149,000 from $189,500 year-over-year, a 21.4% decline in price.
The metrics used to value companies have seen a similarly dramatic
downward trend. Revenue multiples on reported closed transactions
dropped 9.6% to .62 in the third quarter of 2009, and cash flow
multiples dropped to 2.44, a 12.2% year-over-year decrease. The revenue
and cash flow multiples are calculated by dividing the selling price of
the business by its reported annual revenue or cash flow.
A recent BizBuySell.com survey
of business brokers around the country similarly revealed that they are
positive about the future of small business transactions:
--- 34% of business brokers reported expecting to close their next deal within the next few weeks.
--- 75% of survey respondents expect to close their next small business transaction within the next three months.
--- 47% of survey respondents believe small business transaction
levels will not fall any further than they were during the second
quarter of 2009, which leads 78% of survey respondents to believe that
business-for-sale transactions will begin to increase again before Q2
2010.
Peer Advisory Boards: Pre-Set Agenda Part 3
We have been providing the step by step guide to creating your own peer advisory board. This post is dedicated to the importance of a pre-set agenda. The last post was dedicated to commitment
Important meetings have an agenda. Your Peer Advisory Board meeting is an important meeting. The Agenda is the guide to how the time will be spent at the meeting. Going into the meeting without one may lead to time spent unproductively.
There is a fine line between the Peer Advisory Board and a Coffee Klatch.
Coffee Klatches have their place in the world; they are usually social in nature, a place where there isn’t a pre-set defined result in mind. Peer Advisory Boards are all about results.
Having a pre-set agenda gives the members boundaries: A start time, end time, and in between time.
As a busy business owner it would become frustrating to rush to a meeting that frequently starts late, ends late, or doesn’t accomplish the intended goal. Time is not a commodity and should not be wasted. The time the business owner sets aside to attend a meeting must accomplish something. Therefore, assign and stick to the meeting schedule. Don’t over plan or under plan the meeting.
Time limits in the agenda will force the group to concentrate on the task at hand and not stray in the conversation. Assign the role of timer to someone in the group.
Be respectful of your time and the time of your board mates. Having a pre-set agenda at your meeting will keep the group healthy and together. Groups that are disorganized will eventually fall apart.
Next time we will discuss Discussion Protocol
Peer Advisory Boards: Commitment Part 2
We have been providing the step by step guide to creating your own peer advisory board. This post is dedicated to commitment. The last post was dedicated to choosing the members of your board
To recap, a Peer Advisory Board is a team of carefully selected team of like-minded peers that will provide for you:
- Accountability
- Brainstorm ideas, introduce new concepts
- Guidance
- Work through business challenges
A team is a group of people that work together to accomplish something. What would a baseball team be without someone at first base? How could a football team function without it’s quarterback?
The Peer Advisory Board is no different. Without all members present, the group cannot accomplish it’s mission. All members are critical to the success of the meeting. The group was deliberately chosen to provide insight, experience, and wisdom to each other. Without them, everyone will miss out, including the member not present. Each member has a role to play at the meeting. The presenter (individual with the challenge) is looking to the group to provide information to help them create a solution. Without their team, they won’t have the benefit of collaboration. The other members of the group also benefit from the presenter and feedback shared at the meeting. If anyone isn’t present, that person’s contribution is missed.
How do you create a committed team?
There are 2 ways:
First, upon conception of the group, each person you choose must understand what they are committing to and the value of participation. Some red flags would be someone who tells you that they can’t predict their schedule and they will do the best they can. Or, “I’ll be there unless I have a chance to meet with a prospect.” These are not qualified board members. Every member needs to be at every meeting. Reschedule when a conflict arises, rather than conduct the meeting without them.
Second, fulfill on the value of the group. Stick to the agenda. Begin and end on time. Keep conversations on track. Assign responsibilities to other members in the group and make sure members come to the meeting prepared.
A committed group will thrive and grow together. When commitment isn’t present, the group will eventually lose interest and cease to exist.
Next time we will discuss the importance of the pre-set schedule.
Choosing the members of your Peer Advisory Board
Last Week we announced that we would share with you the step by step guide to creating your own Peer Advisory Group. This week we will discuss how to choose the members of your board.
To recap:
What is a peer advisory board?
A carefully selected team of like-minded peers that will provide for you
- Accountability
- Brainstorm ideas, introduce new concepts
- Guidance
- Work through business challenges
In a secure, confidential environment
How to choose the members of your group?
Just because you like someone, doesn’t mean they are qualified to sit on your Peer Advisory Board. Be Choosy!
Things to consider when inviting someone to sit on your board.
Do they:
- Have Similar goals?
- Have a Similar level of experience?
- Have the same commitment to their business?
- Bring expertise to the table?
- Bringing together an eclectic group of industry and talent will provide you a well-rounded board.
- One tool we use to create our boards is to have clients take our Business Assessment Survey. Please feel free to utilize this tool for yourself. We bring people together based on the strengths they can share with the others.
For Example: If creating a business plan is a goal and weakness, I would want to sit on a board with someone who has successfully created & followed their business plan.
Choose people you respect and have chemistry with, but be careful not to choose people that think and act like you. Diversity is very important; you are looking to challenge yourself, and work smarter in your business.
Group size?
There are different schools of thought on this topic. Some say 8 – 12, others say 6. We have found 5 – 8 is the ideal.
All participants must be equal
Our natural tendency would be to invite others that are much further along in their business than we are. Trust me on this one, Nobody benefits when all parties are not equal.
You cannot be the one who always gives or has the answers, and can’t be the one who always takes or always asks the questions. Everyone must be capable in contributing in some way.
Example: Kindergartener and the Fifth Grader
Next week we will discuss group commitment.
Assembling your own Peer Advisory Board
Peer Advisory Boards seem to be one of those concepts that people either fully understand or don’t. In our travels we rarely see something in the middle.
We feel very strongly about the power of the Peer Advisory Board, and would like to encourage all business owners to create the time in their schedule to participate in one. Please understand we aren’t necessarily asking you to join one of ours, we are just recommending that you become part of a group. You could look to a business that provides this service, or you may want to just go ahead and form your own group. For the purpose of this post we are going to explain how to do it yourself.
Initially, you may want to form your own board. A problem we have seen, though, is that many times these types of boards aren’t sustainable. When a board does not have the proper components, they seem to fade away. Therefore, we wanted to share, over the coming weeks, the components of a successful board and details around each of these components.
First of all, you need to consider exactly what a peer advisory board is.
Our definition: A carefully selected team of like-minded peers that will provide for you…
- Accountablity
- New ideas and concepts
- Guidance
- Solutions to business challenges
If you want the best results, you want the best people possible on your board. So, the first component is to be VERY selective about who you invite to sit on your board. We will get into more detail about this in a later post. The other components we will discuss over the coming weeks are…
- Keeping the board committed
- Pre-Set Schedule
- Agenda
- Assigned roles
- Discussion protocol
- Confidentiality agreements
- Charter/Operating agreement
Over the next several weeks, we will dissect each of these individual components and their importance.
Background Check Companies, 12-Month Traffic Change (%): BackgroundNow.com leads HireRight.com, Intelius.com, Kroll.com ....
As reported by Compete.com on September 10, 2009, % increase or decrease in website traffic during the past twelve months for BackgroundNow.com versus four leading background check websites, HireRight.com, Intelius.com, Kroll.com Sentrylink.com and USSearch.com.
BackgroundNow.com leads HireRight.com, Intelius.com, Kroll.com Sentrylink.com and USSearch.com with one-year growth of 206%.
Jacques Monsieur Arrested for Conspiracy to Supply U.S. Fighter Jet Engines to Iran Via Dara Fotouhi
Jacques Monsieur, a Belgian national and resident of France suspected of international arms dealing for decades, has been arrested on charges alleging that he conspired to illegally export F-5 fighter jet engines and parts from the United States to Iran. Monsieur is scheduled to have his arraignment today in federal court in Mobile, Alabama.
A six-count indictment returned on Aug. 27, 2009, in the Southern District of Alabama charging Monsieur, 56, and co-defendant Dara Fotouhi, aka Dara Fatouhi, 54, an Iranian national currently living in France, with conspiracy, money laundering, smuggling, as well as violations of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Monsieur was arrested by federal agents last Friday upon his arrival in New York. Fotouhi remains at large. The charge of conspiracy carries a potential sentence of five years in prison, while smuggling carries a potential 10-year prison term, AECA carries a potential 10-year prison term, money laundering carries a potential 20-year prison term and IEEPA carries a potential 20-year prison term.
According to the indictment and an affidavit filed in the case, defendants Monsieur andFotouhi are experienced arms dealers who have been actively working with the Iranian government to procure military items for the Iranian government.
The indictment alleges that in February 2009, Monsieur contacted an undercover agent seeking engines for the F-5 (EIF) fighter jet or the C-130 military transport aircraft for export to Iran. Thereafter, Monsieur began having regular e-mail contact with the undercover agent regarding requested F-5 engines and parts.
These engines, known as J85-21 models, are replacement engines for the F-5 fighter jet that was sold to Iran by the United States before the 1979 Iranian revolution. The engines and parts are designated as defense articles on the U.S. Munitions List and may not be exported from the United States without a license from the U.S. State Department. Additionally, these items may not be exported to Iran without a license from the U.S. Treasury Department due to the U.S. trade embargo on Iran.
According to the indictment, in March 2009, Monsieur met with the undercover agent in Paris, where Monsieur again requested engines and parts for the F-5 fighter jet. In May 2009, an undercover agent met with Monsieur in London, where Monsieur introduced Dara Fotouhi as a business associate, and again discussed the illegal export of F-5 fighter jet engines from the United States to Iran. During this negotiation, the defendants allegedly asked the undercover agent if he could obtain or use U.S. shipping or export authorization documents that falsely indicated that the end user of the items would be located in Colombia.
In June 2009, according to the indictment, Monsieur sent an e-mail to the undercover agent and provided a purchase order for F-5 fighter jet parts from a front company for an organization known as Trast Aero Space, located in Kyrgyzstan. The order requested that the parts be located by the undercover agent and illegally exported to the United Arab Emirates for transshipment to Iran.
The following month, Monsieur allegedly contacted the undercover agent indicating that approximately $110,000 had been wired from Dubai to a bank account in Alabama as payment for the parts. He also indicated that a deposit of $300,000 would be forthcoming as a down payment for two F-5 fighter jet engines. In August 2009, Monsieur requested information from the undercover agent about his contact in Colombia for forwarding the aircraft parts from Colombia to the United Arab Emirates, the indictment alleges.
“The facts alleged in this indictment underscore the global reach of Iranian procurement networks and the international arms traffickers who help supply them. This case also highlights the importance of keeping restricted U.S. weapons technology out of their grasp,” said Deputy Attorney General Ogden. “I applaud the many agents, analysts and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to bring about this important arrest.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Eugene A. Seidel said, “The investigation and prosecution of cases such as this one will have a significant deterrent impact on illegal arms trafficking and will enhance our national security. Foreign governments and illegal arms dealers should know that there are no ‘safe harbors’ for this type of commerce. We all owe a debt of gratitude to the dedicated investigators, agency analysts, and prosecutors who helped bring about the arrest and indictment of the defendant.”
“Those who seek to illegally send dangerous weapons to Iran will never quite know whether the ‘merchant’ they’re dealing with is actually the long arm of the law,” said John Morton, the Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for ICE. “ICE is committed to combating the flow of arms and sensitive technologies abroad and will utilize all of its resources to do so.”
“Safeguarding our military equipment and technology is vital to our nation’s defense and the protection of our war fighters,” said Director Sharon Woods, Director of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. “We know that foreign governments are actively seeking our equipment for their own military development. Thwarting these efforts is a top priority of the DCIS. I applaud the agents and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to bring about this result.”
This investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Defense’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS).
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory A. Bordenkircher of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama, with assistance from the Counterespionage Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
An indictment is a formal accusation and is not proof of guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless they are found guilty.
Bludworth Marine LLC make the Inc 5000 list two years in a row, 2008 and 2009
Many thanks to all our fine people who made this award possible. Bludworth Marine made the INC 5000 list two years running. We made #716 in 2008 and #702 in 2009.
The 2009 award is really special because in September of 2008, we were hit by Hurricane Ike which destroyed over 50% of our productive capacity. We lost nearly all of the final three months of production. We were able to regroup in a couple of areas where we were just starting up new production facilities and were able to use them to survive.
Multiple Years
I have just been informed that we will be included in this years INC honoree list. This will make 4 years in a row that we have been honored. I am searching for info on other companies that have been included for multiple years either Nationwide or Satewide. Can anyone point me in the right direction to find other multiple year Honorees?
