Succession Planning:  What it is and how to do it successfully
Business owners constantly hear about the importance of succession planning – yet most don’t really address it until very late in the game! Good succession planning is far more than retirement preparation – it needs to also address scenarios when an owner leaves the business, opts to reduce his or her role within the business, and other management changes.   Advance groundwork can reap significant and meaningful benefits you may not have considered.  Join us for a panel discussion with key succession planning advisors who will help you understand and plan for:  

* Preparing your business to get the best selling price
* How a succession plan fits into your business
* Creating a comprehensive succession plan
* Scenarios to consider in creating a succession plan
* Discussing succession issues with owners, executives and family members
* Valuation resources and buyout scenarios
* Funding the buyout

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Presenters:

Robert M. Gruber founded The Rainier Group in 1988 because he realized the traditional approach to financial planning and products cannot solve the key issues facing owners of privately held companies. Bob has spent more than 30 years guiding owners of private companies and high net worth individuals through a wide range of complex business, family and financial decisions. That wealth of experience helps make The Rainier Group what it is today: A cutting-edge advisor that marries proprietary financial modeling with the acumen earned by advising more than 700 clients through business and personal transition planning. Bob has been a member of Rotary and is the past chair of Wellspring Family Services of King County. He has also served on the Entrepreneurial Board of the School of Business of Seattle University.

Allan Vander Hamm, CPA/ABV, CVA, CM&AA, CExP, is a Principal and the Director of Business Valuation and Transition Services at Berntson Porter & Co.  Allan's practice focuses on designing and implementing comprehensive owner succession and transition projects; completing successful Merger & Acquisition transactions; and providing business valuations for transition, transactions, buy-sell agreements, divorce and estate and gift tax purposes.  He has been advising clients for over 30 years and has helped many business owners reach their exit and succession goals with financial success and joy.  Allan is past Chairman of the Washington Society of CPA’s Business Valuation and Litigation Services Committee and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business, Honor Society from the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business.

Michelle Bomberger, founder and Managing Attorney of Equinox Business Law Group PLLC, is an experienced businesswoman turned lawyer. Michelle began her career in business as a consultant with Ernst & Young LLP and further deepened her knowledge of business operations at Cingular Wireless. Michelle founded Equinox with a mission to help business owners and CEOs find balance in business.  Michelle attended graduate school at Northwestern University in Chicago, obtaining a JD from the School of Law and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management. She has an undergraduate degree in Finance and Computer Applications from the University of Notre Dame.

Location: Hyatt Regency Bellevue (Room TBD)
                  900 Bellevue Way NE, Ste 400, Bellevue, WA 98004

Time: 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Cost:$45
          FREE for Equinox clients.  RSVP to contact@equinoxbusinesslaw.com

More Information and Registration: 425-646-2360 or contact@equinoxbusinesslaw.com

Building Customer Loyalty to Drive Revenues 
Discover the secrets of effective branding and how following some simple rules will ensure that all of your marketing and sales efforts are more targeted and effective than your competition.  Brand is more than just a pretty logo and actually impacts your bottom line: it is your core promise, personality and value you deliver to customers. Branding effectively and connecting with customers isn’t about how much money you spend, but about how clearly and consistently you communicate the right message through everything you do.  In this program, you will learn:

*  Define what brand really is
*  Discover how a strong brand strategy saves time, money, and makes sales easier
*  Discover how every employee influences your brand
*  Avoid  the two biggest brand mistakes that businesses make
*  Discover how to apply the brand strategy “inside and out”
*  Leverage your brand into a valuable trademark
*  Protect your brand in all your business interactions

Join us to so you can create a strong brand strategy to inspire loyalty, increase sales, outrun your competition and make smarter marketing investments.

Presenters:

Maria Ross is the founder and chief marketing strategist at Red Slice LLC.  Maria's mission in life is to engage, inform and delight audiences . She has over 16 years experience building brands, creating campaigns, generating leads and advising companies big and small on how to tell the right story to the right customers at the right time. Maria is the author of Branding Basics for Small Business: How to Create an Irresistible Brand on Any Budget (2010, Norlights Press). Over her career, she has worked across all aspects of marketing and communications with start-ups, solopreneurs and large companies including Business Objects (an SAP company), Monster.com, Discovery Networks and Accenture. Maria’s local clients include CRAVE and Mudbay. She received a B.S in Marketing, with a minor in Spanish, from Indiana University, Bloomington.

Michelle Bomberger, founder and Managing Attorney of Equinox Business Law Group PLLC, is an experienced businesswoman turned lawyer. Michelle began her career in business as a consultant with Ernst & Young LLP and further deepened her knowledge of business operations at Cingular Wireless.  Michelle founded Equinox with a mission to help business owners and CEOs find balance in business.  She works with companies to envision their futures and provides them with practical solutions to get there.  Michelle attended graduate school at Northwestern University in Chicago, obtaining a JD from the School of Law and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management. She has an undergraduate degree in Finance and Computer Applications from the University of Notre Dame.


Location: Hyatt Regency Bellevue (Room TBD)
                  900 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Time: 2:30pm - 4:30pm
Cost:$45
          FREE for Equinox clients.  RSVP to contact@equinoxbusinesslaw.com

More Information and Registration: 425-646-2360 or contact@equinoxbusinesslaw.com

Beyond Recovery: How to re-conceptualize business for sustainable value creation
Changes are occurring on a global scale faster than ever. Business has never been more competitive than in the 21st century. To increase profits, ensure sustainability and create value, business owners and investors are recognizing that businesses must do things differently. Currently 75% of private business owners are not increasing the value of their firms. Professional and personal success and fulfillment now requires a new way of thinking, acting, and behaving. Learn how to think differently about your business.  You will leave this program understanding: 

*  The hidden value of your intellectual capital
*  Why you should become a market niche-aholic
*   The importance of owning your intellectual capital & controlling your value delivery chain
*  Perspectives of you looking at your business differently

Join us to so to learn how to think about your business differently to create value!

Presenters:
Ron Kranz is the founder of BEYOND the BENCHMARK where he leads Peer Leadership Exchange groups for small to mid-size companies. He also is a leading participant in the Advantage Consortium. Ron’s talents and enthusiasm are applied to business by coaching individuals and teams, conducting leadership training, facilitating corporate meetings, presenting keynote talks, and consulting on business management topics. Because of the intriguing and inquisitive questioning offered by Ron, his clients have come to refer to him as the "Thought Provoker."

Michelle Bomberger, founder and Managing Attorney of Equinox Business Law Group PLLC, is an experienced businesswoman turned lawyer. Michelle began her career in business as a consultant with Ernst & Young LLP and further deepened her knowledge of business operations at Cingular Wireless.  Michelle founded Equinox with a mission to help business owners and CEOs find balance in business.  She works with companies to envision their futures and provides them with practical solutions to get there.  Michelle attended graduate school at Northwestern University in Chicago, obtaining a JD from the School of Law and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management. She has an undergraduate degree in Finance and Computer Applications from the University of Notre Dame.


Location: Hyatt Regency Bellevue - Room TBD
                  900 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA  98004

Time: 2:30pm - 4:30pm
Cost:$45
          FREE for Equinox clients.  RSVP at contact@equinoxbusinesslaw.com

More Information and Registration: 425-646-2360 or contact@equinoxbusinesslaw.com

KCBA Annual Solo and Small Firm Continuing Legal Education Program

Alternative Billing Arrangements

Location: Rainier Square Building, Seattle, WA
Time: TBD

More Information and Registration: TBD