Monthly Archives: January 2019

Exit strategies – LOB 054



With a new business, it’s always a struggle at first. Then you succeed. How do you know when it’s time to sell? Now? Down the road? Never?

The Language of Business looks at exit strategies. Host Greg Stoller talks with four experts on building a company and considering an exit strategy. Guests are Histogenics CEO John Lieber, Furquan Nazeeri of ExtensionEngine LLP, Robb May of Backupify and Ryan Trager of Achvr.

 


Risk – how do you measure it? – LOB 053



Every business deals with a certain amount of risk. What venture capitalists really think about risk…and how they look at it from a qualitative and quantitative perspective. Do analysts and investors feel the same about risk? How much do you tell your investor about the actual risk? How do people in the energy industry deal with risk? Do analysts and investors react the same way when it comes to risk? Do venture capital investors worry about your competition?

The Language of Business looks at assessing risk. Host Greg Stoller talks with Bill Contente, Partner at Gesmer Updegrove LLP; Bob Goodoff, Principal of Sea View Global Advisors, LLC; Christopher Mirabile, Co-Managing Director of LaunchPad Venture Group.

 


Where do you find an investor? – LOB 052



You’re an entrepreneur looking for an investor. Do you go Angel, PE or VC? How does a family-owned small business wind up acting like a bank?

On this episode, The Langauge of Business looks at where entrepreneurs look for an investor. Host Greg Stoller talks with Venture Capitalist Don Nelson, Managing Director, Harken Capital Securities, about the size of return he’s looking for; Ben Littauer, Angel Investor, who also is a mentor to entrepreneurs and discusses the kind of return he expects; Dan Weller of Weller Carpets, a three-generation family-owned small business that acts like a bank to control cash flow.

 


How many lawyer jokes are there? – LOB 051



Lawyers. There are a lot of strong opinions about them. And a lot of jokes. The Language of Business looks at small businesses dealing with lawyers.

Host Greg Stoller talks with Emily Taylor, Attorney at Latham and Watkins, a specialist who helps a startup get it right; Gene Barton, Partner at Pepper Hamilton, LLP, who understands what makes entrepreneurs tick; Chris Robinson, Partner at Seyfarth Shaw and member of the National Whistleblowers Group, who knows how a company will handle a whistleblower; Julio Gomez, General Manager of Attivio Financial Services, who shares ideas on how an entrepreneur can deal effectively with a lawyer.


The last three feet – LOB 050



The Last Three Feet. That’s the distance between the customer and front-line employees. Managers often don’t get that close. Hiring the right people is key to making your business work, whether it’s a turnaround, a startup, or an expansion.

Host Greg Stoller, Harvard Business School graduate and Senior Lecturer at Boston University Questrom School of Business interviews Craig Sanders, Managing Director of C-level Interim Executives, who knows how to find the right people, and what the right people need to do to get the job; Paul Laskow of Save Energy Systems, a customer relations specialist who teachers managers about the last three feet; Jody Mendoza, owner of Mojito’s Latin Lounge and Nightclub in Boston. Her successful business expanded into a new and different venture. What were the challenges?


Host Greg Stoller


Craig Sanders


Paul Laskow


Jody Mendoza