Our Panelists:
Craig Powell is a very successful serial entrepreneur and the force and visionary behind ConnectEDU. His passion for ensuring that all families have access to the expertise they need to maximize their educational potential, investments and experiences led Craig to found ConnectEDU. As an undergraduate at Brown University, Craig founded and operated IvyTutors, a tutoring and study-skills company. Prior to founding ConnectEDU, Craig worked as a member of the professional investment team at Nautic Partners, a $2B private equity fund in Providence, RI.

David Beisel brings real skill and insight to the venture capital community, David is one of the founders of NextView Ventures, a new micro-venture fund. Formerly with Venrock, David is also the founder of the wildly successful Web Innovators Group.

Bill Contente is a partner at Gesmer Updegrove and has a long track record of success building young companies, getting them financed and taking them through very successful transactions. Bill also represents numerous angel groups and venture capital firms and is the Chairman of the Board of Launchpad Venture Group.

3-Part Series
September 8, 2010 – Gesmer Updegrove LLP, 40 Broad Street, Boston, MA
October 7, 2010 – MFA – Moody, Famiglietti & Andronico, One Highwood Drive, Tewksbury, MA
November 4, 2010 – Webster Bank, 100 Franklin Street, Boston

Thank You to our Sponsors:

Where:  Marriott Newton, 2345 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton, MA
Time: 5:30  – 8:00 PM
Investment:  Members: $25, Non-members: $45 (Registrations at the door an additional $15)

Cash bar and hors d’oeuvres will be served. In case of rain, we’ll move indoors. Attire is business casual dress for this outdoor event.

A successful exit plan requires a multi-disciplined approach. A partnership strategy can expand your offerings to clients and increase your potential earnings. Sometimes you have to work with the client’s existing advisors, while other times you can choose your own. This interactive session with Ellen Kaplan, Founder and President of Possibilities@Work will explore the success factors in selecting and managing the right partners among trusted colleagues.  Bill Norman, Director of  the McLane Law Firm will be talking about the legal documents needed for more formal agreements and the pitfalls to watch out for when collaborating on business deals. We will provide you the tools you’ll need to evaluate and maintain profitable relationships. 

Explore with us:

• Benefits of collaboration
• Characteristics of successful relationships
• Pitfalls to avoid
• Initiatives you can create jointly
• Structure of the relationship and payment
• Legal issues

Where: Babson College, Olin Hall Room 101, Wellesley, MA (Park in the lot next to Knight Auditorium.)
Time: 8:00 – 10:00 AM Coffee will be available. Registration begins at 7:30 AM. Limited to 60 attendees.
Investment: Members: $20, Non-Members: $40
(Registrations at the door an additional $15)

Ellen Kaplan is the founder and president of Possibilities@Work.  As a seasoned professional, she has contributed to the growth of both individuals and organizations throughout a career which spans more than 25 years in education and business.

She works with the owners of privately held businesses, partnerships and family businesses to grow their businesses or increase the value of their companies for a future exit. She has developed a program, ProfitPath™ ,  that assesses the business value of a company. While partnering with other firms who do the financial valuation, a joint report demonstrates to clients how they can get an optimum return for the sale of their business. She also helps companies with succession planning to create a smooth transition.

Ellen served as a Partner Alliance Manager for InteQ Corporation. InteQ was a small company partnering with Fortune 100 companies. Currently she involves appropriate colleagues in her projects and invites them to participate in client assignments, adding value to her relationships with client.

Ellen has earned a certificate in Family Business Advising from the Family Firm Institute. She has written over 60 articles on relevant business topics that she distributes to loyal readers once a month.

William Norman, Director at The McLane Law Firm, is a corporate attorney. He is formerly a Shareholder, at Colucci Norman, LLP. Bill works with clients to improve their businesses as well as protect them legally. Bill is a member of Business Enterprise Institute (specializing in Exit Planning Strategies.) He frequently works collaboratively with colleagues on client projects.

Join Dan Adams, Founder and President of New England Network Solutions and Stephen Lipka, President, Avatar Strategic Partners for an engaging panel discussion on Information Technology and how it impacts the value of a business. Mike Maak, Founder and President, NorthEast Business Advisors will moderate.

We will discuss the difference between backup and business continuity, operational and strategic IT issues, how to pass the “Bus Test,” a P&L and Balance Sheet view of IT and ways to augment revenue and reduce costs, and several key governance and strategic planning recommendations that will increase the IT value proposition.

Where: Babson College, Olin Hall Room 225, Wellesley, MA (Park in the lot next to Knight Auditorium.)
Time: 7:15 – 9:00 AM A hot breakfast will be served. Limited to 60 attendees.
Investment: Members: $50, Non-Members: $80
(Registrations at the door an additional $15)

Dan Adams is the founder and President of New England Network Solutions, Inc. (NENS) which currently serves over 300 clients technical needs in the greater Boston area. Client verticals include financial, insurance, manufacturing, medical, bio-medical, high tech, investment, travel, construction, professional services, and non-profit sectors. Scopes ranging from startups, clean ups, consolidations, mergers, and acquisitions.

Expertise includes virtual technologies, green computing strategies, business continuity services, technology relocation, MA 201 CMR 17 compliance, IT Engineering and support services.

Dan has a unique blend of creative, business, entrepreneur and technical skills. As a serial entrepreneur, Dan has started and owned several businesses from retail, wholesale and the professional services industry. 

Dan worked at Novell in the 1980s as a systems test engineer. He was on the first team to integrate Mac/Apple computers into business level networks, then Portable NetWare and NetWare 386. Dan has personally consulted to companies such as CSC Index, AOL, John Hancock, and WBZ. 

Dan advises many presidents and C level executives on how to hold IT accountable to business leadership, translate technical jargon to clear terms, reduce operational costs to enhance bottom lines, and avoid the “Run to Failure” pattern that plagues IT.

When Dan is not in the office, he is found helping coach soccer, softball, and active in the PMC. He also currently serves as treasurer of the NBBN in Boston. 

Steve Lipka, President of Avatar Strategic Partners, helps his clients choose, manage, and use information technology to increase profits. Currently, he works with clients on IT governance, strategic IT planning, IT operations transformations, and strategic programs intended to reduce costs, increase revenue, and reduce risks. During his 35 years in Information Technology, he has helped companies offering services in marketing and advertising, high tech, market and business information, metals, electronics, and automobile manufacturing, real estate, and pharmaceutical services.

He received his B.S. in Physics and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn and his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Steve has spoken and chaired sessions at several conferences and has taught at Boston University, Old Dominion University, and Bentley University. Currently a member of the Institute of Management Consultants USA, Steve is President of IMC’s New England Chapter and holds IMC’s Certified Management Consultant designation. Other professional organizations to which he belongs include the Society for Information Management, the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), and the Exit Planning Exchange.

Mike Maak is the Founder and President of NorthEast Business Advisors. Mike is an entrepreneur and experienced M&A advisor who has owned and operated several successful middle market businesses, and has an extensive background in mergers and acquisitions, deal structure, financing and bringing a sense of fairness and equality to the transaction.

Mike has a BS in Accounting, an MBA degree, and is also a CPA and CBI. He held senior level positions at two prestigious public accounting firms, several executive level financial positions at high technology firms, and has founded, owned and operated several successful technology, software development and distribution companies.

Mike is actively involved in the top organizations representing the mergers and acquisitions industry, including the Alliance of Merger and Acquisition Advisors AM&AA, Mergers and Acquisitions Source Express (M&A Source), International Business Brokers Association (IBBA),  The Exit Planning Exchange (XPX), Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) and the New England Business Brokers Association (NEBBA).

XPX Boston will be sponsoring a Cocktail Networking Event with an open bar at the BEI Boot Camp at 5:30 PM on Tuesday, May 25 at the Westin Hotel, Waltham, MA. The cost is $10 for members and nonmembers.

BEI is a national exit planning educational program. The cocktail networking event comes at the conclusion of the first day of their event and gives our members a terrific opportunity to meet the BEI organization and other professionals who are enrolled in their boot camp.

For more information about Boot Camp, view BEI’s online brochure.

The Boot Camp registration fee is normally $575 per person, but as an XPX Boston Member your registration fee is $517.50.  XPX Member Registration Form

Thank you to our Breakfast Sponsor:

Itamar Chalif – Founder
You’ve heard the expression “self-made man.” Look it up in the dictionary and you might very well see a photo of Atlantic Capital Solutions Founder Itamar Chalif.

Itamar was a successful management professional in his native country, at one point managing three companies simultaneously.  In 1991 he came to the U.S. to set up his company’s first American office. It was during this time that the Gulf War broke out, leaving his Middle East investor in chaos.  As such, Itamar’s plans evaporated, but despite that setback and knowing very little English, he made the decision to remain in the U.S.

Through hard work and determination, Itamar not only learned a second language but also began a successful career in retail financing and equipment financing.  In 2005, he founded Atlantic Capital Solutions, Inc. (ACS), a financing consulting practice that offers specialized one-to-one service to small business owners who need assistance in procuring financing.  ACS was born from Itamar’s observation that all too often small business owners go directly to financing sources to obtain capital, relying solely on the lender to advocate for them. In addition to helping his clients strategize and secure financing, he empowers them to seize control of future growth decisions.

Itamar is regarded as a leader in the field of small-business financing in his market area. He has been quoted in publications including the Boston Business Journal and has written articles on financing for a number of industry publications.  He is also regularly called upon to be a guest speaker at industry meetings. He conducts a monthly seminar series, “What Every Small Business Owner Should Know about Financing,” held at different locations throughout the region. Itamar has future plans to write a book on the topic of small business financing.

Itamar is a member of a number of organizations throughout the region, including the Exit Planning Exchange, South Shore Chamber of Commerce, and the East Bay Networking Association.  He makes his home in Middleboro with his wife, three children and a dog.

Jamie Grant-Partner
Since joining Mirus in 1997, Jamie Grant has been instrumental in the firm’s growth and in further developing the Family Business Advisory practice. He has a wealth of experience in negotiating, structuring, valuing and closing mergers and acquisitions, financings, restructurings and leveraged buy-outs. Over his career, Jamie has managed over 50 engagements for clients in a variety of industries including: industrial products and services, electronics, manufacturing, capital equipment, business services, information technology and consumer products.

Beyond his transactional work Jamie has been called upon to speak to professional organizations including the American Bankruptcy Institute, MIT Enterprise Forum, CapitalVenue, TMA, MIMC, and a variety of continuing education programs. He has been a resource to the media providing analysis of corporate finance trends, and has been a resource to the Boston Business Journal, Boston Herald, The Daily Deal, The Eagle Tribune, Bankrate, Upside, Board Member Magazine, CNET.com, Mass High Tech and the Austin American-Statesman. He has also served as a consultant or as an expert witness on the valuation of companies and intellectual property.

In addition to representing successful growth companies in mergers, acquisitions and financing transactions, Jamie has represented distressed companies with divestitures, bankruptcy sales, and out-of-court restructurings. He has successfully executed 363 sales and financial restructurings for clients in the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts in Delaware, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

Prior to joining Mirus Capital Advisors, Jamie held management positions with Newmarket Software (now Newmarket International) and Starwood Corporation. He serves as Mirus’ compliance officer and is a Registered Securities Principal holding Series 7, 24 and 63 FINRA certifications. He received his BA from the University of New Hampshire.

Jamie lives on the North Shore with his wife Meg and their two children, where they enjoy skiing, sailing, golf and community activities. He also enjoys live music, restoring antique furniture, and all manner of woodworking projects.

The score card of business success is of course the balance sheet and income statement. However, that measures performance; it doesn’t drive it. The engine that drives performance is the people and how they interact to serve customers. An advisor will often come across dysfunctional and underperforming organizations. As exit is planned, these can critically affect value. 

What can be done to salvage the situation and bring the organization back on track? This workshop will examine the human side of the equation and give insight into how progress can be made in this area.

This workshop will use a case study to examine issues facing a company and to determine which might be best solved by human capital experts or by teams that include them.

Participants will take away a clear understanding of:
•  Symptoms and business life span transitions  that signal a need for human capital interventions
•  Samples of human capital interventions and their impact on the business
•  The impact of human capital interventions on engagement, customer loyalty and productivity

The workshop will be led by XPX Boston members:
Bonni Carson DiMatteo (www.atlanticconsultants.com)
Katharine White (www.lighthousePSI.com) & (www.workplacerenaissance.us)
Harvey Wigder (www.fulcrumexecutivesearch.com)

Where:  Babson College, Olin Hall Room 101, Wellesley, MA (Park in the lot next to Knight Auditorium)
Time:  8:00 – 10:00 AM Coffee will be available. Registration begins at 7:30 AM.
Investment:  Members: $20, Non-Members: $40 (Registrations at the door an additional $15)

Join us on Thursday, April 29 at the Babson Executive Conference Center in Wellesley, MA for a lively session with two veterans of the boards of private companies. Les Charm, who teaches entrepreneurship at Babson College and is a partner at Youngman & Charm, has been working with privately held businesses since 1972 and serves as a professional director. Les made an enlightening presentation at an XPX breakfast in January 2008 -“Will the Owner Really Sell?”. Les will be joined by Larry Stybel, who is currently an Executive in Residence at the Sawyer School at Suffolk University, and is Entrepreneur/CEO of Stybel Peabody Lincolnshire, and co-founder and Vice President of BoardOptions.com. Through BoardOptions, Larry advises clients on filling Board positions, provides Board education, and consults on governance matters. Hollis Chase, of Chase & Associates, will moderate.

Thank you to our breakfast sponsor.

Where: Babson Executive Conference Center, Wellesley, MA
Time: Networking 7:15 – 7:45 AM, Program 7:45 – 9:00 AM Breakfast will be served.
Investment: XPX Member: $50, Non-Member: $80 (Registrations at the door an additional $15)

Tuesday, March 16
Babson College
Knight Hall
Wellesley, MA
7:30am – 6:00pm

Click here to Register today!

Attendees will walk away with

• Concrete ways to engage the business owner in exit planning
• Tools and techniques for assessing and valuing private businesses
• Comprehensive understanding of exit planning
• Network of trusted advisors engaged in the exit planning industry

Who should attend?

Professionals engaged in advising the private business owner and their clients. Last year’s attendees included financial planning advisors, accountants, corporate and estate planning attorneys, investments bankers, management consultants, marketing and public relations professionals, tax and insurance advisors, investors and entrepreneurs.

Click here to Register today!

Engage, Educate and Exit:

Delivering Value to the Owner-Managed Business

Join other trusted advisors and business owners for an  educational and inspiring opportunity to share firsthand accounts, exchange best practices and learn from other practitioners who are responsible for advising the business owner on issues surrounding their exiting goals.

Special Keynote: Rob Slee’s presentation “In Search of the Midas Touch -  competing in a global economy — how to create value in anticipation of the next liquidity/M&A period.” Each attendee will receive a hard cover and CD version of Rob’s new book Midas Marketing.

During the daylong conference, you will hear from Rob and Kevin Mulvaney as the keynote speakers. Kevin is  President of Strategic Advisors Group, a specialty consulting firm which advises CEOs and business owners facing important strategic challenges and M&A decisions. Both Rob and Kevin have extensive experience with exiting owners in the small and medium business space.

During the balance of the day, participants may attend up to three of nine break-out sessions presented by experts in their field, selected for the relevance to the exit  planning field, which will cover a variety of timely topics.

More Info:

• Agenda –  http://xpxboston.com/xpx-summit-2010/xpx-summit-2010-agenda/

• Sponsorship Ops – http://xpxboston.com/xpx-summit-2010/xpx-summit-2010-sponsorship-opportunities/

• Registration Form – http://www.xpxboston.com/events/register2.php?event_id=13

After you register (price only $10), please e-mail a two-sentence description of your business and target market to Donna Powell donna@XPXBoston.com.  We will aggregate the descriptions and distribute the sheets at the door upon arrival. We will also have a facilitator for the evening’s discussions.

Feel free to come in business casual attire.

We thank Noel Anderson and Principal Financial Group for sponsoring this event.