My latest in Mergers & Acquisitions tells the story of how Corsair prioritizes the human or employee experience in the growth of the portfolio companies in its private equity strategy. That helps them create great outcomes for the PE firm, its investors, and the employees of those companies.

MiddleGround Capital, the first industrials-focused signatory with assets under $1 billion for the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment, acquired SixAxis as part of its ESG investing strategy. Founded in 2002, SixAxis is a maker of highly engineered, compliance-driven industrials safety equipment based in Andrews, SC. (About the story: Because the PE firm liked my first story on its acquisition of HLC so much, I got the exclusive on this, which means I had to turn the story around in 36 hours. I chose the ESG angle, which isn't part of the press release announcing the acquisition. This story shows my creativity as a writer and ability to choose subjects audiences appreciate. It also shows my understanding of ESG.)

[Note: While this is a B2C blog post, it represents my role in helping this bank build its private wealth content platform using my unique understanding of mass affluent and HNW audiences, economics, and wealth management.] If you have special charitable goals, consider a donor-advised fund (DAF). A DAF lets you set up charitable accounts at a variety of institutions — like community foundations, financial institutions, and national foundations — and donate money through them to your favorite causes. Here's what to know about the charitable and tax implication of establishing a DAF.

[Note: While this is a B2C blog post, it represents my role in helping this bank build its private wealth content platform using my unique understanding of mass affluent and HNW audiences, economics, and wealth management.] Most people know that inflation — the gradual rise in prices over time — decreases your purchasing power. And the recent bout of inflation has certainly had a profound impact on most people's purchasing power. At 8.5%,1 it's at its highest since the 1980s. This comes after price increases holding steady at the Federal Reserve's prescribed rate of a 2% annually since the Great Recession ended in 2009. What is the role of the Fed in mitigating inflation? (Image: Pexels)

Transportation is evolving more and more each year as new technologies and infrastructure continue to receive private equity investment. MiddleGround Capital is now looking to the fragmented cycling industry as a burgeoning market in transportation. (I pitched, developed, interviewed the source for, and wrote this story.)

High-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth executive women often get overlooked by wealth management advisors as viable clients. But, this multi-trillion dollar market is a growing—and lucrative—investor segment. From this position paper, advisors learn why this important investor segment has value to them and how to reach this market. (Inclusion of this writing sample in my portfolio does not represent an endorsement of me or my work by FlexShares or Northern Trust. It is for demonstration of my skills only.)

Increasingly, investors are interested in aligning their investment portfolios around their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) values. Savvy financial professionals are taking the steps necessary to identify their clients' interests and values to help them meet their investing goals. This research-backed position paper shows financial professionals how to provide customized client experiences that meet their ESG investing requirements.

We believe that one of the biggest challenges financial advisors often face with ETF investors is the latter's belief that ESG investing only needs to be a small part of their portfolios. Often, they're unconvinced that ESG is an optimal core option, preferring other more “traditional" choices. [In this blog post that I pitched to FlexShares, I tell wealth advisors how to educate their ETF investor clients on the importance of using ESG as part of their core investment strategy. When I wrote this in 2016, there wasn't such a deep understanding of ESG as there is today, so my thinking and writing about the subject were still innovative.]

We believe that many of today's investors are seeking investments that put their hard-earned dollars into ETF portfolios that reflect their convictions about important social issues. They connect most with brands that apply ESG — or environmental, social, and governance considerations — in their daily operations. [This blog post pitched and written by me for FlexShares helps financial advisors inform clients how choosing ETFs that focus on ESG, particularly social labor considerations, align with their core value. When I wrote this 2016, there wasn't such a broad understanding of ESG as there is today, so my thinking and writing about the subject were still novel.]

We believe FlexShares ETFs beneficial investor offerings include our growing innovative fund product lineup. Partnering with seasoned index investment professionals using quantitative research, our alternatively weighted indices and mixed asset classes provide investors with funds that are designed to help meet a variety of investor financial goals. But for many investors their most objective measure is quantitative—size. [This blog post, which I pitched and wrote for FlexShares, shows financial advisors how to educate clients on choosing measures other than size when evaluating ETF providers like FlexShares. When I wrote this 2016, there wasn't such a wide understanding of ESG as there is today, so my thinking and writing about the subject were still original.]

When working with any investor, financial advisors must excel at client communication. Clients generally want to feel that their financial advisors hear, respect, and value them—especially women investors. Women now control more than half of personal wealth in the US, roughly $22 trillion. As wealth is transferred to more women over the next four decades, that number is projected to rise to nearly $29 trillion. Financial advisors must shift their client communication strategies to meet women investors' needs. Here's how.

Today’s women investors demand communication strategies customized to their needs. Use these five keys to mastering client communication to help you build better relationships with women investors.

As part of one its global CSR efforts, Barclays committed to ensuring students in its own US backyard get the support, tools, and resources they need to help end global youth unemployment. This post summarizes the Rebound Partnership the investment bank established with Good Shepherd Services in New York City. Rebound helps urban young people learn financial and professional development skills and gets the matched to educational and work opportunities. This piece profiles two of the program's most exceptional students.

Recognizing the importance of providing mentoring and support to early stage start-ups founded by United States military veterans and with a commitment to veteran-owned enterprises, Barclays and NYU Tandon School of Engineering launched the Veterans Future Lab.

[Ghostwritten] Research from Cerulli shows client satisfaction is higher than ever—80 percent of investors are satisfied with their current advisor, while only one percent are dissatisfied. Yet, the exceptional client service bar is getting raised continually for financial professionals. Investors are pursing personalized advice more regularly since the pandemic began, and desire honesty and dependability from financial planners. Here's what clients expect from financial planners now.

Today’s financial planner faces multiple challenges in business development, especially when just getting started with digital marketing techniques. There are numerous digital channels that financial professionals can leverage to connect with prospective clients like never before, and create growth for their firm. Oftentimes, the key to success in any digital marketing initiative is taking a unified approach. This ghostwritten blog post shows financial planners the basics of digital marketing planning.

Investment management is becoming increasingly commoditized. The rise of robo-advisors, increased regulations, fee evolution, and investor expectations are pressuring financial professionals to differentiate themselves and deliver enhanced value to their clients. To do that, they must humanize their services by offering more holistic financial guidance.

The client’s experience is more important than ever. It’s vital during times of disruption to retain clients, and it’s imperative for the future of your business as technology gives firms fresh capacity to engage and delight clients. Research by eMoney isolated a group of firms that offered exceptional client experiences and found that they saw impressive results over the past five years. They increased their AUM and compensation by 20 percent, more than double other firms in the study. Here's how those investment firms achieved that outcome.

[Ghostwritten] The pandemic has propelled us into a virtual-first world, accelerating the need for firms to move to fully digitized operations. Research by Celent shows that as your clients commit to staying at home, they expect your digital technology to be exceptional. Despite your staff staying home, too, clients expect seamless onboarding and remote communication to get prioritized. This ghostwritten blog post shows financial professionals how to enhance technology to suit client needs in a remote work environment.

Current and prospective clients have a keen interest in educational content that helps them reach their financial goals, and they expect you to provide it for them. The pandemic also has driven clients’ appetite for timely content relevant to what’s happening to them today, causing them to eschew evergreen content. This ghostwritten blog post gives financial professionals the keys to building their digital marketing strategy around that content.

By turning a longstanding consumer credit model on its head and rewarding its members for their good personal credit behavior without their having to ask first, BECU repriced $100 million in consumer auto loans in 2015, raised revenue and raised its member satisfaction with its refinancing strategy.

This Virginia credit union changed its mortgage lending paradigm to accommodate members’ availability and interests. By changing the pay structure for its mortgage loan officers, the credit union substantially increased both personal income opportunities for their mortgage lenders and revenue for the credit union. Moreover, member satisfaction for their mortgage loan clients is at an all-time high and those members maintain at least four personal finance products with the credit union.

What happens when a small NY credit union uses its own ACH data and a small marketing budget to create a auto loan recapture promotion for its members? Phenomenal results happen, including $2.2 million in auto loan business in seven months, up to a 22:1 ROI for each marketing dollar and a jump in signature loan, HELOC, and new credit card account business. Read my case study and learn how, occasionally, marketing can produce magic (although planning took three years).

How does a business manage a disaster that only affects that enterprise and continue to serve its customers at the same time? When a fire damaged Fairfax County Federal Credit Union in 2013, Nicole Bowen and her team had to put their established disaster management strategy in action. And, the outcome was successful.

This is a case study I pitched, developed, sourced, and wrote to show that Gen X, now the wealthiest generation and 81+ million members strong, is a market worth targeting for credit unions. It overviews a profitable marketing campaign launched by this Fort Worth, TX credit union and provides solid justification for why and how other credit unions should plan and launch similar campaigns targeting this generation which influences the two generations who precede it and the two who follow.

An exceptional employee onboarding and training program at the Nusenda Credit Union produces an award-winning employer. Learn about their talent management program here. (Image Credit: atibodyphoto http://bit.ly/1UW6Wsz)

It's well established that corporate America, including the financial services industry, lacks diversity in management. People of Color are hired less frequently, experience lower promotion rates and voluntarily leave at higher rates in most financial institutions. And, when organizations do engage in diversity initiatives, they often focus on “fixing People of Color” as if they are the primary problem. Here's what The Hartford is doing differently that all organizations can.

The Hartford’s innovative leadership development program helps both participants and managers enhance their leadership skills and create an inclusive environment for all. It's well established that corporate America, including the financial services industry, lacks diversity in management. Learn here one thing The Hartford is doing to address the problem.

Before President Joe Biden made it a national holiday in 2021, in response to 2020s human rights movement, The Hartford began honoring Juneteenth as a company holiday. But the organization had a strong history of supporting the holiday's celebration in the City of Hartford, where it's headquartered, well before that. Learn why it’s a signal of workplace equity to make Juneteenth more than a day off for employees.

Aging is an uncomfortable topic that people have struggled to discuss since ancient times. That same discomfort exists in organizational diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives, too, and failing to face it head-on may result in age discrimination complaints. While many CEOs experience success with overall D&I programs, a PwC study found only 8 percent of CEOs target age-related D&I in their policies. Click on the link above to read more about how to address this issue.

Diversity is incredibly important to a company’s workforce. Not only does it ensure that workforces reflect the populations they draw from, but it also helps drive innovation and supports revenue growth. But in pursuit of diversity, companies often focus only on representation when that is only part of the equation. Creating an inclusive culture where everyone in your company feels included, supported and respected is critical.

Close the Talent Gap with Credit Risk Training to Attract and Retain the Best Employees Senior executives in the banking industry are retiring, and banks are hard-pressed to replace them. Intensifying the problem is the fact that during the Great Recession, financial institutions hired fewer bankers in their mid-30s and 40s. Moreover, technology has eliminated some banking tasks in recent years, causing bank hiring managers to believe that they could hire fewer professionals...

Determined to increase sales and market share, banks continue to focus on external communications. They develop marketing and corporate communications strategies designed to reach target audiences and convert them to bank customers. Undoubtedly, developing strong external communications programs to reach audiences continues to be critical to bank revenue growth. However, recent events in the lending community that led to significant loss...

The last decade in the banking industry has been challenging. The US economy has rebounded, however, and consumers are obtaining more products and services from banks. Banks remain overwhelmed by the aftershocks of the economic meltdown. Post-crisis, many financial institutions still are working through costly legal outcomes related to poorly structured lending policies and resulting wave of federal regulation enacted to prevent future financial collapses. Moreover, banks are facing increased c

This is a blog post that I pitched, researched, and wrote for a 40-year-old banking industry consultant that provides credit risk training. Here, I show senior banking leaders how banks can manage the regulatory environment while helping preclude future meltdowns by taking steps today to address rising credit risk. One critical way to confront credit risk is through investing in ongoing, robust credit risk training for bankers. While some banks are cutting back on this training, this post shows why it’s not advisable as regulation and risk grow.

Today, organizations must develop a collaborative leadership culture that facilitates employee engagement to achieve institutional goals and objectives. Commercial banks are no different, especially in the credit environment they now face. In the post-global financial crisis economy, alleviating financial threats is critical to preventing financial losses. All employees must work as a team and understand the key role they each play in...

When Tim Mulligan became chief HR officer at the world-famous San Diego Zoo in 2004, the workforce was tired, stressed, distracted and disconnected. That was bad for them, the customers and the bottom line, so Mulligan immediately began focusing on shifting the organization’s culture. He has helped remake the zoo into a place where its workers are more focused, healthy and engaged. Today, as the zoo celebrates its 100th anniversary, it does so in an award-winning environment that’s more profitab

Sometimes economic events happen that are out of your control, which may cause financial challenges that lead to business loss. Perhaps you lose your biggest customer or a business decision you make doesn't turn out well. This blog post shows you what moves you can make to turn your business around.

In 2022, Incfile, a business services provider, surveyed over 2,000 business owners, consultants, and freelancers across 13 industries and found that 20% of small-business owners are experiencing poor mental health. The survey also found nearly 65% of small-business owners have experienced anxiety and over 50% suffered from depression. This story provides SBOs guidance on how to address their own mental health challenges and those experienced by employees.

If you’re like most small-business owners, you may have gone into business because you’re passionate about the product or service you sell, and how it helps your target customer. While you may want to generate the highest revenue possible, you may prioritize excellence in serving your customers over managing business finances optimally. But generating the highest revenue doesn't always mean you're experiencing financial wellness in your business. Here's what small business financial wellness truly is and how to create it for your enterprise. [Note: This is an example of "pillar content," a piece that broadly overviews a subject creating a story to which multiple supporting pieces connect. I covered the other topics written for this new section on American Express Small Business on financial wellness for small business generally, and other writers produced specific content on those topics that link back to this "content pillar." It required an extensive understanding of small business financial concepts to write this piece, which I have. I can produce similar content for your organization.]

Owning a farm can be a high-stakes enterprise, and you can't afford any event that would harm your business, especially flooded land. Inland flooding is one of the biggest risks to Americans. Many people don't think they need flood insurance, but if you're near a river, a creek and you suddenly have intense rainfall, there's a flood risk. Even when your farm isn't on the Gulf coast, seriously flooded farms can happen. That's why it's important your farm has flood insurance. Here's what to consider.

This project overviews loan providers and grant makers, and the process for getting funding. •• About the Project: As an expert reviewer for this website, I substantially rewrote, updated, and expanded this review, which was the equivalent of 13-15 pages of text. I also used my doctoral-level research skills, employed my substantial expertise in SEO, small business operations and lending, and U.S. politics and economics, and I provided editorial direction. This project, which was the equivalent of 15 pages of text, took 30 hours to complete. The editor was an SEO expert and said the end product met his high SEO standards for content. Because of my work and extensive expertise on the two original reviews I wrote to the site, he made me an expert on the site. Click my name in the review to see why this website made me one of its experts. [Note: Clients pay me by the hour for projects like this.]

You have many things to consider as a hair or nail salon contractor working under a salon booth rental agreement. You only get paid based on the number of clients you service as an independent contractor, so making your revenue stream consistent is important. But there are plenty of other aspects of business operations to think through, too, and getting the right business insurance in place is one of them. Here's what to consider.

A high volume of sales may make you feel profitable, but that’s not the same as having strong cash flow. After all, you can appear profitable at certain times, but be in the red in others. It’s only by proactively balancing how you manage your cash flow—revenue, expenditures and profits—that you have cash to maintain business operations consistently. That allows you to take advantage of opportunities to invest in expansion efforts. Here's how to manage your cash flow in a balanced way for small business growth.

No matter what your business does, it’s essential you build relationships with a dedicated network of financial advisors. They help you operate, develop, and grow your business so you can focus on serving your customers while avoiding financial missteps. But which do you need and when do you need them?

Crowdfunding combines crowdsourcing and microfinancing. It does that by allowing individuals to invest small amounts in businesses that interest them. Sometimes, funders may outright donate money to your business. In others, they expect something in return, like equity, loan repayment, products or services. It is a way a small business owner can finance a new or existing enterprise without going to the bank. Here's how to find the best crowdfunding sites for your business.

If you have over 20 staff, it’s not enough for you to give HR work to someone in finance or operations. Creating your own HR team can improve employee experience and free you to focus on your business. Here's how.

Successful small business owners recognize how essential it is to commit to ongoing marketing efforts for their products or services. Marketing management isn’t just a seasonal event. It’s a business activity you constantly conduct, setting year-round objectives to achieve specific marketing goals. Here's how to do it well.

Have you been thinking you want to start a business? So much planning goes into following your dream, and we know it can be a struggle to finance its startup and daily operations. We also know that finding funding opportunities for your enterprise can be harder during a global pandemic. You may not be eligible for small business loans. But you may be qualified for grants. Here's how to learn if you are.

Usually, when you start your freelance writing business, you wear all the hats. You not only complete writing assignments for clients, but you also conduct all marketing and administrative tasks, from blogging to bookkeeping. If you hope to develop your dream writing business, however, you must outsource some tasks at some point — and not just once in a while. This goes beyond using apps to manage your business yourself to hiring other humans to help. For many, this is a scary prospect because

Debate rages around the liability freelancers accept when they agree to contracts that hold them liable for their words using indemnity clauses. Other contract terms related to confidentiality violations, libel or defamation committed while writing give freelancers pause. Wanting to protect their business or personal property in lawsuits related to business activities, writers can establish an entity with a state government agency. Here's how to register your entity and keep it legal.

These days, layoffs in journalism are regular news. Journalists find themselves the targets of budget cuts as publications routinely cut work budgets, pay, schedules, head counts or go under altogether. Journalists exit their newsroom jobs for other reasons, too, like changing family obligations. But, how do you make this change successfully? Let these former full-time newspaper journalists turned freelancers tell you.

If you’re like most freelancer writers, you’re savvy enough to know before starting a writing project, it’s imperative you put in place a solid contract that sets clear client expectations. However, that’s not always easy even when you recognize that as a freelance writer, you’re a small business owner in the sales business. Because sales mean negotiating, one of the most asked questions I see on freelance writer forums relates to negotiating work terms, especially pay. This blog post tells you how.

If you want to know how well you're really operating your business, you'll need to know your business's working capital, also known as net working capital. It's a moment of truth for your company's financial health – telling you the difference between what you owe and what your business owns at any given time. Plus, it's one of the most important numbers lenders often rely on to decide if your company is worth financing. My blog post breaks it down to make it super simple to compute.

Having good credit is vital to any business, so it’s vital to start building yours from the moment you decide to start your business. But, because business credit is different from personal credit, you’ll need a strategy. That starts with an understanding of what business credit is all about. Here's what to know.

Taxable situs can be challenging. The jurisdiction that has the right to tax a transaction depends on situs, or the legal location of the transaction. “This can get very complicated depending on states involved, where the buyer is, where seller is and if the product is shipped,” says Hutchinson. He adds that interstate ecommerce transactions further complicate things. For Metoyer, it depends on where she is in the Miami area when she’s selling ice cream. “I make sure I charge sales tax...

Your small business is starting to grow exponentially and you need to stay agile. But what are the right strategies to keep your business growing in the right direction while avoiding landmines? This blog post tells you how to do that while keeping employees and customers happy.