business

Family Offices: What They Mean for Businesses & Independent Sponsors

Published

8 months ago

July 21, 2022

Faraz

Why entrepreneurs should look closely at family offices

Entrepreneurs and family offices have never needed each other more. But raising capital on a deal-by-deal basis can introduce additional risks. Some entrepreneurs, including those in the US and Europe, find it difficult to tell which family offices are prepared to commit to a deal and which may just be learning about direct investing.

At the end of the day, what do family offices invest in? And how do their priorities match up with those of business owners and independent sponsors? For a fuller discussion on the independent (or fundless) sponsor model, please see our article.

Here, we’ll look at direct investing from the family office’s point of view, with an eye toward helping entrepreneurs choose the ones that offer the best prospects for sustained partnership.

What should entrepreneurs know about family offices?

In recent years, the number of family offices has grown to more than 3,100 in the US alone, according to Mordor Intelligence and Campden. This growth reflects a worldwide trend. Europe supports an estimated 2,300 family offices; Asia is home to an estimated 1,300 family offices, but that figure is projected to grow more rapidly than in any other part of the world.

Increasing returns to capital as compared to labor, in addition to reduced operating costs, have contributed to large multi-generational-type fortunes. Family offices oversee roughly $6 trillion in assets worldwide, according to Bloomberg Wealth. Some are huge—Bill and Melinda Gates’ Cascade Investment holds more than $170 billion in total assets—but most are much smaller. Modest-sized family offices may manage closer to $100 million in assets, with a staff of five or six.

The amount that family offices invest is correlated to the family’s total asset value. Family offices usually start by investing smaller amounts to “test the waters” before increasing their allocation to a single investment manager or independent sponsor.

Depending on the asset class, some family offices may start with an investment of $200k, whereas larger ones may have minimum ticket sizes of $2 million. Substantial, and usually more institutionalized, family offices are known to commit up to $20 million per investment. In the case of direct deals, most family offices invest between $2.5-$10 million, and some may even go up to $20 million.

Understanding the preferences of family offices is crucial to ensuring your investments are aligned with those goals. Specialized Family Office List database helps you find what they prefer—from ticket size and investment strategy all way down to security type or industry.

Why do family offices seek entrepreneurs, and vice versa?

Unlike wealth managers, family offices are freestanding investment operations that outsource a family’s investments and finances. They may serve one family or several, but are not constituted (or authorized) to solicit investments from others. Largely because they are responsible for a limited number of people, family offices are subject to fewer regulations than other investment advisors.

That freedom allows family offices to take on more risk than similar investment firms. Hedge fund titan Bill Hwang, for example, was penalized several times while managing the Tiger Asia hedge fund, and was eventually barred from the hedge fund industry altogether. But it was his family office, Archegos Capital Management that ruined him, losing $20 billion in just two days before being liquidated.

Few family offices are valued as highly as Archegos was at its height, but most of them are free to take the kinds of risks that Hwang did. That’s good news for entrepreneurs, but it can come with some strings attached.

Why do family offices seek direct deals?

Family offices are attractive financial partners for many owner-managed businesses. As investors, they do not face the same exit pressure as traditional private equity (PE) funds, and can provide patient capital with more flexibility. With so much leeway and fewer and less restrictive mandates, family offices are natural players in the PE sphere.

As family offices become more significant players in the investment field, they have naturally come to assert their interests more forcefully. Among the consequences of their growing stature is the increased desire of family offices to avoid paying the fees that accompany limited partnership in traditional PE funds. Direct investments offer investment opportunities that address this need.

Fueled by increased inflation in the (post-)pandemic economy, unstable geopolitical conditions, and unpredictable financial markets, family offices are looking to increase their chances of producing healthy returns through direct deals. Approximately six out of ten single-family offices currently invest in private equity, and of those that invest, one in four does so on a direct basis.

Many families see going direct as a way to exercise more control over their investments and the opportunity to better align their objectives and interests with their investment strategies. These types of investments can be especially intriguing given the higher overhead associated with traditional PE funds. For many family offices, then, PE represents a valuable element of a much broader portfolio, and that element must be mediated.

To keep up with market trends and source proprietary deal flow, family offices are broadening their networks, just as their PE peers have done. This requires them to build out their platforms and budgets, including an in-house team to provide operational support for their investments. However, the cost of this effort cannot be spread across multiple investors, which puts added pressure on family offices to generate high returns.

Building relationships with external parties, including independent sponsors, forms an increasingly important part of their strategy, and creates new opportunities to strike mutually beneficial agreements.

What do family offices look for when investing in direct deals?

Each family office is different, but as an investor class, family offices do tend to share some common characteristics. Entrepreneurs looking to work with family offices should understand clearly what the typical family office seeks in an investment opportunity.

Family offices prefer to invest in companies whose internal operations and leadership are prepared for significant organic growth following the introduction of new sources of capital. The company’s growth plan, in other words, should be largely coherent by the time a business owner seeks the inclusion of a family office.

For independent sponsors, the key takeaway is to focus on direct opportunities or situations that have not been widely auctioned, articulating the specific strategies that might be implemented to create value and the experience they have in realizing this outcome.

At the same time, any family office wishing to pursue direct investing will ask about more than the specific company in which they hope to invest. This observation is useful to entrepreneurs as well. When a family office asks pointed questions about the growth strategy behind an investment opportunity, entrepreneurs can take heart, knowing that their prospective partners are prepared to make a serious commitment, or to walk away from a deal early in the negotiation process without wasting either party’s time.

What are the risks for entrepreneurs of dealing with a family office?

Family offices offer ready capital and few regulatory restrictions. For entrepreneurs, that’s both a blessing and a curse. In exchange for a valuable source of new capital, independent sponsors in particular shoulder a significantly higher burden of due diligence. Simply put, family offices are as diverse as the families behind them, and not every family office with ready money is a good fit for every direct investing plan.

Remember that many family offices are intrigued by direct investing because it allows them to exercise more control over their investments. Entrepreneurs should anticipate this tendency from the very start, and should take pains to work only with family offices whose growth philosophy matches their own.

Although financial considerations are important, they should not be the only factors guiding an entrepreneur seeking partnership with family offices. A long-term relationship guided by shared principles will benefit all parties more richly in the long run than a short-sighted, hastily negotiated partnership.

Entrepreneurs must understand both their own investment strategy and that of any family office with which they deal. This includes gaining an appreciation of how involved the family office intends to be in the long run, and how prepared they are to make their involvement serious, sustained, and successful. The wrong match can lead to a once-eager family office to withdraw its support for a deal—on its timeline, not the business’—which can throw an entire investment decision into doubt.

Entrepreneurs should be ready to do a little extra research and have a few extra conversations early on in the process, rather than hoping that things will go smoothly after the investment is formalized. At a minimum, they should be prepared to answer the following questions before committing to any relationship with a family office:

What steps has the family office taken to identify investment opportunities? What role do such deals play in the office’s broader investment strategy?

How are investment decisions made by the family office? Is decision-making authority well documented?
What investment horizon does the family office expect? What does it seek by way of immediate returns? Long-term returns?
How actively does the family office expect to manage its investments? Is its interest primarily financial, operational, or a combination of both?

How can entrepreneurs find the right family office?

Knowing the exact investment preferences of a family office that you have not met before is difficult. When considering family offices for your investment opportunity, there are some important factors to keep in mind before approaching them cold with a proposal – like building relationship first or leveraging trusted advisors’ networks instead.

In case you are considering approaching family offices directly, using specialized Family Office List database can save time and resources. They offer a free sample to ensure it captures key information on relevant investment preferences and contact details (e.g. emails of key executives, ticket sizes, security types, investment strategies, and industries).

Along with plenty of research and conversation, business owners and independent sponsors often benefit from the advice of firms that specialize in finding the right family office for each investment opportunity. To learn about how Cap Expand Partners introduces the likeliest family offices from its international network, schedule a consultation with Sergio van Luijk.

business

Which Types of Software Does Your Company Need?

Published

20 hours ago

March 22, 2023

abdullah hussain tanoli

Table of Contents

Workspace digitalization will undoubtedly continue to grow. Business opportunities are unlimited since the internet connects the right applicants with the right employers all over the world.

However, any good idea needs a solid implementation strategy. Specifically, the need to communicate effectively and to share knowledge seamlessly grows.

Thankfully, the market is ever-expanding. When there is a global need, solutions always emerge. Digitalization is rapidly expanding to affect all fields, including communication, task scheduling and administration, file sharing, and so on.

While this is good news, it also poses a conundrum: which tools to pick and which ones to avoid?

With so many options available, it is essential to decide the exact tools your business needs.

Here are our top picks.

Call Center Automation

Call center automation is definitely a good idea, as it can be deployed for various processes, including:

Automation
Empowering employees
Connecting with customers
Driving continual improvement

The finest of call center automation tools come with conversational AI capabilities and deliver unified RPA. Both factors are critical, as they help businesses optimize processes and streamline procedures with ease.

A pro tip would be to use speech analytics for your call center. Speech analytics is the process of decoding audio recordings and using that information for advanced business intelligence. It has multiple uses and is certain to improve your business’ contact center performance.

For streamlining manual tasks, consider VoIP protocols, IVR systems and ACD systems.

VoIP protocols (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a method for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over IP networks. It has been around for a while and pretty much all businesses have used it at some point.

IVR (Interactive Voice Response) systems allow customers to interact with a computer-operated phone system through the use of voice and DTMF tones input via a keypad.

ACD (Automated Call Distribution) systems are telephony devices that answer and distribute incoming calls to a specific group of terminals or agents. Typically, ACDs deploy a voice menu to direct callers based on the caller’s selection.

Dispatch Software

Using dispatch software is always a good idea as it enhances logistics operations dramatically. It is a type of field service management software and its main purpose is to assist businesses in managing and automating their dispatch operations.

Dispatch software combines multiple functionalities such as client information, scheduling, dispatching, employee productivity, and automated billing and invoicing, to name a few.

Performance Management Software

Performance management is the process entailing communication and feedback between managers and employees. Its main goal is to uphold the company’s strategic goals.

There are five steps in the performance management cycle, as follows:

Planning — communicating goals
Monitoring — monitoring employee performance
Developing — using insights obtained during the monitoring phase to improve employee performance
Rating — performance appraisal
Rewarding — rewarding good performance

Updated performance management software can streamline these otherwise complex steps, so it’s important to choose wisely. Also, keep in mind that new tech can only help if you have a strategic vision — automating random processes won’t do much to improve your performance management procedures.

eLearning and Gamification

Learning is one of the most desired benefits for new recruits. If you focus on adopting an innovative strategy in this area, you may lead by example.

Gamification and other eLearning options are rather popular these days, so you should definitely consider them.

What is gamification?

As the term portends, it is the application of game elements in other contexts. In the context of eLearning, gamification focuses on certain game elements that can boost training. The three main standards of the approach are meaningfulness, conditioning, and communication. Gamification specifically targets the extrinsic motivation of the learner (in plain words: external rewards).

Typical elements of gamification are points, badges and leaderboards. Points identify progress, nadges display achievements, and leaderboards are used for ranking.

Additional elements (optional) include progress bars, incentives, rewards for the milestones achieved, a narrative, feedback and interactive elements.

Beyond gamification, you may want to consider augmented reality (AR) learning. Once reserved for musings of science fiction writers, AR has gone a long way to reach its present status. Even when we can’t see it, AR technology is all around us.

Augmented reality is a synthesis of the real world and computer-generated environments. AR apps interact with users, offering a rewarding user experience.

As AR apps overlap with other technologies, it’s not unusual for students to be able to use social media to send messages while learning.

Knowledge Management System

Knowledge management systems are yet to earn their rightful place and there’s no doubt that will happen eventually. The current state of knowledge management and sharing is far from optimal but it’s still better than not doing anything. Conventional methods can document only ca. 20% of organizational knowledge.

It’s no rocket science that offering learning opportunities is simpler than managing knowledge, specifically in the case of large organizations.

Modern knowledge management systems bring together technology, organizational processes, and learners. Information is stored in a central location, meaning it’s easily accessible anywhere, anytime.

Project Management Tools

When it comes to project management tools, options are close to endless.

There are so many apps that it’s impossible to compare them all. Thankfully, clients usually go for popular choices, so you may start there until you learn the ropes and come across a better solution.

Typically, businesses need to combine project management tools with communication tools and file management tools, for obvious reasons.

Pick the apps that integrate with others and focus on the following points: file sharing, task conversion, visualization, and unified inbox.

Keeping Track of New Tech

Considered here are some of the must-have apps, which we’re hoping you’ll find helpful. Additional ideas may come to mind but stick to simplicity.

Alas, it’s too easy to get lost in the variety, and not all software solutions are necessarily good solutions.

Since workplace digitalization is a trend that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, it’s perfectly valid to turn to other businesses for advice.

New tools keep popping up all the time and they make a point of including new trends. Keep an eye on the offer and adjust away.

business

All You Need to Know About the Crypto Tax Calculator

Published

2 days ago

March 21, 2023

abdullah hussain tanoli

Table of Contents

Introduction

Cryptocurrency taxes can confuse many people, especially those new to crypto. With so many cryptocurrencies available and the value constantly fluctuating, it can take time to calculate the exact amount of taxes owed. This is where the crypto tax calculator comes into play. In this blog post, we will explore what a crypto tax calculator is, how it works, and why it is essential for cryptocurrency investors.

What is a Crypto Tax Calculator?

A crypto tax calculator is designed to help cryptocurrency investors accurately calculate their tax liabilities. It analyzes the transactions on various cryptocurrency exchanges and summarizes the taxes owed. These calculators typically utilize an Application Programming Interface (API) to retrieve transaction data from cryptocurrency exchanges, including the date of purchase, the amount spent, the price of the cryptocurrency at the time of purchase, and the date of sale. Once this data is collected, the calculator calculates the tax liability.

How Does a Crypto Tax Calculator Work?

Crypto tax calculators work by taking all of the data collected from the API and processing it through a complex algorithm. The algorithm considers various factors, such as each cryptocurrency’s purchase price, sale price, and holding period. The tax calculator then uses this data to calculate each transaction’s capital gains or losses.

Capital gains are the profit made when selling a cryptocurrency for more than it was purchased for, while capital losses occur when selling a cryptocurrency for less than it was purchased for. Once the calculator has calculated the capital gains or losses for each transaction, it then calculates the total tax liability for the investor based on their tax bracket and the tax laws in their country.

Why is a Crypto Tax Calculator Essential?

Crypto tax calculators are essential for several reasons:

Accuracy

Calculating cryptocurrency taxes can be highly complicated, especially for those who have made numerous trades. A crypto tax calculator eliminates the possibility of human error, ensuring that the tax liability is calculated accurately.

Time-Saving

Calculating taxes manually can be a time-consuming process. A crypto tax calculator simplifies the process and saves investors time by automatically generating a tax report.

Cost-Effective

Hiring a tax professional to calculate your crypto taxes can be costly. A crypto tax calculator eliminates the need for a tax professional, saving investors money.

Compliance

Using a crypto tax calculator, investors can ensure that they comply with tax laws in their country. Failure to comply with tax laws can result in penalties and fines.

How to Choose the Right Crypto Tax Calculator

Choosing the right crypto tax calculator can be overwhelming, given the many options available. Here are some factors to consider when selecting a crypto tax calculator:

Accuracy

Accuracy is the most crucial factor when choosing a crypto tax calculator. Ensure that your calculator is accurate and current with the latest tax laws.

User-Friendly

A user-friendly interface is essential when choosing a crypto tax calculator. The software should be easy to navigate, and the instructions should be clear and concise.

Integration

Ensure that the crypto tax calculator you choose can integrate with the cryptocurrency exchanges you use. The more exchanges the calculator supports, the better.

Customer Support

Choose a crypto tax calculator that offers excellent customer support. The support team should be easily accessible and able to answer any questions you have.

Conclusion

A crypto tax calculator is an essential tool for cryptocurrency investors. It simplifies calculating taxes and helps investors comply with tax laws. Using a crypto tax calculator, investors can take control of their tax liabilities and make informed decisions about their cryptocurrency investments.

business

A Guide to Spring Cleaning Your Financial Paperwork

Published

6 days ago

March 17, 2023

abdullah hussain tanoli

Table of Contents

If the spring-cleaning bug has bit you, you won’t stop at just washing your windows and cleaning under the fridge. Your job isn’t done until you can bring order to all areas of your life, including your financial house.

Even though online banking makes it possible to manage money virtually, the average person still collects a lot of snail mail over the year.

While throwing all that paperwork out may be tempting, this idea could cause problems in the future. You’re meant to keep certain financial documents — look below to see how long.

Personal Loan Contracts

Any time you borrow a personal loan or line of credit, you have to sign a loan agreement. This contract contains all the black-and-white details of your account, so you know what to expect when borrowing a line of credit or personal loan. Most importantly, it outlines your terms, payment schedule, and cost of borrowing.

While some traditional loans may mail you a paper contract, online lenders might send you an e-document. You should keep it in a safe place — whether it’s paper or digital. It should join any supporting documents or proof of payments for at least the lifetime of the loan.

Bills

You can safely get rid of phone and utility bills after one month. After all, most utility providers set you up with an online account where you can review digital copies of these bills.

The only exception is if you plan on using any of these bills for tax-related purposes. In that case, refer to the section on taxes for how long you should keep them.

Financial Statements

If our bank, credit card company, or lender still mails your monthly statements, financial advisors recommend you keep them for 12 months. Once again, you might have to keep them longer if you plan on using them as supporting tax documents.

Receipts

Do you always say “yes” when the cashier asks if you want your receipt? Your wallet is probably bursting with receipts collected over the year.

The good news is that you can safely clear out most of them. There are only three times you should file away your receipts for safekeeping.

It’s for a major purchase, like a new appliance, vehicle, or device. You may need to show this in case you need to return it or activate its warranty.
It’s for household services or work done to your house, including renovations and repairs.
You made a purchase you plan on writing off.

Insurance Documents

You should keep your auto, health, and life insurance documents until your policy expires, or you purchase a new package.

Taxes

Tax time is stressful enough without having to fight against disorganized and missing paperwork, so pay particular attention to your returns this spring.

According to the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA), you should keep your supporting documents for six years. However, some advisors recommend you keep all your tax documents indefinitely in case of errors. You should also retain copies of your returns, notices of assessment, and notices of reassessment.

Handle Your Finances with Care

Once you go through all your paperwork, you’ll be left with two piles: the paperwork to keep and discard. When it comes to the stuff you want to toss, make sure you shred it first so that no personal information may be exposed. As for the stuff you want to keep, look for a filing system that works for you. Choose a safe, dry place where you won’t lose things.

business

ANWORK: Fully Encrypted And Ephemeral Communications

Published

1 week ago

March 14, 2023

abdullah hussain tanoli

Table of Contents

ANWORK is a secure and private messaging app that offers end-to-end encryption for all communications. Keep reading our post if you do important business meetings and want no one to access your data. Here we will tell you the secured communication solution.

How does ANWORK work?

ANWORK is a secure messaging app that offers fully encrypted and ephemeral communications. All data is stored locally on your device and not shared with third-party servers. ANWORK uses an advanced end-to-end encryption protocol that ensures your messages are secure from start to finish.

If you choose to, you can also set messages to expire after a certain amount of time, ensuring that your conversations are truly ephemeral. With its end-to-end encryption and ephemeral messaging, you can be sure that your conversations are safe from prying eyes.

What are the benefits of using ANWORK?

ANWORK is different from traditional communication platforms because it offers a number of unique benefits that make it ideal for certain types of communication. Some of the benefits of using ANWORK include the following:

Fully Encrypted Communications

ANWORK offers fully encrypted communications, meaning that all messages exchanged on the platform are automatically encrypted end-to-end. This makes it impossible for anyone to eavesdrop on your conversations or access your messages without your permission.

Ephemeral Communications

It means that all messages exchanged on the platform are automatically deleted after a certain period of time. This ensures that your conversations are private and cannot be accessed or shared without your permission.

No need for a phone number

ANWORK does not require a phone number for you to sign up or use the platform. This makes it ideal for people who want to keep their phone numbers private or for those who do not have a phone number.

No need for a username

ANWORK also does not require a username or password for you to sign up or use the platform. This makes it even easier to use and helps to keep your conversations even more private.

Works on any device

ANWORK works on any device that has an internet connection. This includes smartphones, laptops, and desktop computers.

Open source

ANWORK is an open source platform. This means that anyone can access and audit the code to make sure that it is secure.

Built by a team of security experts

ANWORK was built by a team of security experts with years of experience in the industry. This means you can ensure your conversations are safe and secure.

User-friendly

ANWORK is designed to be user-friendly and easy to use. The platform is simple and straightforward

How can I get started with ANWORK?

ANWORK is a secure communications platform that can provide you with extra security. It is available for free on the App Store and Google Play. ANWORK is also available as a desktop application for Mac and Windows.

Final Words

We have guided you well on how ANWORK can secure your chats and provide a secure communication procedure. When you use a platform like ANWORK for communications, there will be no risk of information leakage. This is because the information is stored on reliable algorithms using signal protocols. The protocols included Curve25519, AES-256, HMAC-SHA256, and many more. For more information about this secure chat communication, read the above mentioned carefully.