Northern California and specifically Sonoma and Napa Counties have experienced the worst wildfires in the history of California. Most of these fires began around Oct. 8, 2017, during night with extremely high winds, that knocked power lines out in hills …
Family businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy. They generate more than 50 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and more than 70 percent of job creation. However, only about one-third survive into the second generation, and 12 …
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…” This opening line in Charles Dickens novel “A Tale of Two Cities” summarizes the contradictions and …
Yogi Berra once said: “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” Ignoring that wisdom, what will the insurance agency business model look like in 10 years or 20 years? Right now there are several major trends that are …
Recently, a client of ours had two producers leave to start their own agency. The impact on the agency was significant. These two producers generated about half the agency commissions. The owner was scrambling to adjust to the change. Producers …
Why are some transactions or “deals,” as they are called, most likely to happen or not happen? There are a number of factors that come into play, and those of us in the industry call them deal makers and deal …
Quick, what color is a yield sign? Many adults, especially those more than 50 years old will say unequivocally that a yield sign is yellow and black. The image is so clear in their mind. Well, the yield sign is …
It is a new era for our country, with President Donald Trump coming into power with the theme to “Make America Great Again.” Perhaps it is also the time to do the same for agency planning. Are there things in …
Every business owner will exit his or her business at some point. The key is — will it be on the owner’s terms or someone else’s? The best time to start thinking about exiting the business is when the owner …
Paul Simon wrote that there are “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.” For business owners, there are a few less options, however, there are many more permutations of those options. For family businesses, the key is to understand everyone’s needs …
