Category Archives: Business Reports

By Rose Miller

The workplace is more multigenerational than ever. With many employees delaying retirement and Generation Z entering in full force, as many as five generations are now working side by side. This diversity brings incredible strengths, but it also creates challenges. Each generation carries distinct values and expectations, and business leaders must recognize that a one-size-fits-all approach to employee benefits no longer works.

As I advise companies, I often remind them that wages and benefits are more than a cost of doing business—they are a core recruiting and retention strategy. To remain competitive, organizations must evaluate their benefits through the lens of their workforce’s evolving needs. And today’s employees are asking for much more than health insurance and a 401(k).

Here are some of the benefits I see gaining the most traction in the marketplace:

• Flexible work arrangements: Employees value flexibility, whether it’s hybrid schedules or the ability to set their own hours. While not possible in every industry, flexible models allow organizations to balance employer needs with employees’ desire for work-life balance.

• Health and wellness programs: Mental health support is no longer a “nice-to-have.” Employees are experiencing higher levels of stress and burnout, and benefits such as counseling, mental health days or therapy access can be game changers.

• Fitness perks: Gym memberships or fitness discounts not only encourage healthy lifestyles but also reduce long-term health costs for employers.

By Kathlene Thiel

When a business owner decides to sell their company, it’s often the culmination of years—sometimes decades—of hard work, sacrifice, and strategic growth. Yet, despite the emotional and financial weight of such a decision, many entrepreneurs attempt to navigate the complex world of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) without professional guidance. That’s where an M&A advisor steps in—not just as a broker, but as a strategic partner, negotiator, and process leader who can dramatically improve outcomes.

Selling a company is a nuanced, multi-phase journey involving valuation, due diligence, legal structuring, and emotional decision-making. Most business owners are experts in their industry but not mergers & acquisitions. An advisor educates you on each step of the process, from initial preparation to final closing. They demystify terms like “quality of earnings,” “working capital peg,” and “reps and warranties,” ensuring you’re informed and confident. More importantly, they lead the process—setting timelines, managing milestones, and keeping all parties aligned. Without this leadership, deals can stall, unravel, or leave value on the table.

A well-prepared Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM) or offering document can make or break buyer interest. M&A advisors know how to present your company’s story in a compelling, credible, and strategic way. They highlight strengths, mitigate perceived risks, and position the business for maximum valuation. These documents aren’t just marketing tools—they’re the foundation for buyer diligence and negotiation. A sloppily prepared CIM can signal disorganization or lack of professionalism, while a polished one reinforces your credibility and sets the tone for serious engagement.

By Sara Mannix

Artificial Intelligence can make your business more efficient, smarter, and more productive, giving greater value to your customers. At Mannix, we started small and progressed through clear, manageable stages..

Stage 1: Search Engine AI | Ask, Learn, Act

Skip Google and use AI. ChatGPT, Claude and Google’s Gemini have become our go-to tools for quick answers and deeper research. Instead of searching, we now ask AI-specific, actionable questions like:

“Act as a marketing expert and research the fitness app industry. Identify five leading companies, analyze their products, and summarize the unique selling propositions, pricing structures, and provide web links.”

“We currently use [X product] for analytics, but we’re looking for a tool that can also do [Z feature]. What are five alternatives, and what makes them superior to our current tool?”

“We’re considering a patent for [X]. What are the steps we need to take, and what should we be aware of in the process?”

Instead of spending 15 minutes reading through websites, we get the answer in 15 seconds. This is search engine AI. It’s the easiest entry point and results in time savings.  

If you haven’t used AI yet… start with this: Replace some of your Google searches this week with an AI prompt. If you don’t get the right answer immediately, provide more detail, as if you were talking to an assistant.

By David Kopyc

For many married couples, turning 50 brings retirement into sharper focus. With children grown or nearly grown and roughly 15 to 20 years until traditional retirement age, it’s time to take stock, make adjustments and ensure you’re on a solid path forward.

Gone are the days when retirement rested on a three-legged stool of Social Security, a pension and personal savings. Today’s couples must balance 401(k)s or IRAs, brokerage accounts, other investments and, in some cases, part-time work. Coordinating finances with your spouse is no longer optional—it’s essential.

Two incomes, two retirements, one plan

Each spouse often has a separate career, savings history and retirement timeline, but you’ll share one household budget. Whether you retire together or years apart, align your spending expectations, investment strategies and lifestyle goals. A mismatch can create unnecessary friction or financial shortfalls.

Longer lives, longer retirements

Advances in health care mean today’s 50-year-olds could spend 30 to 40 years in retirement. Plan for decades of expenses—including inflation, health care and possible long-term care—on a fixed or semi-fixed income.

Health care costs

Fidelity Investments estimates a healthy 65-year-old couple retiring in 2025 will spend more than $350,000 on medical costs over their lifetimes, excluding long-term care. Review Medicare options, consider a health savings account (HSA) and evaluate long-term care insurance.

By Brian M. Johnson, MBA, CLTC

For many working-age adults, planning for the future often centers around saving for retirement, managing debt, and building wealth. Yet an often-overlooked component of a well-rounded financial strategy is life insurance—specifically, 10-pay whole life insurance, a permanent life insurance policy paid up in just 10 years.

While frequently seen as a tool for wealthier individuals or older adults, 10-pay whole life insurance plays a significant role in both estate and long-term care planning, offering unique benefits for those who begin earlier in life.

Understanding 10-pay whole life insurance

A 10-pay whole life insurance policy is a type of permanent life insurance with guaranteed death benefits, fixed premiums for 10 years, and a cash value component that grows over time.

Unlike term life insurance, which provides coverage for a set number of years, whole life covers the insured for their entire life, assuming premiums are paid.

What makes the 10-pay version distinctive is the compressed payment schedule—premiums are paid over just 10 years, after which the policy is considered “paid-up.”

This feature is attractive to individuals who want to pre-fund a long-term asset during working years while minimizing obligations in retirement.

Tax-free wealth transfer

One of the most recognized uses of whole life insurance in estate planning is its ability to transfer wealth in a tax-efficient manner.

The death benefit is typically income tax-free to beneficiaries and, when structured properly, can also be excluded from the taxable estate.

For families with significant assets—or those with modest estates and legacy intentions—this can help preserve wealth across generations.

By Deb Verni

The perfect time to put together an estate plan is before you need it.  Unfortunately, most people think about creating an estate plan when a close friend or relative must be placed in a nursing home or when a family member dies and the kids are fighting over assets because there is no Will. 

I joke with people and say if you don’t have a “Will”, you have a “Won’t”, I won’t die or become ill and go into a nursing home. My kids won’t fight over my money.  My minor children won’t be raised by my evil sister.  My children won’t blow their inheritance on fast cars and gambling.   My daughter’s husband won’t take half of my hard-earned money when they get divorced after I pass.  

A Last Will and Testament is just the beginning of an estate plan.  Although a Will is important, it is only one of the documents in your estate plan.  A comprehensive estate plan should include a Will, a Health Care Proxy Living Will, a Durable Power of Attorney and in most cases a Trust.  Does everyone need all these documents? It depends on your assets and your family dynamics.  

For those of you that never considered family dynamics, I can assure you that if your children do not get along while you are alive, they will not get along after you pass.  If you are concerned about your money going to in-laws and out-laws after your death, then you need to plan for that.  If you want to make sure money goes to your grandchildren, or you have a child or grandchild with special needs, you need to plan for that too.  

Now that your head is spinning and you are thinking a “won’t” is not such a bad idea and you are looking around every corner for greedy relatives, remember, you can establish an estate plan now and leave all your worries behind, literally.  So how do you go about setting up an estate plan? First you need to figure out who will be in charge and where you want things to go. Estate documents are easy to establish but you need to do your homework.  Let’s go through an estate plan step by step.

Provided By Meghan Murray

In the age of social media, it’s easy to find advice on just about anything — including how to manage your money. Content creators known as “finfluencers” — short for financial influencers — use platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram to share their takes on investing, budgeting and building wealth. Many of them are charismatic and relatable, and they often speak from personal experience. But while their content may be engaging, taking financial advice from a finfluencer without digging deeper can come with significant risks.

While some finfluencers may have formal training or credentials, many do not. Instead, their influence stems from their popularity rather than professional experience. But popular advice may not necessarily be good advice. A 2025 study by the Swiss Finance Institute even found that unskilled finfluencers typically have larger followings than skilled ones.

Why be cautious?

For young or new investors, social media can make finance feel accessible. In fact, a 2022 FINRA study says that more than 60% of Americans younger than 35 get investing information from these platforms. But social media isn’t regulated the same way traditional financial advising is, so anyone, qualified or not, can offer financial tips.

Unlike traditional financial advisors, finfluencers don’t know your unique goals, financial situation or risk tolerance. And likely, they’re not licensed (you can check here: Check Out Your Investment Professional | Investor.gov). Even well-meaning guidance might lead you down a risky path if it’s not tailored to your needs. And unfortunately, some finfluencers have exploited the trust they build with followers to promote questionable investments or outright frauds.

by Kenneth J. Entenmann, CFA®

5/20/2025, 3:07:02 PM

For the bulk of this century, it has been said that America was exceptional. It had the world’s strongest military. It had the world’s largest and richest economy. It had the world’s reserve currency. It had the world’s largest, safest, and most liquid financial markets. Most of the world’s largest and most innovative companies were American. The United States was a juggernaut. American Exceptionalism!

Yet, somehow, in just a few months, there are rumblings of the end of American Exceptionalism. Prominent financiers speak of damage to the “American brand.” The “Magnificent Seven” tech sector received a wake-up call when the Chinese Deepseek AI model was announced, which showed that the path to AI dominance would be competitive. And finally, Moody’s became the last of the major bond rating agencies to downgrade the last U.S. Treasury bond rating from AAA to AA. 

Is this the beginning of the end of American exceptionalism? To paraphrase Mark Twain, the report of the demise of American exceptionalism is an exaggeration.

Apparently, several prominent financiers believe that the American brand has been damaged. Perhaps. They say our “Friends and Allies” can no longer trust the U.S. regarding military and trade. Certainly, the method of the Trump Administration’s demands for increased NATO military spending can be questioned. But the fact remains that many of our NATO “friends” are still significantly below the NATO minimum spending requirements, and even those who have committed to increased spending will not get there for several years. Given our fiscal challenges, the U.S. simply cannot afford to fund all of NATO. If calling for the end of our allies’ defense-free-riding ways is damaging to the U.S. brand, then so be it. Similarly, the rollout of the Trump trade program has been chaotic and has created great uncertainty. Our friends and allies are upset. That is understandable. But it is also very clear that these friends and allies are not free traders. They deploy a myriad of tariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade, such as a digital service tax on the U.S. tech sector, which are blatantly unfair. If calling this out is damaging our “brand,” then so be it. Regardless of the perception of the brand, the U.S. economy will remain the largest and richest consumer market in the world. Every country in the world still wants and needs to do business here. That is why there are so many ongoing trade negotiations. The hope is they will end with a freer and fairer trade environment with our Western allies.