Category: Blog Posts
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What New DOL Guidance Means for ESOP Valuations—and Why It Matters Now
Authored By: Pat Lowry For years, ESOP transactions have operated under a consistent backdrop of regulatory and legal scrutiny—especially around trustee independence, fiduciary processes, and transaction fairness. For trustees, fiduciaries, and business owners, valuation challenges remain a key concern. In April 2026, the DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) outlined updated enforcement priorities that point…
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Strategic Planning Through the Lens of Business Valuation: Preparing for What’s Next
Authored By: Pat Lowry Planning Beyond the Present At some point, every business owner and leadership team faces the same fundamental question: How do I develop a succession plan that will help ensure the continuity of the business while providing liquidity to current shareholders? For some, the answer points toward a sale. For others, it…
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The Questions Outsourced CFOs Ask That Help Investors Protect—and Grow Value
Investors are surrounded by information. The challenge is turning it into clarity at the moment it matters most. Portfolio companies generate reports, dashboards, and updates at a steady pace. Yet many of the most consequential decisions—whether to lean in, hold steady, or step back—are made with incomplete context. By the time issues surface clearly in…
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From Burn to Breakout: Financial Inflection Points Investors Should Watch For
When Investors Have to Decide Every investor faces moments where a portfolio company forces a decision: lean in, hold steady, or step back. These moments rarely arrive with clear signals. More often, they show up as subtle shifts in burn, margins, or efficiency—easy to dismiss in isolation, but critical in combination. The challenge isn’t identifying…
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5 Key Lessons for Better Site Selection Decisions
Authored By: Jacob DiMattia Practical Lessons for Smoother Site Selection Projects The path to a successful site selection project is rarely linear. After supporting more than 1,000 projects across industries and geographies, one thing is clear: the difference between a smooth process and a challenging one isn’t luck—it’s structure, alignment, and decision-making discipline. Below are…
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Rollover Equity in M&A: Considerations Leading up to a Transaction
Authored By: Steve Prichett Rollover equity can play a key role in middle-market M&A. If carefully structured, it offers an opportunity for owners to unlock additional value. Understanding how rollover equity fits into a deal and whether it aligns with your long-term goals is essential when assessing your options. What is Rollover Equity in an M&A…
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Vesting and Valuation of Incentive Equity
Authored By: Shawn Moxley and Will O’Donnell Why Vesting Matters Vesting is one of the most critical features of incentive equity because it determines whether and when an award has value. From a valuation perspective, vesting provisions are not just legal terms—they directly influence the modeling approach required to determine fair value. In practice, vesting…
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Why Companies Issue Incentive Equity
Authored By: Shawn Moxley and Will O’Donnell What is Incentive Equity? Incentive equity represents equity awards designed to align key employees and management teams with the long-term value creation of a business by allowing participants to share in future upside rather than current value. There are various types of incentive equity securities, depending on the…
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The Hidden Tax Impact of Parachute Payments in a Business Sale
Authored By: Patrick Guthrie When a business begins exploring a sale, recapitalization, or similar transaction, most conversations focus on valuation, deal structure, and closing terms. What often gets less attention is how parachute payments made to executives and owners are taxed once the deal closes. In general, parachute payments (sometimes referred to as “Golden Parachutes”)…
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The SaaS CFO Advantage: Navigating Growth, Scale, and Profitability
Scaling a Software as a Service (SaaS) company requires more than just financial expertise—it demands a deep understanding of the industry’s unique challenges. From managing cash flow in a subscription-based model to optimizing customer acquisition costs, a skilled outsourced CFO can be the key to balancing growth and profitability. An outsourced CFO seamlessly integrates into…
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Mentorship, Markets, and Momentum: A Conversation with Justin Horsman, Managing Director
This year, Evergreen Advisors celebrated a series of strategic promotions within its investment banking team, Evergreen Advisors Capital—a reflection of the firm’s ongoing growth, expanding industry presence, and dedication to delivering high-impact results. Among those promoted, Justin Horsman was named Managing Director. Justin shares his insights on how Evergreen’s practice has evolved and what’s ahead…
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Using Comparable Company Transactions for Business Valuation and Sale Planning
Authored By: Will O’Donnell A sound business valuation provides the foundation for strategic initiatives such as planning a sale, evaluating investments, meeting tax requirements, and ensuring transparent financial reporting. In valuation, there are a variety of approaches commonly used. One of the most widely used market-based approaches is the Guideline Transaction Method (GTM). This method…
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Your Site Selection Is Set—Now It’s Time to Maximize Its Value
Authored By: Morgan Trask Once a site is secured and the project is announced, most companies turn their attention to execution—hiring, construction, and launching operations. But this post-announcement phase is just as important as the site selection itself. It’s where implementation, compliance, and ongoing incentive management determine how much of a project’s full value is…
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How Innovation Shapes Finance: Evergreen CFOs Reflect on the 2025 DataTribe Innovation Day
At this year’s DataTribe’s 2025 Cyber Innovation Day, innovation certainly took center stage — from breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to the future of emerging technologies shaping business growth. The event brought together entrepreneurs, investors, and thought leaders to explore how small and early-stage companies can excel in an environment where technology evolves faster…
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When to Outsource CFO vs Hire In-House
Authored By: Eric Clarke Growing companies eventually reach a stage where basic bookkeeping and accounting support aren’t enough. At this point, leadership teams start asking a critical question: When is the right time to bring on a Chief Financial Officer (CFO)? For many businesses, the decision comes down to whether to outsource CFO services (sometimes called…