Cover Story
Employees with equity
Schu Marketing Associates Inc. has been entirely employee owned since 2020 when founder Steve Schumacher decided to retire. He’d previously sold 30 percent of his shares to his workers in 2016. But the independent manufacturer’s representative that sells for the plumbing and building materials industries began its transition to employee ownership more than a decade […] Continue reading →
Letter From the Editor
Mercury Mosaics founder on the courage to be a beginner
“You have to be willing to suck at something new.” That’s what the founder of Mercury Mosaics, Mercedes Austin, thinks about growing her custom tile-making business to each new level. I’m loving her viewpoint as I embark as a beginner on so many pursuits. Austin is a ceramics artist who was making and selling individual […] Continue reading →
Business Builders
Diversifying to mitigate business risks
In the world of entrepreneurship, investing solely in your own business has long been considered an act of dedication and belief in your vision. However, putting all your investment eggs in one basket can carry significant risk. Let’s shed a light on the risks small- and medium-sized business owners may face in solely investing in […] Continue reading →
How to drive engagement and find leads on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a unique social media network. As the preferred place for business networking online, LinkedIn has its own culture and guidelines for what content performs best. Videos or posts that make a splash on TikTok or YouTube shorts may fizzle on LinkedIn. If you’re not seeing the engagement you expected on LinkedIn, it could […] Continue reading →
Three scenarios for founder exits
What’s your number? This is a personal, but critical question that all founders must answer when planning a business exit. It’s not the number for selling your business. It’s the number you want for an enjoyable life after the business sale. There is a difference. Founder exits involve emotional aspects that can impact financial decisions […] Continue reading →
Hiring outside counsel for internal investigations
Workplace investigations are often the result of employee complaints. Though not all reported concerns lead to a formal investigation, employers have a duty to take appropriate action once they know or should have known about alleged misconduct. When initiating an investigation, employers should keep in mind that the investigative process may impact the organization’s reputation […] Continue reading →
New health benefit options for small and midsize businesses
As open enrollment approaches, now is the time for small and midsize businesses (SMBs) to finalize their health benefits offering for 2025 and begin planning for the next few years. For many SMBs, this process can be daunting, particularly as they are forced to choose from health plans that cater more to the needs of […] Continue reading →
Catching up
The art of collecting
Cathy Sedacca seems to have a habit of starting businesses her clients wish they didn’t need — but then really coming in handy when they do. In addition to contributing a couple articles in recent years, Sedacca appeared in Upsize as part of an Upsize/Club Entrepreneur event in 2018, when she was co-founder and director […] Continue reading →
