Monthly Webinar Series
	We host monthly webinars that cover topics of interest to owners, executives, and senior managers of privately-held companies. Please join us at our next event.
	Next Webinar: "Legal Issues in Buying and Selling Technology Companies"
	Date: May 16, 2012 (Wednesday)
	Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Central Time
	In this interactive webinar program, we will discuss the market drivers and trends in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) within the information technology industry (IT) today. What makes IT service companies attractive candidates for acquisition? What are the various legal issues that are typically encountered by buyers and sellers of technology companies?  We will explore the business implications that may arise through the various areas of the deal process including: ·        The structure of the transaction ·        Elements of an effective Letter of Intent (LOI) ·        Potential issues with representations and warranties ·        Employment/consulting and non-compete agreements ·        Other deal-related issues that can become subjects of spirited negotiations between the parties Bob Reetz, partner in the Business Planning and Tax Section of Haynes and Boone, LLP, and M&A advisors from the Austin Dale Group, John Austin and Bob Dale, will discuss these key business implications, illustrating both risks and opportunities, and will offer helpful strategies for M&A event preparation.   Whether you are looking to sell your company, buy an add-on, or spin-off a portion of your business, this presentation will provide you with a better understanding of the legal issues and market trends in M&A within the IT industry today.   Key take-aways from this program will include: ·        What makes IT service firms and solution providers attractive for acquisitions ·        Which trends are driving M&A deals in the industry ·        Top 5 legal concerns for the buyer ·        Top 5 concerns for the seller     About Haynes and Boone, LLP Haynes and Boone, LLP is an international corporate law firm with offices in Texas, New York, California, Washington, D.C., Mexico City and Moscow, providing a full spectrum of legal services. With more than 525 attorneys, Haynes and Boone is ranked among the largest law firms in the nation by The National Law Journal. The firm has been named one of the "Best Corporate Law Firms in America" (Corporate Board Member Magazine, 2001-2011) and recognized as a “Top 20 Law Firm” for culture and for diversity with respect to both women and minorities (Vault, 2012). For more information, visit www.haynesboone.com.
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Recent Austin Dale Group Webinars

Date	Title	Description
3/21/11	12 Value Drivers for IT Service Companies	Do you know the key factors – or drivers - that are responsible for most of the value of an IT service company as viewed by an investor? If you are an owner or executive it’s critical to know your value drivers, whether you’re building your company for the long haul or plan to sell it in the next three years. Once you understand your value drivers you can rate your own firm, understand its strengths and weaknesses, and focus on areas that need the most attention. At this webinar we’ll cover 12 of the most common value drivers – as perceived by outside buyers - for IT services companies, including managed service providers, cloud computing solution providers, and SaaS solution providers. This can give you a valuable strategic and tactical tool in running your business, improving it, and eventually maximizing its value. Even if you plan to keep your business for a long time, concentrating on these value drivers will help you build a company that is easier to grow and manage, and ultimately more valuable.
2/15/11	M&A Opportunities in the IT Services Market	The recent performance of the capital markets and other leading indicators point to an uncertain economy and a slow rebound in merger and acquisition activity for most small and medium-sized companies. However, M&A activity in the IT service sector is relatively strong because investors are excited about newer technologies like cloud computing, the SaaS model, and managed services.     In the first part of the presentation we will discuss trends in the M&A market for IT companies. Then we’ll cover what makes IT service companies attractive. After that we will present the M&A process and highlight the differences between buying and selling. We’ll finish up with a brief discussion about exit strategies.   Whether you are looking to sell your company, buy an add-on, or spin-off a portion of your practice, this presentation will help you understand the current M&A marketplace for IT firms.
12/14/11	Planning your Exit	What’s your exit strategy? Or is running your business taking up all of your time, leaving no time to prepare for your exit? Learn how successful entrepreneurs do it the “right” way each time they build a business – and profit from their experience -- even if you don’t have immediate plans to leave your business. Regardless of where your business is in its life cycle, you have nothing to lose and much to gain from learning more about planning your exit.
1/18/12 4/25/12	Using a Financial Dashboard to Increase Performance and Value	Did you know that high performance companies are more attractive – and more valuable – to buyers? If you plan to sell your company someday or acquire other companies, it’s time to start optimizing your business. In this webinar we’ll discuss and demonstrate how a financial dashboard should be in every owner’s toolbox. This indispensable tool can give you a clearer view of your company’s past and projected performance. And it can quickly and easily show you the key metrics and ratios to set goals and monitor your business performance, compare your results to industry benchmarks, and make better decisions.
10/26/11	Benchmarking IT Solution Providers to Increase Performance and Value	This no-nonsense presentation features IT industry expert Paul Dippell of Service Leadership Inc., publisher of the largest and deepest IT Solution Provider financial benchmark, the Service leadership Index®. Paul will share the results from the most recent quarter’s Service leadership Index®, including Best-in-Class performance for each of several distinct Solution Provider business models. He’ll explain why certain Solution Provider business models generate the most equity value, and the critical success factors of the best-in-class. Paul together with the Austin Dale team will then discuss the state of the M&A market for IT Solution Providers. Then the M&A professionals from Austin Dale Group will talk about exit strategies and how to realize the value that you have created.
8/25/11 9/29/11	10 Steps to Prepare and Sell Your  Business	Did you know that over 50% of all small and mid-sized businesses never sell when they are put on the market? Selling a business is not like selling a piece of real estate or any other type of asset. This webinar is designed for small and mid-sized business owners who are thinking of selling their business and need to know how to prepare and follow-through to successfully sell their business and maximize their proceeds. Often a business owner decides to sell his or her company, but finds there are parts of the business not ready for a sale. It’s possible to prepare the business for sale quickly, but that usually leads to a band-aid approach rather than making long-lasting changes that will improve the business in the eye of the beholder (buyer). So it’s more crucial than ever for owners to plan ahead to optimize the value of their company, and take advantage of market conditions and timing to get the most out of selling their business.
4/21/11 5/19/11	Grow Your Company through Acquisition	Most business owners want to grow, but they're focused on their internal growth. Highly successful companies often complement that growth by strategic acquisitions. This combined approach is well-known to large corporations, but is suitable for some small to mid-sized businesses. In this webinar we discuss why growth through acquisition can complement your organic growth and drive up the value of your business, the steps involved in buying another business, and the risks that buyers may encounter and how to manage them.
3/10/11 2/17/11	Ten Ways to Increase the Value of Your Business	If you own a business, you're already thinking about how to increase the value of your company, or you know that you should be. In this webinar we discuss ten things that you can do - starting now - to increase your company value from a buyer’s perspective, whether you're planning to sell the business, leave it to your kids, or you're not sure yet.