Selling a business is the most popular exit strategy for business owners.  In some cases, there are no successors who want to continue the business; in others, it was always the business owner's plan to sell the business at a certain point in time.  Whatever the reason for wanting to sell, the following considerations for the sale of a business will help to sell the business and secure the best sales price for the company.  Read More

Webinar: Setting the valuation of your early-stage food company with valuation expert, Melisa Silverman, hosted by Food Centricity.  On Wednesday, September 30, 2015 from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm PT, Melisa Silverman, President of Avenue M Advisors®, Inc., will explore business valuations for start up companies, share examples of recent business valuations, the reasons for the valuations, the value that business valuations can provide and the results to each business. Read More

The IP Practice Section of the California Bar will hold their annual conference on November 15-16, 2015 at the Westin Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California.  On Thursday, November 15, 2015 from 9:00 am - 10:00 am a general session will be held on The Undiscovered Country: What Must be Found in an IP Audit.  This panel will provide a comprehensive overview of the essential IP portfolio information that must be identified and understood in a competent, useful IP audit.  Read More

There comes a time when every company needs to know the dollar value of the business assets, including intangibles such as patents, copyrights, trade secrets and even the brand.  Brandaide provides access to trademark registration services as well as to ancillary services such as company valuations.  Cheryl Hodgson, Attorney with Brandaide and Hodgson Legal, interviewed Melisa Silverman of Avenue M Advisors, Inc. to share the basics you need to know.  Read More

On Friday, May 1, 2015, the California Community Foundation held a luncheon for advisors on Making Gifts of Illiquid Assets Work for Your Clients.  The panelists consisted of William Flumenbaum with Capital Group Private Client Services, David Newman with Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, LLP and Melisa Silverman, President of Avenue M Advisors, Inc. Read More

The presence of personal goodwill  in a business transaction is important.  Personal goodwill can provide tax-efficient opportunities in a merger and acquisition transaction by alleviating corporate tax upon the sale.    Read More

In the past, most companies focused on their tangible assets such as buildings, equipment, receivables, inventory, etc., as composing the value of the business.  Not much attention was paid to intangible assets.  In recent years, this has changed and companies realize that their most important assets consist of their intangible assets such as brands, technology, patents, trademarks, proprietary processes, etc.  Some leading corporate brands today include such companies as Apple, Google, Disney, Coca Cola and Nike to name a few and they are aware of and focus intricately on their brands.   Read More

There are times in litigation matters, when a company or an investor in a company may be required to have a business valuation performed. Read More

Do you know the value of the Intangible Assets in your company?   What are Intangible Assets?  There are two types of intangible assets:  Read More