The MHW Comparative Advantage

PUBLICATIONS

October 5, 2026
Warning Signs When Considering a Business Partner
Warning Signs When Considering a Business Partner
Entering a business partnership or joint venture is often compared to marriage. At first, enthusiasm runs high. Each person sees complementary skills, shared ambitions, and the value they might create together. A well-drafted agreement is indispensable. It defines contributions, authority, voting rights, financial controls, and a path through deadlock, departure, disability, or dispute. But legal...
September 21, 2026
Warning Signs: Evaluating an Outside Investor
Warning Signs: Evaluating an Outside Investor
A commercial banker friend of mine likes to say, “All money is green.” That may be true of commercial banks, but it is not the case with private capital investors. Taking on an outside investor, whether a venture capital fund, growth equity investor, private equity sponsor, strategic investor, or family office, is far more than...
September 21, 2026
Can You Close This Deal By December 31? Maybe. But why the rush?
Can You Close This Deal By December 31? Maybe. But why the rush?
We are barely past the dog days of summer, the kids have just settled back into school, and the calendar still says September. Yet, like clockwork, this is the exact time of year founders, executives, and owners begin asking the same urgent question: “Can we get a deal closed by year-end?” The better question is:...