Wipfli scores PE investment from New Mountain Capital

Dear Farmers, As you build that company and approach VC & IPO, what do you know about funding process & technicalities, how are you protecting your idea & interest? Read the below by Barinaada Bema Alexander “You Can Be the CEO of a Company You Built… and Still Be Replaced Yes, you read that right. It’s entirely possible to be the founder, the visionary, the person who started it all and still lose your position as CEO if you don’t have controlling shares or strong legal protections in place. We’ve seen it happen countless times, even in billion-dollar companies. Founders get pushed out by their boards or investors because they didn’t structure ownership and governance properly from the start. HERE IS HOW YOU CAN EASILY BE REPLACED AS CEO * Equity Dilution When you raise funds without understanding ownership and voting rights, you can lose majority control. Investors with significant voting power can influence (or decide) who stays CEO. *No Founders’ Agreement or Shareholders’ Agreement Without these documents, there’s no binding structure that protects your decision-making power or sets rules on leadership changes. *No Protective Provisions You might own shares in the Company but lack “veto rights” or “reserved matters” clauses that allow you to block certain board decisions (like your own removal). *Board Control The board typically appoints and removes the CEO. If your investors or cofounders control the board, they control your position. Equity is not just about ownership, it is about control. Every percentage of Equity you give out comes with a vote and sometimes power to decide who runs the company and before you know what’s happening, you end up being voted out of the very company that you started. *If you’re a founder or cofounder, here’s what you must learn early* 1. Own Strategically, Not Emotionally You don’t have to own 100% of the shares but own enough to maintain influence. Structure equity wisely so that even if you raise capital, your voting rights or special class of shares protect your leadership. 2. Get a Solid Shareholders’ Agreement This document defines who makes what decisions, how leadership transitions happen, and how much power you retain. The shareholder Agreement is a must have once you have shareholders in your company. 3. Negotiate Founder Protective Clauses Don’t just sign the shareholder or founders Agreement, negotiate and include clauses that protect your role or give you the right of first refusal, veto rights, or super-voting shares, these clauses ensures that you are legally protected 4. Be Board-Savvy Understand who sits on your board and how they can influence decisions. You may be the founder, but the board is the real “control room” of your company. 5. Work with Startup Lawyers Early. Don’t wait until you’re in trouble to seek legal help. A good startup lawyer helps you structure your company to attract investors without losing your power. (Continued in comment)

The results of a comprehensive, independent forensic audit of Elevate Ventures, commissioned as part of a broader review of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), were released. The audit, conducted by FTI Consulting, found no evidence of illegal activity by Elevate Ventures, affirming their role as a high-performing partner in Indiana’s innovation economy. Read More: https://bit.ly/434ujf9 #IndyRecorder #News #Business #Update #OurNewsYourVoice #ElevateVentures #Finance

In today’s Irish Times Corporate Finance Special Report, I discuss how founders should approach early-stage funding. “Alongside Government initiatives, private venture firms and angel networks are becoming increasingly prominent, creating a more dynamic and accessible funding environment for early-stage founders.” Read the full article here: https://ow.ly/Yy5950X5sGr #ShapeTheFutureWithConfidence #StrategyandTransactions #EYPrivate Shane Mac Sweeney Fergal McAleavey David Martin Marcus Purcell Helena O'Dwyer Luke Charleton Simon MacAllister Ferga Kane Carthach McCarthy Eanna Brennan Roisin Shanks Breige McCartney Julia Ann Corkery Andrew Dolliver Jonny Forde Grit Young Niall McCarthy Peter Neville Michael Murphy Liam O'Neill Peter Twomey John Slowey

🚨 Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP has hired private equity partner Hamesh Khatkar in London, adding to an uptick in partner departures from Kirkland’s City office in recent months. More here: https://lnkd.in/euKQrHPu

We’re excited to announce that Shadforth Financial Group Ltd has acquired PMD Advice, a respected Melbourne-based wealth business. 👉 https://lnkd.in/g7ysR5G2   This acquisition marks an important milestone for us — the first step in our new inorganic growth strategy. By welcoming three highly experienced Private Wealth Advisers and five advice support professionals into the Shadforth family, we’re strengthening our commitment to delivering exceptional client outcomes while expanding the reach and depth of our advice capability. We’re proud to partner with businesses that share our values of client care, quality advice, and long-term relationships. Looking ahead, we’re actively seeking like-minded businesses that see value in joining a national firm with a 100-year history, strong client and employee value propositions, and the scale to support ongoing growth and success. If you’d like to explore what a partnership with Shadforth could look like, please reach out to Michael Knafelman for a confidential conversation. #FinancialAdviceforLife

Insignia Financial's Shadforth Financial Group Ltd today announced the acquisition of Melbourne-based wealth business, PMD Advice. #FinancialAdviceForLife #ShadforthFinancialGroup Terry Dillon Renee Howie Scott Hartley

Mercer Advisors has strengthened its presence in the West by acquiring two registered investment advisory firms with offices in Oregon, Idaho, and Southern California. https://lnkd.in/eb53bDEB

McDermott Will & Schulte has advised Sagard on its combination with Unigestion, a transaction that will create a global leader in mid-market private equity. Completion is expected in early 2026, subject to the approval of the relevant regulatory authorities. The cross-border McDermott team included Gregoire Andrieux, Côme Wirz, Henri Nalbandyan, and Fayçal Laraki (#Corporate); Nicolette Kost de Sèvres, Stavroula (Lina) NIKOLAIDOU, Inès L., Guillaume Panuel, and Romain Souchon (#Compliance & Regulatory); Frédéric Pradelles and Francesca Casalone (Competition) and Jilali Maazouz, Abdel Abdellah, and ARSHAKYAN Naré (#Employment) in Paris. The US team comprised Smith Alpert, Allison Bernbach (Scher), Yuxin Jin, William Barbera, and Alexa Sakni. The UK team included Eleanor West, Nikita Panchal, and Raees Khan, while the German team was made up of Felix Ganzer, Renate Prinz, and Dr. Cornelius Hille. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eHRdUMqh

Scotland’s Top 100 private firms employ 146,000 and generate £40bn in revenue, according to Grant Thornton’s Scotland Ltd 2025 report. https://lnkd.in/eDwyxB3P

Don't Be Scared Into Selling Your Accounting Firm ... Especially if you're fear is around the 'next generation' We always fear the next generation... Will they work as hard? Will they care enough? Will they have the grit to navigate the highs and lows? If you rewind 30 years ago ... the same conversation was happening about the team that would go on and make partner. Each generation is unique based on the new technology and media of the day ... what's been enduring has been the next generation taking care of clients while continuing to navigate the firm into the future. Jennifer Wilson unpack succession, PE, and much more during her M&A summit talk "Things to Ask Before Taking on PE" (link in comments) #accounting #acquisition #CPA #succession