Case Studies

Business Consulting

All stakeholders of a company—including the company bank, its bond company, suppliers, employees, engaged professionals, government regulators, and stockholders—have an investment in the company. A business owner or manager must not only effectively communicate with each stakeholder to clarify expectations and anticipated stakeholder benefits but also deliver on that commitment.

Mergers and Acquisitions

SOS has a broad and diverse range of skills with strategic value in merger or acquisitions as well as simple business brokerage. SOS works with lawyers, CPAs, tax attorneys, and wealth planners to optimize post-tax results for its clients while assuring a successful merger or acquisition for the new owner(s). Success is not attained with the signing of the documents, as most merger and acquisitions professionals believe, but rather with truly representing the business and meeting the purpose of the acquisition by the buyer.

Real Estate Representation

Whether the context is a bare land, an existing or new home, a commercial or industrial project, or a city development, SOS has found that all of its tools can be implemented and at a cost that is consistently lower than the standard real estate commission.

SOS also possesses the basic tools and experience that are necessary for responsible real estate representation. Its agents are not only fully certified and trained but also have access to all of the in-house tools of SOS, which include legal and tax resources, negotiations, community connections, and financial analytics. Please refer to the SOS in-house toolbox for more examples.

Restructures and Turnarounds

Restructures and turnarounds are terms that are often used as synonyms. However, SOS notes some unique differences in these terms. In the professional world, restructuring focuses on the balance sheet, organizational costs, cash flow, and business value for either liquidation, organizational sale, or debt discount. Turnarounds generally are more inclusive and focus on the following elements: cash flow demands; profitability; operational structure and effectiveness of the enterprise's management, systems, procedures, pricing, purchasing, production, and market strategy; contribution to profits by division, facility, or product; underutilized assets; the level of distress, the “window of opportunity” or time remaining before funds are exhausted; pressure, patience, and support among the various stakeholders with an aim to gain common goals; necessary business changes to match industry momentum; leadership and talent to support such change; and moving to restructuring strategies (above) only if and when the company has previously maximized its self-help opportunities.

Master Negotiations

Conflict is a major issue in the business world, and the skill of negotiations is critical in every conflict. It is often said that a person who argues his own legal case has hired a fool as his attorney. Likewise, when discussing important issues, negotiations should be carried out by third-party professionals instead of the businesses or parties themselves. Knowledge of when a position is emotional and unsupported, the other sides perspective, what elements of a settlement are most crucial, and the best strategy to handle conflict is at the heart of true success.

Forensic Financial Analysis

Forensic financial analysis is more commonly thought of as fraud detection. Checks and balances to prevent fraud are often incomplete or sidestepped in actual day to day business practice, despite what the organization chart and company police states. But the untapped value of forensics analysis is in the development of a learning organization has a feedback loop where a company stops repeating errors. Errors continue within bidding system, within product pricing, and in production. Forensic analysis deals with all of these and more. Repeated misinformation or even more common, the lack of information, creates waste in cost and company performance. Past data being converted to accurate information is crucial for decisions the company faces in the present and int future.

Financing (Bank and Private)

SOS possesses certified training and years of experience in basic tools and skills, which are necessary to responsibly assist with financing and debt structuring.

Government Regulations

SOS has certified training and years of experience with basic tools and skills, which are necessary for responsible management of government regulation issues.

Other Skills

SOS has certified training and years of experience in basic tools and skills, which accentuate success in all SOS engagements.