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Interesting Facts For Thanksgiving!

It’s Thanksgiving and I am sitting here wondering to myself if I hadn’t chosen my current path in Business would I have been assigned to a Eastern European Country as a Diplomat with the State Department like a few of my fraternity Brothers? Would I have been an Airline Captain and Pilot if I had not gotten seriously ill? All good questions. Normally on previous Thanksgivings in the past, I would have usually spent this Holiday with fellow Navy & Marine Shipmates who could not leave to go home and were stuck on Duty. Down in Pensacola Florida. But for the past several years I was attached and repurposed in a way. It seems like honestly I never ever will be able to have a stable and solid home life or have a foundation like I have always wanted. It’s a sad reality that there is a personal price you must pay for choosing to pursue your own ambitious life goals regardless of who criticizes you or even excommunicates you for doing so. Let’s do this since it’s Thanksgiving. Let’s post some weird and funky Thanksgiving facts and recipe’s I have come to love. HA!! That should due for today’s post.

  1. Did you know 50 million pumpkin pies are eaten each Thanksgiving? Want to make it more yummy? Add Sugar Cookie Crust!

A personal memory of Thanksgiving with Kiddos

I would like to share a personal story of how Kids bring JOY and comfort to old gouch’s like me on Holiday’s. First let me ask you? Do you know the best thing about Children and little Kiddos who are your buddies? They love to climb all over you, wrestle you, and throw out any rule and behavior books and just have fun! Two years ago while sitting on the floor with 4 little loving kiddos, we decided to play a favorite Board Game “Monopoly”. All of a sudden to my utter disbelief and wild amusement a fast shock and awe campaign commenced. An aggressive little mongrel chose to attack ME!!

2. On average a individual consumes at minimum (3,000) Three Thousand Calories during Thanksgiving dinner.

I immediately found out I needed to be proactive and deflect the larger than life WWE Wrestling moves from a aggressive and hilariously confident little big wrestler named Ms. O. She was committed to taking no prisoners in this attack. She was using my head & shoulders as monkey bars! It was sheer craziness! All this was happening so fast as I sat Indian style on the floor next to the crowded board game. In a picturesque comfy living room in central Nebraska.

3. On average nearly the entire American population scarfs down Seven Hundred Three Hundred Six pounds of Turkey on Thanksgiving Day alone. Thats a lot of Turkey considering we are having a Turkey Shortage this year. LOL That’s said to be about the weight of the Empire State Building. LOL WOW!

The Attack Was Strategic

I did not know this until a few minutes later. But they all were in on the plot & hit job to bankrupt me from playing the game any further! LOL These conspiring little cheaters, were loudly and uncontrollably giggling and playing to my strategic weakness. LOL It dawned on me minutes later after deflecting attack after attack that they were surreptitiously snatching my Monopoly MONEY! They were Robbing me with Smiles and sneak attacks! It wasn’t a fair fight at all! But they were not trying to hurt or injure me. LOL Kids do have a heart of gold.

4. Did you know Turkey doesn’t make you sleepy? The reason you feel sleepy after is not because of the chemical Tryptophan in the meat is released inside your body. It’s likely the beer and wine has caused this effect. Hmm..??

Kids Bring Adults Joy & Direction

Im honestly dying laughing thinking of the memory. Kids really do make life better. Thats what these kiddo’s taught me. I miss these munchkins.

5. Ok! I admit I actually plagiarized this fact from an Article. It was too good not to share. I hope you can not blame me? LOL

-According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest pumpkin pie ever baked weighed 2,020 pounds and measured just over 12 feet long. It was made with 900 pounds of pumpkin, 62 gallons of evaporated milk, 155 dozen eggs, 300 pounds of sugar, 3.5 pounds of salt, 7 pounds of cinnamon and 2 pounds of pumpkin spice. Anyone care to recreate it this year? Info Credit SpoonUniversity

Nebraska Home Grown Franken-Patch Pumpkins in the image below.

Image Credit… named Ms.K.M.W.O.

6. 40 million green bean casseroles are made each year! How about a big Thank you Campbell’s Soup for making this possible and this gift and contribution to society? BRAVO!! LOL

7. The most delectable dish on Thanksgiving dinner table is none other in my opinion the wonderful Cranberry and Orange dish’s. I love this stuff. It’s slightly different. And the flavor is incredible! Please for the fantastic recipe visit. HERE!

8. One last thing. I love Wassel with a zip! If I can not have Wassel with a tart clove ZIP? Thanksgiving is just not the same. I hope you agree. So here is a recipe that is sure to knock your socks off. GREAT RECIPE HERE!

I do hope you enjoyed this personal post. My Thanksgiving is on the Road this year. So that means personal Sacrifice to the mission. And that folks is going to be all for now.

Thank you for reading and please stay tuned. We will get back to business. Given I have had to become a quick study in Structuring Equity, Debt, and Capital for Business Finance. I am writing a Post about Capital Stacks, Debt Structure and more about Transactions coming up next! Stay tuned!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Goodnight & Goodluck!

JS

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Business Articles

The Sit Down For Entrepreneurs

If your not sitting down with your Business Partners to collaborate on direction, agreements, leadership and other terms once a year? Your likely setting your business partnership up for certain failure and possible major disagreements. If your willing to ask hard questions up front and use my suggestions in this post? You will walk away with a impressed Business Partner and a solid relationship foundation moving forward.

Accounting is Accountability

I am very aware most Entrepreneurs in small business more than likely are Financial illiterate. They have no way of knowing what they are doing right and what they are doing seriously wrong. The first step in building a Financial Foundation is to take a Accounting class online or at a local community college immediately. Having trouble absorbing the information? Take it two times if need be. Learning these lessons are the foundation for business literacy. Education will begin your financial knowledge foundation. This simple task is often over looked and sadly dismissed as unnecessary. Usually by ignorant and or over confident entrepreneurs doomed from the beginning.

Your Accounting course will begin shaping your thoughts and questions in finance and business. Meaning you will become curious and personally teachable like myself. Figuring out through extended time and gaining more experiences “How business really works.” You need to be aware of when you may be getting robbed in a Board room and a fancy pen with unforgiving businessmen who have blank unemotional faces. I know what your thinking? Harsh? Yep! But I have to prepare you for the reality. I know you probably think I am completely nuts! Because of me slipping that in there. But truth is I have to keep you on your toes.

Being able to take raw numbers and data organize them in excel spreadsheets. Is how you make sense of business numbers and Profit Loss P&L Statements and more projections. Most entrepreneurs fail to consider metrics and numbers. When you can evaluate and know the numbers. This undoubtedly makes you more valuable and attractive as a Business partner. Speaking of partners and investors in business? Your bound to have disagreements. But most times its easily negated by active listening and personal collaborating.

Are You Creating Your Own Business Disasters?

Maybe you have been building your business, maybe you have spent your life savings and built a nice little business with a income stream to match. But you have one problem. Your margins are not allowing your business growth. What do you do? You have a few options. Keep growing at a small rate over time. Risking possible bankruptcy. Or B. Recruiting a Business Partner who can invest Capital or other possibilities to help you grow it fast. Example: Let’s say hypothetically your sitting at a table across from your new capital partner and She or He offers you $150,000 dollars to begin scaling the business. Do you take the money? Or do you ask more questions and try to collaborate? It seems likely many Small Business owners have difficulty in situations like this. If you go look at Business Equipment Financing websites? It’s littered with confused entrepreneurs who have made poor capital decisions. They just did not ask enough questions and did not use metrics.

I would first ask A.”How can we grow this together as a qualifying collaborative question? And B. “What are you looking for in return for investing this money?” Asking these starter Questions are great because they take you deep into collaborating together. Building a solid partnership. But for now let’s hypothetically say you do not take my advice. And you end up….Smiling at your new partner, take the check shake hands. Leave the meeting. And get busy scaling your business to new heights.

But! There is a problem. YES!! YOU HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM!! You have have no mutual understanding. And you have “NO PARTNER or Terms AGREEMENT!”

Agreement’s Mean Collaborating.

Ok let’s say you left that meeting deposited the 150 thousand dollar check in to your business account and began scaling your business right away. A little time goes by and your small business is honestly becoming bigger than you ever thought. The stream of cash flow coming in to your business accounts receivable. It’s powerful. LOL It’s wonderful. Then you get a call out of the blue. It’s your Partner. He or she is confused and annoyed and down right borderline furious. Your partner wants to know “WHY THEY HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY INTEREST’S PAYMENTS?”

You assume you have been a responsible business owner and think to yourself “No problem. I got you!” And ask your partner “How much do you need for interest payment?”. Your partner responds “I need 25.00% percent on the principal.” And just like that! Your life and future business starts to crumble and spiral out of control all from the fact you failed to negotiate terms on the money. And you failed to negotiate your Partnership Agreement. Whoops. Shaking my head. Now you begin seeing doing a little prep work goes along ways.

The Sit Down

There is a reason the Italian Mafia or Cosa Nostra was very effective in business. They were great because they had the sit down! They had behavior Guidelines. Michael Franzese has some genuinely great content. I would highly suggest reading his books.

In the video above your gonna learn some invaluable business advice. And I mean invaluable. So pay attention Capeche? Good! Im gonna stand on my soap box for a second here and share with you some invaluable advice and experience. So pay attention please. In the Military you learn real fast that you will be punished severely for not taking responsibility for anything and everything and everyone as a team. So I suggest you take responsibility for your partnership and team. Recruit a Business Attorney to help you negotiate and prepare your interests for success. Instead of ending with headaches and certain failure.

Did you miss my Post about Creating Trust in Business Negotiations? It is a must read for anyone in business.

Click Here!

Back to military service punishments for a second. This is funny in a dark way. Their is a underlying theme to being punished in the military. And this transfers to almost every other part of your life. You are responsible for your behavior and all your future outcomes. This means taking responsibility for anyone, everything, and everyone associated with a goal in mind as you move to that objective as a team. If something falls short. Your mission is disrupted by a mechanical failure. Something breaks? Doesn’t work correctly? Even if something isn’t your fault? Step right up! Spin the wheel of certain misfortune. Guess what? It’s your failure! No one else’s. lol It’s 100$ definitely a cruel way to learn. But it does work.

The Knapkin Contract In Business

If you don’t have a contract or a Agreement written down? Tough Luck! Your Busted Out! Don’t be the victim.

Back when you first sat down and your Partner offered to give you $150,000 dollars to invest in your business. You should have taken the initiative to draw up a knapkin agreement. Negotiate favorable and collaborative investments terms while writing these terms out on a piece of paper at the table with the person offering you the money. You can do this in a Restaurant or anywhere a knapkin is available. At the end of your desired agreement you both sign this binding ad hoc legal document. Then take this document and have your Business Attorney finalize it as a formalized, and signed. This is how you should have done it in the first place.

Capitalize on this opportunity. Don’t ever feel the need rush things and always make counter offers. And do your best to prepare questions and what if’s to protect yourself and your new partnership moving forward. I hope you did gain something or some foresight with this post tonight. Thank you for reading everyone. Please do suggest a topic you would like for me to cover. I would be happy to do so. Email me at [email protected]

Goodnight & Goodluck!

JS

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Business Articles

Kansas City Financier G. Kenneth Baum Leaves Us Too Soon.

Prominent Kansas City area philanthropist and financier G. Kenneth Baum Passes Away Tuesday at the age of 91.

Mr. Baum is a Financier, Philanthropist and Business leader in the Kansas City Finance Community. Mr. G. Kenneth Baum passed away Tuesday at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota from health complications.

Mr. Baum is the former Chief Executive Officer of Kansas City Investment Bank George K. Baum & Co. If there was one thing Mr. Baum was genuinely fantastic at? It was making you feel personally valued as a entrepreneur and person. Mr. Baum served on many Boards related to Education and the Arts. Philanthropy was his special interest and Mr. Baum and his wife Ann Baum have been very involved with our amazing local Art Gallery and Museum The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. Read more about Mr. Baums activities with the Museum in the link provided. A celebration of life will be held at the Museum. Link provided

How did I meet this legendary Kansas City Financier & Investment Banker?

Let me set the stage for you. About 3 or 4 years ago a non assuming taller, older, smartly dressed gentleman walked up to me at the Nelson Atkins Museum one afternoon. He had stop to ask me if my smartphone had internet on it? I said yes Sir. He asked me if I could pull up a certain phone number and make a phone call because the Museums help desk phone wasn’t an option or working correctly.

After he had finished his phone call, he began just chit chatting with me about how Business sometimes needs to be a priority in a person’s life. I agreed. And before I knew it he was asking about my entrepreneur background. Given I really had no clue who this nice older gentleman was, I began explaining communications and using strategy to push your message through art and film. Mr. Baum recognized I was a go getter and slipped me his Phone number if I ever needed a favor or personal advice related to finance and business. He was a genuine and authentic good man.

He was unforgettable and kind to me during a time when most people I called in business were not. And since he did give me the time of day and did share actionable business advice with me. He earned my personal loyalty and genuine friendship. But most importantly. I appreciated that he would always take and return my calls to share his personal stories and challenges he successfully negotiated as a professional transaction Businessman. Mr. Baum even was inducted to the Kansas City Business Hall of Fame in 2010. His professional experiences and stories in my humble of opinion should be captured in a written memoir. It seems I may make this personal suggestion to his family. As this idea is a real opportunity for them as well. Cementing the legendary positive legacy Mr. Baum and his family deserves in the literary world.

May he rest in peace and his family find grace from their grief. And I do hope his family knows I too share in the sadness of their loss. I have only good words to share. He was and always will be a very good good man.

Godspeed Mr. G. Kenneth Baum. Thank you for the Privilege Sir.
Jameson Sharp

Read More Kansas City Star

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I Made The Top 100 Business Blogs online

We would like to Thank Feedspot for naming my Business Blog 97 of the Top 100 Business Blogs Online!

This is a pretty unique opportunity to be included with Business Websites like Entrepreneur and INC.com. I appreciate the opportunity to be taken seriously as a Businessman and Business Blogger to watch. Thank you Anuj Agarwal and his team at Feedspot Blog. Blog.Feedspot.com

Did you catch me on International Business TV 2 weeks ago? If not? Click here for the full story and video.

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Business Articles

M&A Proprietary Deal Flow

Most Business Professionals are going to find creating Proprietary Deal Flow on their own without help ridiculously difficult. But if you have a good attitude and use your own professional networks. You may just have a fighting chance. How does a entrepreneur become known as someone that will look at your deal? It just kind of develops on it’s own and happens. Here is a story how I was approached by a Veteran Brother to look at a deal.

How can a Entrepreneur create Proprietary Deal Flow?

If your running a Search Fund, or if your a accomplished Investment Banker, or even Hedge Fund manger creating streams of Proprietary Deal Flow is no easy task. Here’s some fundamentals that will help you along in your search. Let’s get busy.

Some Entrepreneurs, VC, and Private Equity Fund Managers are new school. But most are still using the Old School Deal Flow opportunities. Or better put! Business Partners of a certain wealth level, more likely known as “The good Ole Boy’s Network.” Watch this insightful honest insight form Entrepreneur Naval Ravikant. Oh! Click to read his Almanck Book.

Is Proprietary Deal Flow dead as Naval shares? That depends on who you ask.

First we must list the different way’s many Entrepreneurs, VC’s, Private Equity, and other Investors access Deal Flow Opportunities. And the truth is this. It comes down to your track record, credibility, who you know, and people you currently do business with.

  • Who do you know?
  • Angel Investors?
  • Professionals in your Industry or Space?
  • Successful Entrepreneurs & Other Business Personalities?
  • The Good Ole Boy’s models as I like to say?

All great questions of who? Now what actual tangible useful advice can I share with you to begin building that network of Deal Flowing opportunities? This is where it pay’s to be a shrewd networker and belong to certain communities. Truth is I am always strategically looking to develop my network and deal flow opportunities. I must share this particular post will be about being a member of a group that is across the world. Yes I do belong to a few networks that involve groups of men that have served our Country in the Elite Special Operations community. Its a fantastic community to be involved with. Their is always someone who served in Uniform that ended up being a Professional in business somewhere. This community Is packed full of professionals that are great to know!

For purposes to share how opportunities happen. I would like to share with you this short story. A good friend and Veteran Brother who is a newly retired Army Special Forces Green Beret. Let’s call him John.

John is undoubtedly a professionally trained Bad Ass Guerrilla who served in Afghanistan and also has a Business MBA. He was up until recently the Chief Operations and Development Officer for a Harley Davidson Product company. This business is growing because of who John is and the groups of men he knows and activities he does on the weekends. This company manufactures a part for all new Factory Harley Davidson Motorcycles.

Listen to this. We follow each other on Instagram and have known each other for sometime prviously in the SOF community. I ended up doing some professional work with a former Team Mate of Johns. And we got to know each other online over time and through friends of friends. John had messaged me he was moving on in life from his position at his company. And the team who built this company wanted to sell. Interestingly this Business has a impressive Hockey Stick sales profile. And is growing literally quarterly. Annual Revenue was right at about 20 million dollars. The owners were motivated to sell. Since they are ready to retire and move on with life.

If you like this Post Check out my previous post on if you should Trust Business Brokers?

At the end of this opportunity it was fast turning into a Broker pursuit. And my mentor and business partner was persuasive enough to share with me we needed to stick with our own industry and strategy. But it was neat to look at this company.

With this story complete you can see having a personal network or belonging to a member only club that expands across the world is ideal for deal flow opportunities. It seems I should probably go into more strategies and developing business relationships to expand on this a very wide subject. I do hope you received something from this moderately long post. Because in the end it’s gonna most likely be people who know you and your business reputation that will approach you. And they will come from all walks in life as Naval Ravikant shares in the Video.

Thanks for Reading & Godspeed!

JS

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Hedge Fund & Stock Traders Research Strategy

This following post is not to be misconstrued as all the information “How to research for Wall Street. It’s meant to take basic tangible information and real market analysis and evaluate or formulate your personal and professional position for market future strategies. And if you watch the video content on this post it will reveal how Hedge Fund Mangers and Market Analysts, or even Stock Traders and Day traders can do their own leg work and research the Market.

Wall Street traders and other businesses do analyze and executing their next long term positions. By, with, and though their own market analysis. Im gonna teach or share with you “How to analyze the market space in real time!”

Im positive Day Traders and Small Stock Pickers will want to stay tuned to my post and blog. Day Traders and Hedge Fund Managers probably will mostly know this already. But please watch the video below. Nothing is perfect in the market. But this shows probabilities.

If you have ever watched Wall Street Warriors which documents the jobs on Wall Street several years ago on Youtube HERE. You will likely see that most of Wall Streets Businessmen and Bankers depend on Publicly traded companies and Wall Street Stock Price in real time. These wall street computerized information boards constantly watch all stock trading and the price of each individual stock that moves up and down erratically. It is said if you can look into the future and watch if stock prices will rise or fall and if you can buy low and sell high? Your likely to make a ton of money. However that isn’t the reality these days. There are all kinds of conspiracies and systems or strategies to look at stock prices and see if they are profitable or falling. But these days Stock trading has gone super high tech.

Please do go read my other post and article about Business Intelligence here.

Admittedly Wall Street trading and business is a fascinating subject. Many Hedge fund mangers and the Traders at Banks now use computer Quants for determining and executing their trading. Learn more about Quants here.

In conclusion information is power. When developing strategies to profit from the Marketplace. It’s up to you and your Financial Team to discern what information is true and where you can profit. Genuinely I hope you learned something from this quick post.

Godspeed

JS

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Business Articles

Real Estate Fund Investment Strategies

Stay tuned for the next article I have on my mind. Investing strategies. If your a small home Investor that is trying house flipping for the first time? Im sorry this is likely not the Article or you. This is for Developers and Commercial Real Estate Syndication Entrepreneurs and Investors in this space. Believe it or not one of My Fraternity brothers is the Founder of Crescent Real Estate in Texas. John Goff made a fortune selling his Crescent Real Estate to Morgan Stanley for $6.5 billion in 2007, just before the financial crisis. Mr. Goff was also inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame. He is undoubtedly someone you should look at for Real Estate Property Investment strategy.

Stay tuned as I evaluate how he has been able to dominate his industry by, with, and through Investment Strategies. It doesn’t take much to develop a strategy inside investing. However using creative and basic Real Estate Investing Strategies others have used. Will allow you to dissect and reconstruct how they did it! John Goff and his Son Travis are honestly investors I highly recommend absolutely following and paying attention to. I will share why their basic Real Estate Investing Strategies are so profitable in a few…..

Thanks for stopping by for my latest article and post.

Let’s dive into several Real Estate Investment Strategies you need to know to grow your basic foundation.

Goff Capital 4.3 Billion assets under management.

Commercial Real Estate Development Projects

You and your Real Estate Investment Partners could raise a fund together and then buy a commercially zoned piece of land and redevelop this land into say… Multifamily housing Urban Apartments, or any Real Estate that could produce your fund and partners monthly cash flow. This is a investment into future cash flow opportunities. The endless possibilities are literally at your teams discretion.

Commercial Office Space

The current Commercial Real Estate office space has been massively affected after COVID mandates forced most companies to send Employees and company staff home. And viola the rise of Zoom meetings happen. Moving on. I have asked my personal friends the Abnos Family about the current market conditions related to the COVID Mandates and how their portfolio has faired. They haven’t seen much of a downturn. But other Market Analysts inside this space at CBRE see vacancies and the space moving towards full recovery by 2025. Regardless Commercial real estate when coupled with the right Tenants in Business equal fantastic cash flow margins. Add strategy to Commerical Real Estate Office Space Business acquisitions. You could easily repackage several properties after a Value add addition investment. Then accept larger Real Estate property business offers from larger funds. This is the unsee way of the Real Estate Investment Fund and REIT world.

Commercial Hotels

Hotels traditionally has been a fantastic investment strategy for Real Estate Portfolio managers. I have seen Businessmen or Real Estate Investors like Ben Mallah in South Florida use this option for his growing 300 million dollar empire. Check out Mr. Mallah’s Youtube Videos Here. The way we have seen Mr. Goff and Personalities like Mr. Mallah use Hotel strategy is to sprinkle a few in there growing portfolio’s. They seem to be extremely selective on properties and locations. Because after all they are competing against large Hotel chains like Hyatt and Hilton.

Residential Multi-Family Housing

It’s very interesting I bring up Residential Multi-Family Housing as a Strategy for Commercial Real Estate investing. I have seen what it takes and the process of how Developers build properties to generate opportunities. Usually this is called Value Add Real Estate Investing. It’s interesting to know. I have seen first hand how these Multifamily Complex’s develop into real life asset’s. My Girlfriend is an Architect here in Kansas City. And If I am being honest she is incredibly impatient and doesn’t seem to see my Entrepreneur journey as a tenable option for me. LOL However she has never seen the inner workings of my business dealings. I can’t make her a believer. However maybe one day I can when she meets a few of my fantastic mentors and partners. She will change her mind. LOL I have always found it’s better to show or demonstrate then talk. I can share with you that I have seen the Multi Family Housing Business Boom over the last several years. And it’s continuing to grow. Which should be a que for your Real Estate Investment Partners to look at these possibilities. It’s a very attractive option or real estate investment strategy.

That’s all for today’s article on Real Estate Investment strategies. This subject is deep as it is long. However this information should get any developer or new Real Estate Investment Fund manager moving in the right direction with this information. This information will pull back the curtain just slightly for any entrepreneur or Investment Fund Manager to consider the possibilities on the horizon. And give you a foundation of information that will help you along your way.

Thank you for reading. And as I always say at the end of my nightly thoughts Good Night and Good Luck!

JS

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M&A Attorneys Are Anything But Equal

Here’s the sad reality of calling large law firms as a local unknown Entrepreneur. Usually when I place a call to a one of several large M&A Law firms in Kansas City. I am usually immediately met with sometimes challenging impersonal and impatient attitudes. The Attorneys at these Law Firms forget they need our Business to stay in business. So if I may offer some guidance when doing exactly this, calling M&A attorneys. I would start with keeping the conversation as impressionable as possible. And about your mission. Become personal only after you meet them in person.

When a Business Attorney finally does pick up the phone or return your email do be Respectful. Be Firm and gently ask your questions while asking for their permission to help you both crush the marketplace. Service through cooperation. The above video shares some opinions about why a large law firm was having issues staying in business. Even though Im writing to share my experiences and some suggestions. I would share My opinion is just that. My opinion! I have a 1st amendment right to speak about the issues I have personally experienced with attorneys. I am not advocating all Attorneys are deceitful or bullies. But you must be careful who you select and who you place your trust into. Because they will try to get away with unacceptable behaviors at times. So please be informed.

There is one thing that stands out to me as a Entrepreneur and Business owner. And that is you must have a backbone and be able to work with aggressive and borderline disrespectful Attorneys. This post will share with you some of my experiences working with and selecting Attorneys. Some things to watch out for. And what to do if you feel outmatched or taken advantage of. Im not going to pretend that most Attorneys don’t have an adversarial reputation of treating people poorly. Not to mention they routinely treat serious entrepreneurs with judge-mental disdain. So with this information being brought to the table of discussion. I feel it’s my obligation to share with other Entrepreneurs “How to handle attorneys who are aggressive and treat you poorly”. Stay tuned this is gonna be worth the time and energy to read. It may just save your business career.

I would like to share a personal experience of mine. This experience had a profound impact on me to the point of knowing I could never allow any Attorney basic trust until they proved themselves worthy of my trust. Being completely honest. I feel you damn near need to hire counsel – to talk to counsel. LOL I do hope your having a laugh with this pessimistic tone I am projecting in my writing here.

Your going to find many Attorneys will likely prematurely and unfairly judge you. Speak down to you. Aggressively try to intimidate you with verbal or emotionally charged statements meant to covertly bully you. You will likely have Attorneys feign being nice while demonstrating micro aggressions during conversations. I do not deny I find most Big Firm Partners unworthy of trust. Until otherwise they can prove worthy of my trust. So this has been my experience. And I am sure most who have had to deal with large firm partners will agree with my observation.

But with all this said. You will eventually find Attorneys who will go to war for you. And these awesome Attorneys will do whatever it takes to make sure you and your interests are represented just like a good soldier on the Battlefield. Plus they will treat you like the Prince or Princess you are.

So do take this information and experience I am providing. And use it as you select, interview, or work with M&A Attorneys.

Here is some basic advice from me for you the Entrepreneur. To use when choosing and searching for a Mergers and Acquisitions Business Attorney.

  1. Not all Business Attorneys are the same. Choose your M&A Attorney based on the Previous Transactions they have completed. I will let you in on a little secret in the M&A space. Most Partners at Big Firms will assign your transaction work to their associate attorneys. Making them do most of the work. All the while smiling and sharing with you how hard they have worked.
  2. Furthermore It’s good to personally know and have lunch and dinner with your Associate Attorney who is doing most of the work for your transaction. They can be your warning alarm if things go sideways. In the end this associate Attorney will form a bond with you. This can be helpful during On & Off again negotiations or other times when you need that Associate Attorney to share “What you can do”, instead of “What you can’t do”. I hope you get my drift.
  3. Carefully select and interview the Attorneys and Firms you want working on your transactions. Make sure your a good fit for each other. Do you have good rapport? Be choosy. Don’t rush things.
  4. So many M&A law firms use templates for Transactions.
  5. Never ever pay for Up Front Fee’s without negotiating a billing agreement in place. Some Attorneys will bill you for the privilege of talking to them. This is a NO GO!!! NEVER EVER allow them to pull a stunt like this with you.
  6. Never go to an Attorney to be educated. This can and will cost you big time. Most Attorneys bill by the hour. If you seeking your Attorney to educate you? That will probably be the most expensive education you will ever receive. All the while they will smile and thank you for the opportunity.
  7. Make sure the Attorney your working with welcomes the opportunity to work with you as an Entrepreneur. You can easily test their mettle and authenticity. By asking if they have provided entrepreneurs in the past the same courtesy as you. And if they have? Ask them nicely to introduce you.
  8. Don’t expect your Attorney to want to be your friend. It’s likely they won’t want to be. Usually Attorney’s are unfriendly to Entrepreneurs unless you come in with Heavy hitters on your left and right.
  9. Always have a Mentor or fellow Board Member present when dealing with Business Attorneys. They are very used to taking advantage of Peoples ignorance or inexperience.
  10. Don’t be a bumbling fool who calls themselves a Entrepreneur. Never try to impress your Attorney. They won’t care anyways. And will likely assign disrespectful and profane pet names to you when your not around. I have seen it.
  11. Never allow a M&A Transaction Attorney the privilege of meeting your Mentors or Board members alone. Keep everything documented. And do be suspicious of any Attorney you do not know well. It’s so easy for people to cut you out of Transactions. In the end without the support and leadership of your Chairman? You are the weak link. I have seen this happen unfortunately. It’s not pretty.
  12. One last thing….. Be suspicious of money matters and always use other Attorneys for your benefit. You want to be a informed Entrepreneur with second and third opinions.

Please take these suggestions as loose suggestions only. Be informed. And it may come in handy one day when you have a suspicion that well founded. I would also look for my other post about “Wall Street Attorneys as Secret Weapons” read that as well. Thank you for reading. I do hope you find an Attorney who is suitable and is a proper and comfortable fit. After all they are one of the most important puzzle pieces to have as a Business owner and Entrepreneur.

JS

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Lesson’s We Can Take From Lord Sugar From UK’s The Apprentice

Want to know what I think about Lord Alan Sugar on the UK’s Apprentice? Stay Tuned and keep on reading.

Your Destiny is in your hands

I feel just about every one reading this can relate to this bit of advice. “Don’t wait around for action or someone to save you and provide you with work. Just get on with it.” Action is tolerable. Inactions is not. Just go for it!

Recognize Failures

If it seems like it failed or a project is failing? Just keep it moving. If I may offer a little personal advice from my experiences? Even though the world is filled with jerks and judge-mental people who wont value you at the end of the day. Never accept an individuals unfair judgements. Especially those who are not an Entrepreneur. Here are some ways people will treat you poorly as an entrepreneur or just in life in general? They will unfairly judge you. Make snobbish comments. People won’t return you calls, they will purposely ignore your emails. Don’t spend any emotional energy on this. Just keep moving forward. Your bound to land on a success as you move forward.

Seize Opportunities

The truth is personal discernment is key to seizing opportunities. Your gut can communicate when something seems its right and its the right time. If you must pass an opportunity up? Make sure you can revisit it later. However if you have been waiting a long time and something comes your way that seems just right? I would run with it. In the end you could always start over if the opportunity turns out to be a complete waste of your time and resources. I have to give credit where credit is due real fast. I recently was listening to my Chairman/Business Mentor on Anthony’s Sarandrea’s Podcast. I would highly recommend you have a listen. Anthony is 100% legit. And just a solid person to take business and entrepreneurship advice from LISTEN HERE!! And while I was listening to my Mentor and Anthony I stole this short phrase. I love this….”Fail Fast.” Don’t beat yourself up. Keep assaulting forward. Keep running towards your mission objective. I bet you can tell I am old military veteran. Right? Ha!

Have a good work ethic

Let’s be honest with each other, it takes someone willing to live on a couch in their office to be a “ALL IN” start up founder. When your “ALL IN” you sleep on your couch in your office at your business or University. At least thats the way I was raised and how I was taught personal work ethic. This is a little extreme. But it’s how I was taught. I grew up literally on the couch in a spare office in a Medical Surgical College in Kansas City Missouri. I also would spend 6 month’s at a time or longer sailing and living on a small Bahamian island called Bimini. I wanted to be the best barefoot adventurer and absorb as much life experiences as I was able. Work ethic to me means going Balls to the walls 24-7 till you crash from exhaustion. It also means living a lifestyle where a 9 to 5pm office or Corporate job doesn’t exist. But that’s my opinion on what it takes. And thats just how I roll. Ha! Most people want a family life. That’s fine. I get it. But if you ask me? My work ethic is a little extreme. And I feel that’s ok as well. Lord Sugar is literally similar to me that way. Truth is I am ok just living on the job and making my Business, Business Partners and employees, customers or clients my family. Thats kind of basic and crude at best. But working is life. And I may be called dysfunctional for my way of life or work lifestyle. But that’s what it means to me. Work and just keep going. I am not married so I guess I can make this commitment where many can not. But I feel this also does explain my personal passions. Because being a legit entrepreneur involves passion 100%. And personal emotional investments.

Stick to what you know

Maybe I am able to shine a light on this in my own way. If your considering making a investment into a new startup inside the tech space? And the business doesn’t really make sense. Thats a sign and red flag that you should not invest. Understand your investments and how the business works. I do not like Bitcoins and other alternative currency. Forex and the like. It’s just too hazy for my understanding. Another example? Say your an investor and do not know much about how plastic moldings are produced. Do you invest into the new company that will revolutionize the industry? This is historically to risky. And you should always stick to the business you know.

Appreciate your team

Appreciating the team around you should be a priority. Wether it’s quarterly or annually? Make sure to take the time and create opportunities to bond with your team. Have a holiday dinner together, have parties when a employee moves on. This is apart of the positive loving culture you want to build in your company. Everyone on your team is special. Treat them accordingly and I promise you will benefit, grow, and profit immensely from valuing people around you. Your team.

Have Discipline

I have spoken to many business owners who have moderate discipline and hard core non compromising discipline. I myself do not interpret discipline like most. My definition of discipline means something completely different than my girlfriend. It means different things to different people. So here is the dictionary’s definition to clear up any definition miscommunications. Discipline:

  1. It means the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.
  • train oneself to do something in a controlled and habitual way.”every month discipline yourself to go through the file”

Track your progress

Ask yourself? How do you measure your success? Do you have milestones you can look to and achieve? What is the metric you will use to monitor your progress along your journey? All important questions for monitoring your goals and achieving long term plans that you implement for your team. We should be very disciplines when it comes to tracking our progress. Are we moving forward? There are so many metrics that need to be applied to our business strategies. Its the smart play that measures our success. It’s good to know or ask where you are? Where your going? And when will you get there? This advice and metrics or progress philosophy. Is honestly solid advice.

Analyze your Marketplace or space

The business landscape is constantly evolving. If your asleep at the wheel of your companies direction and the gas pedal is on cruise control. I would agree it’s very healthy to allow a confidant or number 2 to take over driving your company. As you step back and take a second look at the surroundings in your marketplace. The questions you should be asking are? Are prices going up or going down? Should we be preparing for a different approach or what do we see changing in the business marketplace around us? All fantastic questions to answer. Because in the end we are responsible for our businesses success. We need to look at ways to gain new business. And look at what our competitors are up too. So we can maintain competitive advantages. One last thought here. We shouldn’t be asleep at the wheel and on cruise control. A seismic event may happen that was predictable and we end up totaling our businesses momentum. Great example is Bankruptcy from loss of sales.

Let your product do the talking

This blog and my writing may not be the Wall Street Journal or New York times worthy. However the strategies and experience I provide from my entrepreneur experiences. Will be a superior product than all the other shopify or merch posts many people read. Most of these blogs on entrepreneurship are written by professional writers. Not entrepreneurs. Im a real entrepreneur. Not a polished journalist. The is not the best written blog either. But my product and experience is still a superior product. 100%. I think you will agree most entrepreneur articles are focusing on small business principles. Eagerly trying to convince you to quit your 9 to 5 job and motivate you to go out and start a Ecommerce business. And quite honestly that drum has been beat so many times. Its ridiculous to keep on the path. Selling that same lame regurgitated product. No Sir! No Ma’m!

My blog is all about the journey and offering strategies and information almost all small business websites fail to mention. Entrepreneurship through acquisition. Ross Perot gave me part of my Business education. I am passing a little of that education and experience here for newcomers to the world of Finance. Example of the info products here on my blog? Important questions like? How to secure funding when you don’t know any Bankers? What do you do when your needing partners with the right professional backgrounds? How do you use accountants, attorneys and opportunities to create value for your company and you in the market? You will find answers and information to these professional questions right here on my blog. The Business Individuals I will ask to contribute will be another product that brings massive value all on its own right here on this blog. Some of my friends and business partners will clearly see I am up to something. And probably become very curious. Because they know when “Doc” brings something to the table. It’s gonna be something that adds interesting value. Thank you for reading and I do hope you learned a little or at least found this interesting.

Be sure to check back periodically. Thank you to Lord Alan Sugar for all the informal advice and education he always provides Entrepreneurs.

Godspeed.

JS

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Business Articles

My First Visit To Wall Street

Visiting Wall Street during the Pandemic of 2021 several times has all lead to strange events. Ive been lucky enough to roam around inside the Trump Building on Wall Street, Goldman Sachs, and just in general visiting several of the empty offices of most Investment Bankers during the Pandemic. Several Senior and Jr. Partners of JP Morgan, and other Investment Bankers have been extraordinarily generous to me as I set up my network moving forward. But while I was visiting Wall Street in March 17th 2021 It was literally an empty Ghost town. The usual busy Banker Bars were all shut down. Almost all were locked up tight with no street traffic at all. One or two bars were open in Battery Park. But I got a eerie cold feeling. This wasn’t the Same “New York City Wall Street” as before. But make no mistake. Business markets were busy churning out deals, and the Stock Market was buzzing with lot’s of movement.

Jameson Sharp Wall Street Visit New York City Pandemic March 2021

Early in 2021 I visited Wall Street for the first time in my life. I have been to New York City in the Past, however I never have taken the time and made the Pilgrimage from Up Town to Downtown.

In all seriousness I do have to admit that it was very special for me to visit Wall Street and make the pilgrimage this time around. Even though I have been to New York City a few times during my brief life on this earth. This time was special. Because I am a full Partner with two additional very influential Business Men who are considered Professional Heavy Hitters.

Wall Street New York City Subway Entrance

Wall Street Station – New York City Subway Metro Entrance. Ok so after arriving down in Battery Park. I found out real quickly that New York City was under the Mask Mandates.

Meeting A Friend & Acquisition Entrepreneur In Midtown Manhattan

Arthur the Pharmacist New York City With J Sharp

Visiting Manhattan during the Pandemic. While in New York City I remembered I had someone I had previously connected with online. I reached out to him. His name is Arthur. We ended up meeting at the Kimberly Hotel. I am pleasantly surprised by the extravagance of the Hotel. But when I arrive a huge Russian speaking tough guy is there to greet me. And nicely ask me to put on my mask. But even though I am surprised and stunned at the clear international diversity in New York City. I just put the Mask on, and carry on. Begrudgingly saying to myself. The Democrats have a real mess on their hands here. LOL But I digress. I am pleasantly surprised when Arthur arrives. He is a young man, athletically built for speed, and stands about 6 foot 1 in height and I can tell he has a Street personality. Has very strong Street Smarts and very cautious. I recognize he is on the hunt just like myself. And does move with a purpose. We go up to the Rooftop Bar and immediately start talking. I learn Arthur is from Harlem, and is a Pharmacist. And has been actively looking for small Pharmacies or smaller Drug companies that would be good acquisition targets. I can tell immediately he is on his way to being very successful during his career and search. There is no doubt he has the grit needed to just go do it.

We exchange stories of how are Journey’s in the acquisition space are proceeding. We talk about Stanford University’s MBA program, and this former Business man on Youtube who screams profanities. Mr. Dan Pena. Speaking of Dan Pena, Id like to share with you one of my Transaction Advisors and Partners. He is a Senior Partner at a BIG 4 Firm. And newly retired. His name is John M. When I was seeking a Transaction Accountants and advisors. John made it clear he has a real distaste for the Man on Youtube who screams profanities. All things considered. I can see why John would feel that way. John has real class, is polished like me, has an education and loves to catch up with me from time to time. I really appreciate his time and I know I could never reach that next level without his personal guidance. But make no mistake. John is secretly a savage and warrior at heart. I know this because he has been successful in the Business space for over 25 years. LOL It’s good to have team mates willing to go out in the market and face uncertainty along side you.

The Big Short Movie Poster

Back to business. It’s literally a pleasure to meet this young man. Im very glad I made time on this Sunday Afternoon. The check comes for the drinks. I complain it’s ridiculous. Only in New York I say. It’s about 58 degrees and light is fading. Thank God I don’t live here. Is all that crosses my mind.

So the time is about 5pm on this Cloudy Rainy Day in March in Midtown Rooftop Bar. And I am preparing to leave the City and start my drive back up to the Canadian Border near Rochester. Reflecting on this visit to New York City. Im happy I made the trip down to Wall Street and completed as much as I was able to. There is a figure I have purposefully failed to mention. And wanted to save for the last of this post. I had no idea who he was until later. But this figure is a legend inside Wall Street Business Trader Circles. He uses Value Investing Philosophy. This man is Dr. Michael Burry. Dr. Burry made his fortune during the 2008 Financial Collapse strategically shorting the Housing Market. Using Credit Default Swaps. His hedge fund took full advantage of the collapse. By shorting stocks. Watch this Video for a full understanding how the market collapsed here.

The Banks and most American’s lost big. His story of how this went down is best described in the Book The Big Short by Michael Lewis. You can read the book here. Dr. Burry’s Scion Capital is an Asset Management firm. You just never know who or what will show up on New Yorks City’s Streets. This book is great.

Thank you for reading, and I will likely do a follow up post about more in depth experiences I had while I continue to visit the Boardrooms and Backrooms of the Worlds Financial Machine Wall Street. You truly never know where your Business will take you. And this includes life as a legit Acquisitions entrepreneur. I have a suspicion Africa is my next horizon I will be exploring. Many deals and Assets to be looked at over the horizon there. Thanks for reading.

JS

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