August Aquila AQUILA Global Advisors

August is the CEO of AQUILA Global Advisors, LLC which specializes in succession planning, mergers and acquisitions, compensation plans and transformational strategic planning Selected as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People” in the Accounting Profession by Accounting Today in 2004, 2007, 2009 & 2010 AAM Hall of Fame member, founding AAM Board Member First marketing director to become a partner in Top 100 Firm (1985) Former partner in top 100 firm – Friedman, Eisenstein, Raemer & Schwartz (FERS) Former executive with American Express Tax & Business Services, Inc

 Firm Size (Number of Partners) ( ) 2 to 5 partners ( ) 6 to 12 partners ( ) 12 to 20 partners ( ) More than 20 partners

 Selection criteria more important than ever  Determine you firm’s philosophy  Characteristics of an equity partner  Personality traits of an equity partner  Know your numbers – Buy-In

Part 1

 Do you currently have...  Too many partner employees rather than partner owners?  Too many underperforming partners?  Too few rising stars?  Just too many partners?

 Scarcity of good people  Fewer entrepreneurs  Firms facing profit squeeze  Strong fee competition  Succession issues

Part 2

Some Considerations: ◦ Profitability of the Firm. ◦ Leveraging requirements to accomplish your return to the equity ◦ Overall growth of the Firm ◦ Individuals with unique talents

 As a firm grows, should the number of partners also grow?  What are the firm’s expectation for gross revenue per partner, realization, etc?  What character and competence are critical?

 Do you require some minimum level of origination?  Some minimum level of billings?  Would you depart from these levels and why?

Make sure you Establish realistic policies and admission criteria that majority of partners support. 2. Review them to ensure they remain realistic with the passing of time. 3. Make certain that partners remain acutely aware of the firm's policies and partnership admission criteria. 4. Improve the partner evaluation procedures to minimize the number of under-qualified candidates who receive actual consideration.

Does your firm have too many partners? ( ) Yes ( ) No Has the firm ever let a partner go? ( ) Yes ( ) No

Part 3

Low Character High CompetenceCompetence High

Do it Solve it Own it See it Versus Ignore it Not my job Finger pointing Tell what to do Cover your tail Wait & see Source: The Oz Principle 18

Equity partners should be individuals with a high tolerance for the risk of ownership

 Positive Characteristics: ◦ Puts firm first ◦ Team player ◦ Lives the firm’s values ◦ Has a high degree of emotional intelligence ◦ Accountable for his/her own actions ◦ Staff want to work with him/her

 Which of the following are characteristics of a “prima donna”? (select one or more choices) ◦ Not accountable ◦ Brings in a lot of business ◦ Not a team player ◦ None of the above

 Minimum requirements: ◦ Commitment to the firm ◦ Commitment to client service ◦ Commitment to on-the-job training ◦ Commitment to life-long learning ◦ Commitment to the profession ◦ Commitment to personal & professional ethics

 Integrity  Respect for others  Entrepreneurial desire (motivation)  Emotional intelligence  Social presence  Sense of humor (can laugh at him/herself)  Embraces change  Stretches oneself outside of comfort zone  Accountable

 Make sure the partner fits into the culture of your firm ◦ Do they share the firm’s vision? ◦ Are they motivated by it? ◦ If they are getting on your bus are they in the right seat?

 Categories 1.Technical/Niche Excellence 2.Business Development 3.Client maintenance (Satisfaction/Retention) 4.Business Management 5.Personal Production 6.Leadership 7.People Developer

 Does the individual bring a needed expertise to the firm?  Are they passionate about a specific industry?  Does the individual have a "professional identity" within and outside of the firm for skill in their specialty areas?

 Acquire, develop, and retain clients  The ability to develop and originate new clients for the firm is one of the most significant criteria  Brings in business for self and others  Will you admit someone into the partnership without this skill?

 Most firms encourage staff to establish a professional relationship with clients  The ability of the staff to relate and interact with a client is an important factor to be considered

 Do clients like working with the potential partner? ◦ Measure client turnover ◦ A/R and WIP issues ◦ Client loyality

 Client profitability  Billing and Collection ◦ DSO WIP and A/R ◦ Write downs  Clients managed (book of business)

 Billable hours  Cash collected  Leverage

 Help others  Manage a department and/or a niche area  Gain confidence of team, partners, and clients  Transfer client relationships  Cope with change  Firm fan

 Provide on-the-job training and mentoring  Give staff the opportunity to get involved with clients  Staff stay at the firm because of the partner  Staff want to be on partner’s engagements

 Why do firms need a partner admittance policy today? (selection one or more choices) ◦ To protect the long-term value of the practice. ◦ To address succession issues ◦ To make the firm a stronger ◦ All of the above

4

Make sure you have a buy-out formula before you let someone buy-in

 Needs to be fair  Discount? ◦ Sweat equity ≠ what the market will pay. ◦ Average internal valuation is 65% - 75%  Average buy in amount around $110,000

 How do owners determine a price?  Should payment go to the firm or to “selling” owners?  How and on what schedule should the new partner make payments?  What percentage of ownership should the firm offer?  What is the new partner actually buying?

 An interest in accrual basis capital (ABC)  An interest in the goodwill (G)  Firms use different approaches: ◦ An interest in both the ABC and in the G ◦ An interest in the G (but no interest in the ABC that exists as of the date of admission) ◦ An interest in the G at a discount and full price for the ABC

 Some firms may offer a better price and larger ownership because new partner has brought in a lot of business  Some firms may offer a small ownership percentage for free based on contributions that new partner has made to the firm  Some firms believe new partners should pay full value and seek full payment of the purchase price, which includes both the accrual-basis capital (ABC)—that is, the equity of the partnership interest—as well as 100% of the “goodwill” value (G), defined as 100% of gross fees

 Facts: The owners give an interest in the G (but no interest in the ABC that exists as of the date of admission).  The owners retain 100% of the tangible assets but give the new owner a share of the intangible asset (G). The new owner shares in the future growth of the tangible assets

 Example: Individual gets a 5% interest in the G and the existing ABC is $1 million  If a year later the ABC is $1.2 million, the new owner now has a 5% stake in the increase, which would equal $10,000 (that is, 5% of $1,200,000 – $1,000,000 = $200,000 X.05 = $10,000).

 Facts: An interest in the G at a bargain price e.g. 75% of current value.  Firm grosses $2 million (G value) and has $500,000 in ABC.  The new person buys a 5% interest at full price for the ABC and pays for only 75% of the value for the G portion

 Example: The new owner pays a total of $100,000  The full price for the ABC (5% of $500,000 = $25,000)  Plus the 75% price for the G (5% of $2,000,000 X.75 = 1,500,00 5% x 1.500,000 = 75,000).

 Facts: Firm grosses $2m, ABC = $500,000  Buys a 5% interest in the G at full price (that is, 100% of current value) and 5% interest in the ABC at full price

 Example, owners who require the new owner to pay full price for the 5% interest in both the ABC and G, would obtain $125,000.  5% x 500,000 = $25,000 plus  5% x 2,000,000 x 1 = $100,000)

 Does the firm discount the value of the goodwill for a new partner? ( ) Yes( ) No  What does it cost a new partner to buy into your firm? a. Don’t know b. There is no cost c. Up to $25,000 d. $25,000 to $50,000 e. $50,000 to $100,000 f. $100,000 plus

 This has been a brief overview of what needs to be considered when you bring in a new equity partner.  The key is to have crystal clear guidelines for admitting an equity partner.  Determine what is right for your firm.

50 What did I forget to address?

 For a free consultation please contact: August J. Aquila

52 THANK YOU – YOU’VE BEEN A GREAT AUDIENCE