MANSUETO VENTURES PRESS RELEASES

Featured in the April 2008 Issue of Inc. Magazine

(On newsstands April 1 - April 28, 2008)

SPECIAL REPORT: The Most (and Least) Valuable Businesses in America, pg. 96
Investors are loaded with cash. Boomers are looking to buy. Foreign firms are eager to invest. If you're looking to sell your business, Inc. magazine advises that now is a good time to hang that "for sale" sign. While it has historically been a seller's market, the magazine reports that the nation is on the cusp of shifting into a buyer's market. An estimated 65 percent to 75 percent of the small companies in the U.S. - some 10 million - will likely sell their business over the next five to 10 years. But how do you know how much your company is worth? Inc.'s fifth annual valuation guide to the private-company marketplace uncovers the most (and least) valuable companies in America. Inc. Executive Editor Mike Hofman is available to discuss the marketplace for private companies and what buyers and sellers are looking for.

The Success Gene: How Companies Thrive Year after Year, pg. 82.
Most family businesses die out with their founders, but few keep rolling along from one generation to the next. Fact is that only about one third of businesses make it to a second generation. So what makes some family businesses succeed while others fail? The April issue of Inc. magazine interviews the current heads of half a dozen fifth-and sixth-generation family businesses, including the oldest cigar shop in Chicago and a billion-dollar Omaha real estate concern. Inc. Executive Editor Mike Hofman is available to discuss why some family businesses not only survive but thrive, including how they adjust to extreme changes in markets, what each generation brings to the business, and how they separate their business from their personal lives.

State's Eye New Taxes, What that Means for Businesses, pg. 23.
Twenty-eight states are headed for budget trouble, with deficits totaling $35 billion. To make up for the revenue shrinkage, many states are looking at a variety of cutbacks, including higher fees and to eliminate loopholes and tax credits that benefit businesses. Ultimately, some states will end up contemplating tax hikes of all kinds, if reluctantly at first. Four years ago, the last time a large number of states faced deficits, corporate income and other business taxes were among the most frequently raised, along with state sales taxes. What does this mean for small business? Inc. Executive Editor Mike Hofman is available to discuss the potential for tax hikes on businesses. [EDITOR'S NOTE: States reporting revenue shortfalls for FY 2009 include: CA, NV, NM, IL, MN, IA, WI, OH, KY, Al, FL, VA, SC, MD, NY, NJ, RI, MA, NH, ME. States expected to face shortfalls by FY 2009 include: OK, LA, MS, MI, VT.]

Team building Techniques for Global Companies, pg. 41.
How do you build a team when your staff is spread around the world? In today's global workplace, misunderstandings and resentments can pile up. The result, all too often, is an "us-against them" mentality that makes the already challenging task of running a global organization much more difficult. The key is for companies to establish guidelines early, before tensions rise. From employee exchange programs to using technology to close the gap, Inc. Editor Hannah Clark Steiman is available to discuss team building techniques for global companies.

Local Hero or Tax Cheat, pg. 106.
Gus Rancatore was shocked when he realized he was $177,000 in arrears on his taxes. He was stunned when the state seized his business. But the April issue of Inc. magazine reports that nothing surprised him more than the outpouring of support - and condemnation - he received from his customers.

Companies that Handle Your Every Staffing Need, pg. 44.
Looking to rent a temporary CFO or interim high tech talent? The April issue of Inc. magazine reports that today's temp firms have come a long way from just filling administrative needs and now specialize in ever-narrowing niches. With recession fears looming, more and more cost-conscious companies are turning to temps first to fill empty positions. Inc. highlights five national staffing firms that will help you find everything from a short-term blue-collar help to high tech talent to a virtual assistant or CFO. Inc. Staff Writer Max Chafkin is available to discuss if hiring a temp is right for you, including the advantages, drawbacks and costs involved.

The High Cost of Merchant Cash Advances, pg. 35.
Companies with few financing options can turn to providers of merchant cash advances for a quick, easy way to get through a cash-flow emergency. Some entrepreneurs like the arrangement because it allows them to repay less when sales are slow and more if revenue picks up. But the April issue of Inc. magazine warns that it's a pricey form of financing. Most business owners complete repayment within six months, so paying a 25 percent fee is equivalent to taking out a loan with an annual interest rate of 50 percent or more. Inc. Reporter Nitasha Tiku is available to discuss how to avoid getting burned by merchant cash advances.