Blog

We are pleased to announce Jill Johnston has joined CAPSTONE Business Advisors, LLC. She will serve as a Senior Director, directly involved in assisting and advising our clients in the growth of their companies as well as the divestiture of some of their holdings. Jill has over 35 years of experience ...Read More...

UPDATE April 24, 2020  As we find our way through these unprecedented times, often the negative news has overpowered the positive. Though ...Read More...

  Our nation's small businesses are facing an unprecedented economic disruption due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. On Friday, March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the CARES Act, which contains $349 billion in relief for American workers and small businesses.  In addition to traditional ...Read More...

  March 30, 2020   At the risk of being redundant, CAPSTONE wishes all our friends, family and business associates the very best of health during these trying times. As we are all being inundated with data and information, we continue to monitor the development in Washington ...Read More...

From time to time, we hear of tools that may benefit us and our business. Too often, we either don’t have time to fully investigate their application, don’t understand their use or rely on our uninformed business friends and relatives for input. Such an opportunity may exist for you and your business ...Read More...

When you live in a “silicon valley” hub of any industry, you tend to get overwhelmed by all of the new startups driven by brilliant ideas and seemingly eager investors.  While most people will acknowledge that investors accept the low probability of “grand slam” success with all their investments, they ...Read More...

Cybersecurity has been a bottom-up discussion when it should be a top-down strategic business conversation. In our business environment, acquisitions are prevalent. We want you to be aware of the operational risk questions that can improve operational success and protection. Have you inherited by ...Read More...

On December 22, 2018, Bill Cook passed peacefully to be with the Lord.  There are lots of words that can be and will be said about Bill.  I’m not even sure any of my words could begin to describe him or the impact he had on me and many of the people he considered friends.  Even those who only met ...Read More...

A recent Fidelity Charitable study finds entrepreneurs leading the way in philanthropy. Entrepreneurs donate on average 50% more than others. Philanthropy is particularly top of mind when owners are making plans to sell the business. Nearly 68% have plans to donate to charity in conjunction with that ...Read More...

In an effort to maximize the technology we have at our fingertips, CAPSTONE Business Advisors will begin distributing the Executive Summaries of clients (anonymously) at least quarterly. These represent clients who have expressed a desire to sell their business.  Generally, the client has decided to ...Read More...

In the past year, we have been introduced to the Tennessee Investment Services Trust (TIST).  As we have become more familiar with it, it has become more apparent to us that many of our clients could take advantage of this instrument to protect their assets. It is an irrevocable trust. The grantor ...Read More...

While all have been eager to see the impact of the new tax bill, “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act”, we recently attended a presentation offered by the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants. To say it is overwhelming would be an understatement. There are so many changes and implications that no ...Read More...

DOL Overtime Rule Declared Invalid As a follow up to a notice dated July 29, 2014: Just in time for Labor Day, a federal judge in Texas put an end to the Obama-era Department of Labor overtime rule tracked closely by business owners for several years. We have asked our advisor of such matters to ...Read More...

I must inform you that Kent Hammerstrom will be leaving CAPSTONE effective July 21st.  He is returning to the banking world that he previously spent 30 plus years in.   During Kent’s two and a half years with CAPSTONE, he brought great insight and experience that not only benefited those of us who worked ...Read More...

CAPSTONE Business Advisors, LLC is pleased to announce its affiliation with Mr. Charles R. Howell IV.  Chuck joins CAPSTONE as a Senior Director.  Chuck graduated from The University of Tennessee – Knoxville in 1979.  He has over 30 years’ experience in the aviation field serving as President-General ...Read More...

At lunch with a financial advisor recently, we discussed economic conditions and how they were impacting our clients.  She observed their research indicated many Baby Boomer aged clients were still not investing in the stock market after a rough ride in 2008.  Her view was that many had decided to invest ...Read More...

ESOP – Is it an Option for My Exit Strategy? A few years ago, December 2013 to be exact, with the help of Gregory Brown, now a partner at Holland & Knight in Chicago, we presented this email because of interest that is periodically raised about ESOPs. Before folks even begin to think about an ESOP ...Read More...

My wife and I recently received the WINTER 2016-2017 “Financial Perspectives” from Raymond James. The core of this letter focused on “Building your Financial Team: Who Should make the Cut?” The article highlighted for me a common conversation we have with clients and prospective clients alike: Who are ...Read More...

Do You Understand the Other Side?   Do You Understand the Other side? As we weather the recent election and the attendant rhetoric, I was reminded of a book I read years ago: How to Speak How to Listen by Theodore Adler.  The conclusion I reached from this book was if you cannot defend ...Read More...

How prepared do you believe you are for the future?  In 1970, I attended an Officer Call at Ft. Gordon.  After a couple of hours of Ohio State Police films of accidents, a Military Police Captain addressed the officers (Signal Corps) about the evils of alcohol and fast driving.  He proceeded to declare ...Read More...