Bow Truss v. The Profit: Better Than Reality TV

I’ve been following and writing about the Bow Truss v. Marcus Lemonis kerfuffle – now lawsuit – because messy litigation is my reality TV. And, this is messy. As a lawyer, my stock in trade is careful, calibrated elocutions of ambivalence. But, here, I’m not lawyering, I’m writing, so…

5 Signs Your Business is Growing Too Fast: Lessons from Bow Truss Coffee

Crain’s Chicago recently reported that Bow Truss coffee houses, a hip café, temporarily closed its doors. Among the public feuds between the founder on one side and the employees on the other, Bow Truss is a cautionary tale on growing too quickly.  By all accounts, Bow Truss opened 10…

How I Know Your Business “Marriage” Ain’t Gonna Make It

In the midst of providing Business “Marriage” Counseling to two or more business partners, there is a moment when I have to predict a course. See, there are only a couple of paths we can take. People who come to me to work on their intra-company relationships have usually…

Business Partnership Lessons from the Bow Trust Deal Death

Last week, Crain’s reported that Brow Truss coffee houses had closed their doors. Left behind are dozens of employees with unpaid wages and one hysterical owner who is blaming the guy who backed away from buying him out. Marcus Lemonis, the star of MSNBC’s The Profit, had agreed to…

7 Traits You Want to Find in a Business Partner

Much like a marriage, a business partnership is nothing to enter into lightly. Many possible perils await co-founders of a business when they haven’t carefully considered the pros and cons of such a relationship. Some of that includes considering the traits your business partner(s) brings to the table. As…

5 Legal Things that Can Kill Your Company

As a business leader, your job is not just to grow your company – it’s also to try to not kill it. And, there are an uncountable number of weapons and wars that can fell your business. Here are 5 ways legal trouble can kill your business and some…

Business “Marriage” Counseling

As a business lawyer, I sometimes get hired to perform a sort of marriage counseling for business partners. The goal is to preserve the business by coaxing the partners back together or gently breaking them apart.  I always know I can save the partnership when each partner asks the…