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Upcoming SBM Events

Future 50 Business Awards

8/16/17 | 11AM - 1PM | Hilton Frontenac Hotel |

Celebrate the top companies in the St. Louis region and the companies to watch in the future. We bring the winners together, as well as previous year alumni for this special luncheon. Event Sponsors: Winning Technologies, LibertyOne Software, InNovare Law and Property Tax Assessment Consultants (PTACs). Cost: $50, Tables of 10 are $500. Call 314.569.0076 or click here to reserve your seat online.

St. Louis Business Expo

10/24/17 | 11AM - 5PM | St. Charles Convention Center

The Expo is the largest business-to-business conference in Missouri, where 2,000-3,000 professionals come to learn, network and grow their business. The day includes an opening workshop, a full day’s worth of seminars and workshops, an awards luncheon, more than 100 exhibitors and a networking happy hour. For a booth at the event, contact Pat Coates at 314.569.0076, ext. 109 or email her at pat@sbmon.com. For more information on the Expo, click here.

Best In Business Awards

10/24/17 | 11AM - 1PM | St. Charles Convention Center |

Through our reader surveys, 50 area businesses were chosen (in 14 categories) as the Best Businesses in St. Louis. Those businesses are honored at the luncheon. Event Sponsors: Winning Technologies, Delta Dental of Missouri and United Healthcare. Cost: $50, Tables of 10 are $500. Call 314.569.0076

Top Women Business Owner Awards

02/2018 | 11AM - 1PM | Hilton Frontenac Hotel |

Each year SBM highlights the area's top women-owned companies. We've profiled more than 200 over the past 17 years. We bring them together for one luncheon. Event sponsors: Anders; Ameren; HireLevel, powered by Extra Help; and Winning Technologies. Cost: $50, Tables of 10 are $500. Call 314.569.0076

Recent Articles

Why Your Emails Fail

Why Your Emails Fail When You Lead With Product

by Tom Ruwitch

This is a tale of two emails — one good and one bad. I’ll start with the bad one from a company I’ll call Acme (no need to reveal the culprit).
I received an email with the subject line “Acme + Google Analytics/AdWords.”
My first question: Why would I want to open this email?
I opened the email anyway. It said: “Did you know that you can see actual company information within your Google Analytics and AdWords? Give our whitepaper a quick read. We’ll show you how integrating Acme’s data will greatly enhance your dashboard and reports with company name, website, employee count, revenue, industry, and more.”
Second question: Why do I need to see actual company information within Google Analytics and AdWords? Why do I need a greatly enhanced dashboard?
This email is bad because it doesn’t answer those questions.
Now for the good email. The subject line: “How they got their first 1000 subscribers.”

Selling Your Business?

Why Isn't My Business Worth As Much As I Think It Is?

by Dave Driscoll

According to the business broker community, the main reason deals don’t close is a valuation gap between seller and buyer. The second most common reason is unrealistic seller or buyer demands.
More than 40% of businesses don’t sell because of idealistic expectations of the business value coupled with demands driven by seller emotions. Believe me … I get it.
Owner emotion is a huge factor in the sale of a business, but if you let that emotion rule the day, you will end up losing—possibility forever—your opportunity to sell your business and fund your next life phase or retirement.
However, highly valuing something that you have devoted your whole being to is only natural; removing the lens of emotion is not easy. Add to that the seller’s personal fear of what a post-sale life may look like financially and you can see why a seller wants to overcompensate by asking for an inflated value for their business. Thinking you’ll just negotiate down to a realistic price means you’ve already chased away legitimate prospective buyers.

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Upcoming SBM Events

Recent Articles

2016-2017 Business Owners' Guide