#los angeles business valuation

[trakfinancialservices]

Business Valuation Orange County

Discover expert business valuation services in Orange County to accurately assess the worth of your enterprise. Our professionals utilize robust methodologies and industry insights to provide comprehensive evaluations tailored to your specific needs. Gain clarity on your company's value and make informed decisions with confidence. Trust our Orange County-based team for reliable business valuation solutions tailored to your unique circumstances.

[crossroadsbusiness]

The Importance of Business Brokers and Business Valuation Services

Starting a business can be challenging, especially when it comes to finding the right buyer or selling your business at the right price. This is where business brokers and business valuation services come into play. In this article, we will discuss the importance of these services in the world of business.

What are Business Brokers?

Business brokers are professionals who act as intermediaries between buyers and sellers of businesses. They help business owners sell their businesses by finding potential buyers and negotiate on their behalf. Business brokers have a vast network of contacts, which they use to find the right buyer for a business. They also handle all the paperwork and legal requirements involved in selling a business.

Why Do You Need a Business Broker?

Selling a business can be complicated and time-consuming, especially for first-time sellers. This is where having a business broker can be beneficial. Business brokers have the expertise and experience to handle all aspects of selling a business, including marketing, negotiations, and legal processes.

Some other reasons why you may need a business broker include:

Confidentiality: Business brokers maintain confidentiality throughout the selling process. They ensure that sensitive information about your business does not fall into the wrong hands.

Valuation: Business brokers can accurately determine the value of your business, considering factors such as assets, revenue, and market trends. This helps you price your business competitively and attract potential buyers.

Marketing: Business brokers have access to a wide range of marketing tools and strategies to promote your business to potential buyers. This increases the chances of a successful sale.

Negotiations: Business brokers are skilled negotiators who can handle difficult negotiations on your behalf. They have experience in dealing with different types of buyers, ensuring that you get the best possible deal for your business.

What are Business Valuation Services?

Business valuation services are professional services that determine the economic value of a business. Business valuation is important for various purposes, such as selling or buying a business, obtaining financing, or settling disputes between shareholders.

A business valuation typically takes into account numerous factors, including:

Financials: A business's financial performance and stability are crucial in determining its value. This includes factors such as revenue, profits, and cash flow.

Assets: The value of a business's tangible assets, such as equipment and inventory, is also considered in its overall valuation.

Market trends: Business valuations also take into account current market trends and industry conditions. This helps determine the potential for future growth and profitability of the business.

Intangible assets: Intangible assets such as intellectual property, brand value, and customer relationships also play a role in business valuation.

Competition: The competitive landscape of the industry in which the business operates is another important factor to consider. A business with a strong market position and competitive advantage may have a higher valuation than its competitors.

Industry benchmarks: Business valuations often use industry benchmarks to compare the performance and value of a business against its peers.

The Role of Business Brokers in Valuation Services

Business brokers play an essential role in the business valuation process. They act as intermediaries between buyers and sellers, facilitating the sale of a business at a fair price. As experienced professionals, they have extensive knowledge of market trends and industry conditions, which can help determine the accurate value of a business.

Here are some ways in which business brokers assist with business valuation services:

Providing Expert Advice and Guidance

Business brokers have a thorough understanding of the factors that contribute to a business's value. They use their expertise to provide guidance and advice to both buyers and sellers, ensuring that the sale price accurately reflects the true value of the business.

Conducting Market Research

One of the primary responsibilities of a business broker is to conduct market research to gather relevant data and information. They analyze industry trends, economic conditions, competitor performance, and other factors that impact the value of a business.

Evaluating Financial Statements

Business brokers have the expertise to analyze financial statements in detail. They review financial records such as profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to get an accurate picture of the business's financial health. This information is crucial in determining the value of a business.

Utilizing Valuation Methods

Business brokers use various valuation methods to determine the fair market value of a business. These can include asset-based, income-based, and market-based approaches. They select the most appropriate method based on factors such as industry, size of the business, and nature of its operations.

Negotiating Sales Price

Once a business broker has determined the accurate value of a business, they use their negotiation skills to agree on a fair sales price between the buyer and seller. This helps ensure that both parties are satisfied with the final transaction.

Conclusion

In the complex world of business transactions, the role of business brokers in Los Angeles CA is pivotal. Their expertise in market research, financial analysis, and valuation methods is invaluable. Business valuation services in Los Angeles are particularly crucial, as they provide an unbiased assessment of a business's worth, removing any guesswork or personal bias. Specifically in Los Angeles, CA, where the business landscape is highly diverse, having a business valuation conducted by professional brokers provides credibility and accuracy. This ensures a fair sales price that reflects true market value and satisfies all parties involved in the transaction.

If you're seeking a professional business broker in Los Angeles, CA, or need a comprehensive business valuation in Los Angeles, don't hesitate to reach out to us. Our team of experts is ready to provide you with a detailed, unbiased assessment of your business's worth to ensure a fair sales price and seamless transaction. Trust our expertise to navigate the diverse business landscape of Los Angeles, CA, with confidence and precision. Contact us today and take the first step towards a successful business transaction.

Source Link : https://crossroadsbusiness.com/business-broker-los-angeles-ca

[dwaynegamble02]

California Business Brokers - Your Gateway to Successful Deals

Are you looking to buy or sell a business in the Golden State? Look no further than California Business Brokers! Our expert team of seasoned professionals is here to guide you through the intricacies of the buying and selling process, ensuring you get the best deal possible.

[leveloneandup]

Christen Press on potential Angel City sale: ‘It allows the club to continue to professionalize’

Willow Bay and her husband, Disney CEO Bob Iger, are close to purchasing a controlling stake of Angel City FC. There’s no public timeline for when the deal will be done. Still, the new ownership group — and the numbers around their investment, somewhere in the ballpark of $300 million — has reignited discussions about NWSL club valuations and the rapid growth of women’s soccer here in the United States.

Angel City forward Christen Press, who was also the team’s first signing, spoke to The Athletic on her way to training on Wednesday morning. Immediately, she noted she was following the potential sale through media reports herself. Her reaction — and that of her fellow players — was one of excitement.

Press said those numbers shouldn’t be surprising to anyone. Not if you’ve been paying attention, anyway.

“When you start to see valuations as a player, and as someone who has a very vested interest in the business of women’s sports, there’s two things,” she continued. “First thing I think is, ‘Hell yeah.’ This is exactly how it should be, right? On our podcast, we just talked to Ali Krieger about how, as a novice broadcaster, she’s making more money than she did as a player. These types of sales and deals are working towards changing that.”

For her second point, Press said that Angel City has gotten a lot right through the first few years in the league. Whether that’s game day experience, business, or community, all of those things are already working.

“They also have a lot of things that they need to get right, and a sale like this is a lot of money to the club,” Press said. “It allows the club to continue to professionalize and push the envelope in terms of the expectations for women’s sports. I do think Angel City recognizes that they have a lot of room to grow on that end.”

Press called the team a “zero to one project,” but one that needs a different level of funding to go from one to two. That’s along the same lines as what one early investor told the Los Angeles Times in March when the news broke that Angel City was considering selling a controlling stake.

“What’s been built at Angel City in three short years is nothing short of incredible. And in high-growth companies, it is absolutely normal to step back and look at ‘what do we need to continue this growth?’” Sarah Harden, CEO of Hello Sunshine, said. “This board has determined that this is the right time to bring in a new major investor. That’s it. That is the story.”

Of course, Angel City hasn’t been the only NWSL team to explore a sale — though they have the more positive distinction of exploring a move willingly. Also in March, San Diego Wave FC made headlines for setting a new record, with the club’s principal owner Rob Burkle agreeing to sell to the Levine Leichtman family at a total valuation of $120 million. The valuations of NWSL teams are being watched on a global scale as well. For instance, Chelsea has started to explore the idea of selling a minority stake in their women’s team, using Angel City’s previous valuation of $180 million as their benchmark.

“All of the measures of women’s sports right now are growing, and I think the NWSL is at the forefront of a lot of that,” Pete Giorgio, who leads Deloitte’s global and U.S. sports practice, told The Athletic in March. “Those large valuations and these large transactions validate both the foresight, but also the investment that a lot of people made in the first place.”

As women’s soccer analyst Kim McCauley pointed out, Michele Kang received plenty of questions when she seemingly overpaid for the Washington Spirit in 2022. Kang had originally offered $21 million for the controlling stake in the team. She closed the deal at $35 million, which only two years ago seemed like an absurd number.

Seattle Reign FC finally wrapped its sale last month, with the Seattle Sounders and Carlyle Group taking over the club for $58 million (that club’s sale was the result of John Textor’s takeover of Lyon and a sole focus on the men’s team, with Olympique Lyonnais also sold to Kang). Before that, the sales of the Chicago Red Stars — a total bid of $60 million, with $35.5 million as the purchase price — and Portland Thorns FC at $63 million were also finalized, with both of those changes coming following the league’s abuse scandal.

“If you have an ownership group that needs to be out, it’s actually really hard to compartmentalize, and I think we’ve seen that in the Chicagos and the Portlands, how it’s affected the players,” Press said. For her, it’s different in Los Angeles, as she pointed to the regular presence of owners and investors at games. “For this, it’s only positive. We know our ownership group.”

The NWSL is going through an incredible transformation. Even with the positive impact of some of those changes and investments, it’s not hard to understand why some fans and supporters might get a little nervous about this much money coming in and how it might change the sport. Some of those changes are deeply necessary and some will absolutely affect the culture of women’s soccer in America.

Press has been part of what she called “a generation of change”, whether that’s on the USWNT with their fight for equal pay and a new collective bargaining agreement, or her NWSL career, which started in 2014 with the Red Stars. “I can’t even remember what that first field that I played on in Chicago was called, but I was driving out of the city for an hour and a half to get to some turf field.” The Red Stars’ home field was at Benedictine University; in 2014, the team had an average attendance of 2,949.

“I don’t think we want to hang on to those memories,” Press said. “There is absolutely a connection between those of us who have been fighting for improved standards in the league and our fans because the fans have had so much influence in that fight and our success. It really has bonded us with our community in a way that it feels like we’re all doing this together.”

Press isn’t worried about that bond being lost. She believes it’s trending in the right direction, especially as players have a lot less to worry about off the field and can step directly into stardom. Players that turn into superstars have to be supported though, by brands, by teams, through marketing and the media.

“That’s storytelling and that’s investment, so as it continues to grow, there is a huge opportunity for the relationship with the fans to transform. And because we continue to find ourselves in a fight for legitimate valuations and for fair pay and for equality, we’ll be able to maintain such a strong tie to the fans that help us achieve these things.”

There are more immediate goals for Angel City to accomplish, even with the potential sale to the Bay-Iger group in the works. On the pitch deck, acquired by Semafor, the first of the new ownership group’s guiding principles is “Improve team performance, player support and retention,” which also includes the tangible goal of building a new facility that could serve as the team’s HQ and training site.

While Angel City is currently in 11th place in the NWSL, they’re only three points off the playoff line cutoff. They’ll face Gotham FC in their final match before the league takes an extended break for the Olympics.

Press said the team can rely on the existing trust between the players and ownership group to allow the sale process to play out as it should and not have it overshadow the urgent need for three points on the field — at home — this weekend.

“The entire focus of the group is on the game,” she promised.

[soovermyself]

Human Rights Campaign Announces Eight New Members to its Boards of Directors

The Human Rights Campaign announced the 2024 members of the HRC and HRC Foundation Boards of Directors, which is comprised of diverse and innovative leaders across industries and in the LGBTQ+ community.

…

Sophia Bush, She/Her/Hers, Los Angeles

Sophia Bush is an actress, activist, producer, and entrepreneur. She has starred in television and film projects such as One Tree Hill, John Tucker Must Die, Chicago PD, Incredibles 2 and Good Sam.

Most recently, Bush wrapped production on Bryan Greenberg’s directorial debut, Junction and in London’s West End ‘2:22 – A Ghost Story’ play. She currently hosts her podcast, “Work in Progress with Sophia Bush” and co-hosts the iHeartRadio podcast “Drama Queens” alongside Hilarie Burton Morgan and Bethany Joy Lenz. Beyond entertainment, she's a dedicated activist and philanthropist who passionately supports projects empowering girls and women. Alongside her business partner Nia Linder Batts, Bush is a General Partner and investor in Union Heritage Ventures, a majority African American and women-owned capital firm. She also co-founded and sits on the board of I am a voter® and serves as a Strategic Advisor for First Women’s Bank with Billie Jean King.

…

Ashlyn Harris, She/Her/Hers, New York City

Ashlyn Harris, a former goalkeeper for the USWNT, Orlando Pride, and Gotham City FC in the NWSL, is a celebrated 2x World Cup Champion and Olympian. After retiring from the game, she served as the Global Creative Director of Gotham City FC. Beyond her athletic and creative achievements, Harris has established herself as a pioneer in advocating for social justice, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community, and in challenging stigmas around mental health. Her leadership and instrumental role as one of the plaintiffs in the groundbreaking case suing US Soccer for equal pay for women demonstrates her courage and unwavering dedication to fostering fairness and driving meaningful societal change. She now serves on the board of the Women's Sports Foundation, led by Billie Jean King, and passionately advocates for Title IX and closing the gender gap in women's sports.

In addition to growing Gotham FC to a 5x valuation as their creative director, she now works as a creative consultant and producer, collaborating with brands like Hello Sunshine and ALLY Bank. Her business acumen and passion for advocacy continue to guide her, positioning her as both a leader and a catalyst for progress. In her personal life, Harris finds joy and fulfillment in her family. She welcomed her daughter Sloane, in February 2021 and her son Ocean, in July 2022.

[mariacallous]

A potential bidding war to buy TikTok has begun, less than a month after President Joe Biden signed legislation that would force the app’s Chinese parent company ByteDance to divest, or face a ban in the United States within a year.

The latest suitor to emerge is the real estate billionaire Frank McCourt, who announced this week he’s assembling a group of investors to acquire TikTok and has brought on financial advisers from Guggenheim Securities and the law firm Kirkland & Ellis to help. The app could be worth $100 billion, according to some estimates, though McCourt said it’s too early to discuss potential valuations.

What exactly McCourt would do with TikTok remains unclear, but in an interview with Time Magazine, he said that “the user experience wouldn’t change much.” He was not deterred by the prospect of the Chinese government preventing him from buying TikTok’s core algorithm, which is responsible for determining what content users see on the app.

“Of course, TikTok isn't worth as much without the algorithm. I get that. That’s pretty plain,” McCourt said. “But we’re talking about a different design, which requires people to move on from the mindset and the paradigm we’re in now.”

McCourt, who was previously the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, says he has already poured $500 million into an existing social media and technology initiative called Project Liberty, which aims to reduce the power that Silicon Valley giants like Meta and Google have over the internet. One of its main focuses has been building and deploying a blockchain-based protocol that Project Liberty claims will give people more control over their data online.

McCourt also previously invested in another social network called MeWe, a privacy-focused platform that became popular with far-right users after Facebook and Twitter deactivated many of their accounts in the wake of the US Capitol riot on January 6. In 2022, MeWe announced it was migrating its entire platform over to Project Liberty’s decentralized social networking protocol, and it’s possible McCourt could do the same thing with TikTok.

Anna Feagan, a spokesperson for Project Liberty, says McCourt and his team are currently focused on putting together their bid for TikTok, but are committed to finding the right technological solutions for the platform. She adds that so far, they have not been in contact with ByteDance.

New York University professor Jonathan Haidt, a leading voice of the movement arguing that smartphones and social media are causing grave harm to children, says he supports McCourt’s plan for TikTok. “What a creative approach to changing social media: Assemble a consortium to buy TikTok and make it better, on an architecture that respects users' rights,” he said in a post on X.

TikTok, however, has made it clear that it does not want to sell its US operations, and is fighting the legality of the new divest-or-ban law in court. TikTok did not respond to a request for comment about the acquisition plans announced by McCourt and other investors.

This has done little to deter a growing list of other business moguls who have also expressed interest in acquiring the app, which has been under government scrutiny in the US for four years over alleged national security concerns stemming from its Chinese ownership. One of them is former Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin, who said earlier this week he too was assembling a group of investors to make a bid for TikTok. He first hinted about the plan in March before the divestiture bill passed into law.

Mnuchin told Bloomberg he understands that the Chinese government is unlikely to allow ByteDance to sell TikTok’s algorithm, but he planned to “rebuild the technology.” That would be quite a lofty endeavor, especially given that TikTok competitors like YouTube and Meta have been trying to copy its product for years with only mixed success.

There’s at least one existing business connection between Mnuchin and TikTok: They are both backed by Japan’s SoftBank, which has stakes in ByteDance and in Liberty Strategic Capital, the private equity firm Mnuchin set up after he left office. A representative from Liberty Strategic Capital did not immediately return a request for comment about Mnuchin’s TikTok acquisition strategy.

Former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick has reportedly considered buying TikTok as well. He even floated the idea to Zhang Yiming, the former CEO of ByteDance who retains a roughly 20 percent stake in the company, the Wall Street Journal reported in March. Around the same time, Canadian businessman and Shark Tank judge Kevin O'Leary told Fox News that the app is “not going to get banned, ’cause I’m gonna buy it.”

O’Leary did not immediately return a request for comment about whether he was seriously interested in TikTok. Kotick could not be reached for comment.

All of TikTok’s potential suitors would be facing an uphill battle to close a deal. The first challenge will be raising enough money. Only a small number of the world’s largest companies likely have enough cash on hand to acquire the app outright, and so far, they haven’t publicly voiced an interest in the platform. That’s a big change from four years ago when then-president Donald Trump first tried to force ByteDance to sell TikTok. At the time, Microsoft, Oracle, and Walmart were among the most promising buyers for the app.

But the even bigger problem that investors face is the fact that TikTok doesn’t seem to think a sale would even be possible, let alone desirable. In a lawsuit it filed against the US government last week, TikTok argued the divestiture bill violated the First Amendment and claimed severing its American operations from ByteDance was “not commercially, technologically, or legally feasible.”

TikTok noted that the Chinese government has “made clear” that it would not permit the company to sell its recommendation algorithm to a foreign buyer, citing regulations that Beijing introduced after Trump first targeted TikTok in 2020. The measures put limits on the export of certain technologies such as “personal interactive data algorithms.”

Even if a sale were politically possible, TikTok argued the move would “disconnect Americans from the rest of the global community” on the platform, in possibly the same way that the Chinese version of the app is restricted only to people in China. TikTok added that it would take a team of new engineers years to sift through its source code and “gain sufficient familiarity” with it to run the app effectively.

A group of TikTok creators filed a separate lawsuit against the federal government earlier this week arguing that the divest bill violated their free speech rights. (TikTok is paying their legal fees.) Separating TikTok from ByteDance, they said, “is infeasible, as the company has stated and as the publicly available record confirms.”

[bushlyn]

Human Rights Campaign Announces Eight New Members to its Boards of Directors

Sophia Bush, She/Her/Hers, Los Angeles

Sophia Bush is an actress, activist, producer, and entrepreneur. She has starred in television and film projects such as One Tree Hill, John Tucker Must Die, Chicago PD, Incredibles 2 and Good Sam.

Most recently, Bush wrapped production on Bryan Greenberg’s directorial debut, Junction and in London’s West End ‘2:22 – A Ghost Story’ play. She currently hosts her podcast, “Work in Progress with Sophia Bush” and co-hosts the iHeartRadio podcast “Drama Queens” alongside Hilarie Burton Morgan and Bethany Joy Lenz. Beyond entertainment, she's a dedicated activist and philanthropist who passionately supports projects empowering girls and women. Alongside her business partner Nia Linder Batts, Bush is a General Partner and investor in Union Heritage Ventures, a majority African American and women-owned capital firm. She also co-founded and sits on the board of I am a voter® and serves as a Strategic Advisor for First Women’s Bank with Billie Jean King.

Ashlyn Harris, She/Her/Hers, New York City

Ashlyn Harris, a former goalkeeper for the USWNT, Orlando Pride, and Gotham City FC in the NWSL, is a celebrated 2x World Cup Champion and Olympian. After retiring from the game, she served as the Global Creative Director of Gotham City FC. Beyond her athletic and creative achievements, Harris has established herself as a pioneer in advocating for social justice, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community, and in challenging stigmas around mental health. Her leadership and instrumental role as one of the plaintiffs in the groundbreaking case suing US Soccer for equal pay for women demonstrates her courage and unwavering dedication to fostering fairness and driving meaningful societal change. She now serves on the board of the Women's Sports Foundation, led by Billie Jean King, and passionately advocates for Title IX and closing the gender gap in women's sports.

In addition to growing Gotham FC to a 5x valuation as their creative director, she now works as a creative consultant and producer, collaborating with brands like Hello Sunshine and ALLY Bank. Her business acumen and passion for advocacy continue to guide her, positioning her as both a leader and a catalyst for progress. In her personal life, Harris finds joy and fulfillment in her family. She welcomed her daughter Sloane, in February 2021 and her son Ocean, in July 2022.

[sixstringphonic]

OpenAI Fears Get Brushed Aside

(A follow-up to this story from May 16th 2023.) Big Tech dismissed board’s worries, along with the idea profit wouldn’t rule usage. (Reported by Brian Merchant, The Los Angeles Times, 11/21/23) It’s not every day that the most talked-about company in the world sets itself on fire. Yet that seems to be what happened Friday, when OpenAI’s board announced that it had terminated its chief executive, Sam Altman, because he had not been “consistently candid in his communications with the board.” In corporate-speak, those are fighting words about as barbed as they come: They insinuated that Altman had been lying. The sacking set in motion a dizzying sequence of events that kept the tech industry glued to its social feeds all weekend: First, it wiped $48 billion off the valuation of Microsoft, OpenAI’s biggest partner. Speculation about malfeasance swirled, but employees, Silicon Valley stalwarts and investors rallied around Altman, and the next day talks were being held to bring him back. Instead of some fiery scandal, reporting indicated that this was at core a dispute over whether Altman was building and selling AI responsibly. By Monday, talks had failed, a majority of OpenAI employees were threatening to resign, and Altman announced he was joining Microsoft. All the while, something else went up in flames: the fiction that anything other than the profit motive is going to govern how AI gets developed and deployed. Concerns about “AI safety” are going to be steamrolled by the tech giants itching to tap in to a new revenue stream every time.

It’s hard to overstate how wild this whole saga is. In a year when artificial intelligence has towered over the business world, OpenAI, with its ubiquitous ChatGPT and Dall-E products, has been the center of the universe. And Altman was its world-beating spokesman. In fact, he’s been the most prominent spokesperson for AI, period. For a highflying company’s own board to dump a CEO of such stature on a random Friday, with no warning or previous sign that anything serious was amiss — Altman had just taken center stage to announce the launch of OpenAI’s app store in a much-watched conference — is almost unheard of. (Many have compared the events to Apple’s famous 1985 canning of Steve Jobs, but even that was after the Lisa and the Macintosh failed to live up to sales expectations, not, like, during the peak success of the Apple II.)

So what on earth is going on?

Well, the first thing that’s important to know is that OpenAI’s board is, by design, differently constituted than that of most corporations — it’s a nonprofit organization structured to safeguard the development of AI as opposed to maximizing profitability. Most boards are tasked with ensuring their CEOs are best serving the financial interests of the company; OpenAI’s board is tasked with ensuring their CEO is not being reckless with the development of artificial intelligence and is acting in the best interests of “humanity.” This nonprofit board controls the for-profit company OpenAI.

Got it?

As Jeremy Khan put it at Fortune, “OpenAI’s structure was designed to enable OpenAI to raise the tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars it would need to succeed in its mission of building artificial general intelligence (AGI) … while at the same time preventing capitalist forces, and in particular a single tech giant, from controlling AGI.” And yet, Khan notes, as soon as Altman inked a $1-billion deal with Microsoft in 2019, “the structure was basically a time bomb.” The ticking got louder when Microsoft sunk $10 billion more into OpenAI in January of this year.

We still don’t know what exactly the board meant by saying Altman wasn’t “consistently candid in his communications.” But the reporting has focused on the growing schism between the science arm of the company, led by co-founder, chief scientist and board member Ilya Sutskever, and the commercial arm, led by Altman. We do know that Altman has been in expansion mode lately, seeking billions in new investment from Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds to start a chip company to rival AI chipmaker Nvidia, and a billion more from Softbank for a venture with former Apple design chief Jony Ive to develop AI-focused hardware. And that’s on top of launching the aforementioned OpenAI app store to third party developers, which would allow anyone to build custom AIs and sell them on the company’s marketplace.

The working narrative now seems to be that Altman’s expansionist mind-set and his drive to commercialize AI — and perhaps there’s more we don’t know yet on this score — clashed with the Sutskever faction, who had become concerned that the company they co-founded was moving too fast. At least two of the board’s members are aligned with the so-called effective altruism movement, which sees AI as a potentially catastrophic force that could destroy humanity.

The board decided that Altman’s behavior violated the board’s mandate. But they also (somehow, wildly) seem to have failed to anticipate how much blowback they would get for firing Altman. And that blowback has come at gale-force strength; OpenAI employees and Silicon Valley power players such as Airbnb’s Brian Chesky and Eric Schmidt spent the weekend “I am Spartacus”-ing Altman. It’s not hard to see why. OpenAI had been in talks to sell shares to investors at an $86-billion valuation. Microsoft, which has invested more than $11 billion in OpenAI and now uses OpenAI’s tech on its platforms, was apparently informed of the board’s decision to fire Altman five minutes before the wider world. Its leadership was furious and seemingly led the effort to have Altman reinstated. But beyond all that lurked the question of whether there should really be any safeguards to the AI development model favored by Silicon Valley’s prime movers; whether a board should be able to remove a founder they believe is not acting in the interest of humanity — which, again, is their stated mission — or whether it should seek relentless expansion and scale.

See, even though the OpenAI board has quickly become the de facto villain in this story, as the venture capital analyst Eric Newcomer pointed out, we should maybe take its decision seriously. Firing Altman was probably not a call they made lightly, and just because they’re scrambling now because it turns out that call was an existential financial threat to the company does not mean their concerns were baseless. Far from it.

In fact, however this plays out, it has already succeeded in underlining how aggressively Altman has been pursuing business interests. For most tech titans, this would be a “well, duh” situation, but Altman has fastidiously cultivated an aura of a burdened guru warning the world of great disruptive changes. Recall those sheepdog eyes in the congressional hearings a few months back where he begged for the industry to be regulated, lest it become too powerful? Altman’s whole shtick is that he’s a weary messenger seeking to prepare the ground for responsible uses of AI that benefit humanity — yet he’s circling the globe lining up investors wherever he can, doing all he seemingly can to capitalize on this moment of intense AI interest.

To those who’ve been watching closely, this has always been something of an act — weeks after those hearings, after all, Altman fought real-world regulations that the European Union was seeking to impose on AI deployment. And we forget that OpenAI was originally founded as a nonprofit that claimed to be bent on operating with the utmost transparency — before Altman steered it into a for-profit company that keeps its models secret. Now, I don’t believe for a second that AI is on the cusp of becoming powerful enough to destroy mankind — I think that’s some in Silicon Valley (including OpenAI’s new interim CEO, Emmett Shear) getting carried away with a science fictional sense of self-importance, and a uniquely canny marketing tactic — but I do think there is a litany of harms and dangers that can be caused by AI in the shorter term. And AI safety concerns getting so thoroughly rolled at the snap of the Valley’s fingers is not something to cheer.

You’d like to believe that executives at AI-building companies who think there’s significant risk of global catastrophe here couldn’t be sidelined simply because Microsoft lost some stock value. But that’s where we are.

Sam Altman is first and foremost a pitchman for the year’s biggest tech products. No one’s quite sure how useful or interesting most of those products will be in the long run, and they’re not making a lot of money at the moment — so most of the value is bound up in the pitchman himself. Investors, OpenAI employees and partners such as Microsoft need Altman traveling the world telling everyone how AI is going to eclipse human intelligence any day now much more than it needs, say, a high-functioning chatbot.

Which is why, more than anything, this winds up being a coup for Microsoft. Now it has got Altman in-house, where he can cheerlead for AI and make deals to his heart’s content. They still have OpenAI’s tech licensed, and OpenAI will need Microsoft more than ever. Now, it may yet turn out to be that this was nothing but a power struggle among board members, and it was a coup that went wrong. But if it turns out that the board had real worries and articulated them to Altman to no avail, no matter how you feel about the AI safety issue, we should be concerned about this outcome: a further consolidation of power of one of the biggest tech companies and less accountability for the product than ever.

If anyone still believes a company can steward the development of a product like AI without taking marching orders from Big Tech, I hope they’re disabused of this fiction by the Altman debacle. The reality is, no matter whatever other input may be offered to the company behind ChatGPT, the output will be the same: Money talks.

[sharktankindia]

Los Angeles natives Arya and Anastasia Alexander founded Wellingtons LA in 2020. The self-proclaimed “elevated comfort food brand” delivers ready-to-bake beef Wellingtons right to your door. They reached Shark Tank to raise $200,000 for 10% equity. The founders believed in great foods making the day better, however, Beef Wellingtons are difficult to make and time-consuming as well. Hence, they came up with this business idea.

Now the brand is popular as “Shark Tank Beef Wellingtons” and has reached not only the local region but to international market as well. Shark Tank fans saw Arya Alexandar and Anastasia Geroulis appear on season 15, episode 3 of the popular TV series on October 13, 2023.

What are Shark Tank Beef Wellingtons?

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Produced by California-based business, Wellingtons, the Shark Tank beef Wellingtons is a filet mignon encased in flaky pastry. The founder, Anastasia observed that people don’t make beef Wellingtons because it’s difficult and time-taking. The Shark Tank beef Wellingtons recipe varies for different food items. For instance, the Breakfast Wellington is sandwiched in a puff pastry with all except Bagel seasonings, containing scrambled eggs, hash browns, turkey sausage, and cheddar cheese.

The Shark Tank beef Wellingtons recipe for Mini Cheeseburger Wellingtons is made with beef patties, grilled onions, cheddar cheese, and jalapeños, all wrapped in a pastry covered with sesame seeds.

What’s the Story behind Shark Tank Beef Wellingtons?

The husband-wife team Arya and Anastasia Alexandar founded the company during the Coronavirus when the stay-at-home notice was released and people were trying the dishes at home. Over the course, they experimented with various dishes of beef Wellingtons, including salmon-based Wellingtons. Their efforts paid off and they launched Wellingtons in 2022.

Although beef Wellingtons are often associated with upscale dining, Arya and Anastasia Alexander are not limited by conventional culinary norms when creating their products. Additionally, the pair serves a delectable cheeseburger Wellington with all the toppings.

Shark Tank Beef Wellingtons Update

The Sharks enjoyed the Beef Wellingtons as they sampled them during the show. All the Sharks seemed impressed with the idea and the quality, especially, Michael Rubin, who called the product “great, not good”. However, the Sharks found the financial statements of the company questionable. The couple were seeking $200,000 for a 10% equity stake, putting the company’s valuation at $2 million.

While Lori Greiner passed the offer saying that she didn’t feel a personal connection with the product, Rubin and Mark Cuban believed that Wellingtons needed a better plan to upscale their business. Barbara Corcoran seemed greatly interested but eventually passed the deal. Kevin O’Leary rejected the offer due to his investment in a similar rival business.Entrepreneurs: Anastasia and Arya AlexanderBusiness: Frozen Beef WellingtonsAsk: $200,000 for 10% equityValuation: $2 million (at the time of the Shark Tank pitch)Result: No dealShark: None

Shark Tank Beef Wellingtons Net Worth

When the Beef Wellingtons appeared on Shark Tank, the company asked for $200,000 for 10% equity, at the valuation of $2 million. However, Shark Tank Beef Wellingtons net worth is even less than that. 

Just to give you a short update on Wellingtons, they lost $260,000 the year before they were on Shark Tank. Due to its flawed business plan, the company was unable to turn a profit and raise its net worth. Shark Tank Beef Wellingtons net worth is just $1 million.

[moorerealestategroup]

Commercial Real Estate Lease and Sales Comparisons for Appraisal

When appraising commercial real estate, an appraiser typically selects at least three recently closed sales that closely resemble the subject property in terms of location and key characteristics. These comparable properties serve as the foundation for the appraiser to make necessary adjustments and establish a credible opinion of value. This method, known as the sales comparison approach, is a standard practice in real estate appraisal. In commercial leasing, this appraisal method also plays a critical role in determining the value of a property, whether it’s used for office space, retail, or other business purposes. For example, a commercial appraisal in Los Angeles helps establish the fair value of a property in that market.

Sales Comparison Approach in Appraisal

Location and Neighborhood:

Location is a major factor in real estate valuation. Properties located in the same neighborhood should be compared to each other, rather than to those in other parts of town. Proximity to key features such as schools, parks, bodies of water, highways, and pollution levels all impact property value.

Recently Sold Listings:

Examining recently sold properties in the area provides a baseline for appraising similar properties. While the features of each property and market conditions play a role in the final sale price, recent sales data serves as a helpful reference point.

Property Features:

To ensure accurate comparisons, properties being evaluated should have similar features such as the number of bedrooms, garages, and bathrooms. Additionally, properties of comparable square footage and land size should be compared.

Age and Condition:

The age and condition of a property are crucial factors in an appraisal. For example, two homes in the same neighborhood may be similar in size and layout, but if one is in poor condition or requires significant repairs, it will have a lower appraised value.

Price per Square Foot:

To calculate the price per square foot, divide the sale price of each comparable property by its square footage. This calculation helps appraisers determine the average cost per square foot, which can then be applied to the property being appraised.

Leasing Commercial Real Estate in Los Angeles

If you're searching for a commercial real estate lease in Los Angeles, there are several steps to follow:

Identify Your Requirements: Start by identifying the type of commercial property you need, whether it’s office space, retail space, or industrial property. Consider factors such as size, location, and budget.

Search Online Platforms: Utilize online platforms like LoopNet, CoStar, or local real estate agency websites that specialize in commercial real estate listings in Los Angeles.

Contact Real Estate Agents: Reach out to brokers or real estate agents who specialize in the Los Angeles market. These professionals can help you find available properties and arrange tours.

Visit Properties: After narrowing down potential properties, it’s important to inspect them in person to ensure they meet your business needs.

Negotiate Lease Terms: Lease terms can be negotiated with the landlord, covering aspects such as rent, lease duration, maintenance responsibilities, and other business-related clauses.

Review the Lease Agreement: Carefully review the lease contract to ensure it meets your expectations, and consider seeking legal advice before signing.

Sign the Lease: Once both parties agree on the terms, the lease agreement is signed, securing the commercial property for your business operations.

Importance of Sales and Rent Comparisons in Appraisals

Sales and rent comparables play a pivotal role in the commercial real estate appraisal process. These data points provide insights into property values, rental income, market trends, and investment potential. For example, a commercial appraisal in Los Angeles can offer valuable data for determining the value of properties in this highly competitive urban market, helping potential buyers and investors make informed decisions.

[hhtthoughts]

Fire claims in Los Angeles found by public adjusters

Fire damage claims are unfortunately common in Los Angeles due to the region's susceptibility to wildfires and urban fires. Public adjusters play an important role in helping property owners navigate the complex insurance claims process and maximize their settlements after fire damage occurs.

Public adjusters are licensed professionals who work on behalf of policyholders to assess property damage, document losses, and negotiate with insurance companies. Unlike insurance company adjusters who work for the insurer, public adjusters advocate solely for the policyholder's interests. In Los Angeles, public adjusters frequently handle fire claims resulting from both wildfires and structural fires.

Wildfires pose a major threat to properties in Los Angeles, especially in areas bordering wildlands or canyons. Recent major wildfires like the 2018 Woolsey Fire and 2020 Bobcat Fire caused extensive damage to homes and businesses. Public adjusters are often called in to assess wildfire damage claims, which can be particularly complex due to the widespread nature of the destruction.

When evaluating wildfire claims, public adjusters in Los Angeles look for both obvious and hidden fire damage. This includes assessing structural damage from flames, smoke damage to interiors and belongings, damage from firefighting efforts, and secondary issues like erosion or mudslides on the property. They document all losses meticulously to ensure nothing is overlooked in the claim.

Urban structural fires are another common source of fire claims in Los Angeles. These can stem from electrical issues, kitchen fires, arson, or other causes. Public adjusters investigate the fire's origin and document the full extent of damage, which often goes beyond just the areas directly touched by flames. Smoke and water damage frequently impact the entire structure.

One key service public adjusters provide for Los Angeles fire claims is a thorough review of the insurance policy. Many property owners are not fully aware of the coverages and limits in their policies. Public adjusters analyze the policy language to identify all potential coverages that apply to the fire loss. This may include dwelling coverage, other structures coverage, personal property coverage, loss of use coverage, and more.

Public adjusters also assist Los Angeles property owners in compiling comprehensive inventories of damaged or destroyed belongings. This process can be overwhelming for policyholders who have lost everything in a fire. Adjusters use their experience to help reconstruct inventories, find documentation of valuable items, and ensure nothing is left out of contents claims.

Another valuable service is helping to arrange temporary housing and additional living expenses for policyholders displaced by fires. Los Angeles' high cost of living can make these expenses significant. Public adjusters work to maximize the loss of use coverage to ensure policyholders can maintain their standard of living while repairs are made.

One of the most important roles of public adjusters is pushing back against unfair denials or low settlement offers from insurance companies. They understand the tactics insurers sometimes use to minimize payouts. For instance, they may dispute whether certain damages were caused directly by the fire or by pre-existing issues. Public adjusters gather evidence and make strong cases for full coverage of all fire-related losses.

Public adjusters in Los Angeles also stay up-to-date on local building codes and regulations. This is crucial when preparing repair or rebuild estimates, as bringing a fire-damaged property up to current codes can significantly increase costs. Adjusters ensure these code upgrade expenses are factored into claim valuations.

The claims process for major fires can drag on for months or even years in some cases. Public adjusters provide ongoing support to Los Angeles property owners throughout this process. They handle communications with the insurance company, push for timely responses and fair settlements, and can even represent policyholders in mediation or appraisal if disputes arise.

It's worth noting that California has specific laws and regulations governing public adjusters. For instance, their fees are capped at 10% of the claim settlement for claims related to declared disasters. Public adjusters must also provide a cooling-off period during which clients can cancel contracts without penalty. Reputable public adjusters in Los Angeles operate in full compliance with these regulations.

While public adjusters can be extremely helpful, it's important for Los Angeles property owners to do due diligence when hiring one. They should look for licensed, experienced adjusters with good reputations and references. The California Department of Insurance maintains a database of licensed public adjusters that consumers can check.

In conclusion, public adjusters are vital in helping Los Angeles property owners recover from devastating fire losses. Their expertise in policy analysis, damage assessment, claim documentation, and negotiation can lead to significantly higher settlements. Working with a public adjuster provides much-needed support and advocacy during a difficult time for many policyholders dealing with the aftermath of a fire. As wildfires and urban fires continue to threaten properties in the Los Angeles area, the services of public adjusters remain in high demand.

[trakfinancialservices]

Business Valuation Orange County

Business Valuation Orange County offers expert assessments of company worth in Orange County, CA. Our skilled professionals provide accurate valuations tailored to your needs, empowering informed decision-making for investors, sellers, and buyers alike.

[aaronherzbergesq]

A business-focused lawyer and trusted advisor, Aaron Herzberg provides strategic legal counsel and representation to a range of clients, from small businesses and high-net-worth individuals to publicly traded corporations and government entities. During his career, he built and ran two multimillion-dollar law firms by developing and executing innovative business generation and marketing plans.

Aaron offers a unique blend of transactional and litigation experience. He launched his legal career as a family law litigator and ran a thriving firm with two offices and a staff of 30. Aaron represented high-net-worth business executives, celebrities, and professional athletes in complex family law matters involving international assets, business valuation, and property division.

As a litigator, Aaron tried 70+ bench trials and appeared for 1000+ motion and evidentiary hearings. During this time, he also served as a judge pro temp in Los Angeles Superior Court, Family Division.

Aaron has been recognized locally in California community as a top lawyer and nationally by Super Lawyers multiple years for his skill as a litigator and family law practitioner. In addition to excelling in litigation and zealously representing his clients in myriad issues, he developed strong management, business development, and leadership skills.

Following his family law practice, he founded Puzzle Group LLC, a cannabis and real estate consulting firm representing cannabis operators—including California’s largest vertically integrated operator—publicly traded companies, and PE-backed multistate operators with cannabis interests across jurisdictions. Aaron became a top expert in the cannabis industry, speaking at national conferences and appearing for interviews by the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, among other media outlets.

While providing licensing services and guidance to on commercial real estate investments and structuring transactions, Aaron navigated an array of interesting tax issues. This exposure to the world of tax spurred Aaron’s desire to deepen his knowledge of tax law and pursue a career as a tax attorney. Aaron is now enrolled in the LL.M. tax program at Georgetown Law School in Washington, D.C., one of the nation’s top programs in tax law.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-herzberg-esq/

[uniqueeval]

Rising NFL valuations mean massive returns for owners

Ryan Flournoy, #18 of the Dallas Cowboys, catches a touchdown pass as Matt Hankins, #23 of the Los Angeles Chargers, defends during the first half of a preseason game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Aug. 24, 2024. Ron Jenkins | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images A National Football League team today is a $6.5 billion business. That is the average value of the NFL’s 32 franchises,…

[vestalrevus]

Finding the Best Commercial Property Appraiser for You

Hiring a knowledgeable commercial property appraiser is critical to obtaining an accurate valuation. Here are some suggestions for choosing the expert Commercial Appraiser in San Diego.

Verify Commercial Experience

Find Commercial Land Appraisal in Los Angeles, CA, with extensive experience valuing your specific property type—whether it be office, retail, industrial, multi-family, etc. They should have extensive knowledge of the business submarket and request portfolio samples to evaluate their experience.

Local Market Expertise

Locally experienced appraisers will comprehend zoning regulations, market trends, competitive properties, and area-specific constraints. A national firm may appoint an appraiser who needs to gain local knowledge. Find someone who specialises in your market.

Reliable References

Request client referrals from appraisers and read internet reviews. An appraiser's reputation and satisfied clientele show that they provide high-quality work and competent service. Look for any complaints against the appraiser filed with state licensing boards.

Communication is Clear

The appraiser should be transparent about their procedure, timetables, and pricing. Look for responsiveness in the first few conversations. Quality Appraisers will establish realistic expectations and be accessible throughout the process.

Enquire about Methodology

The appraiser should be able to articulate their valuation process and justify why it is suitable. Ensure that the technique is tailored to the kind of property and assignment. Be wary of appraisers utilising a "one-size-fits-all" approach.

Verify for Errors

Examine sample evaluation reports from potential hiring for apparent mistakes, unsubstantiated assumptions, or technique inconsistencies. This reveals their knowledge and attention to detail.

Seek Objectivity

Choose an independent fee appraiser rather than one recommended by your lender or others in the deal. Fee appraisers are not pressured to meet specified valuations and instead provide objective opinions.

Define the Assignment

Be specific about the intended use—purchase, loan, taxation, etc. Please provide the appraiser with relevant information, such as blueprints, rent rolls, and comparable. Specify the valuation methods you want them to employ.

Discuss Fees Upfront

Appraisal fees vary widely based on the type of property, methods employed, and appraiser expertise. Get charge estimates in advance to avoid surprises and be aware of fees that appear too low.

Conclusion

Conducting thorough research allows you to identify a qualified, credible Commercial Appraiser in San Diego for your unique business property. Taking the time to make the appropriate hire yields reliable valuations.