Category: Blog

Chart of Total Business Applications in the United States from July 2004 to May 2021

The chart below shows the core business applications series that correspond to a subset of all applications for an Employer Identification Number (EIN).  The chart below shows that the US economy is creating new businesses at a strong pace. The business formation statistics only cover applications for an EIN. Therefore, certain businesses initiated without an…
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The Value of an In Person Trade Show

For large and smaller companies, national trade shows can be very expensive and can be one of the largest uses of a company’s marketing dollars. Look at all of the costs associated with trade shows from the booth, to prepaying for exhibit space, all the shipping costs to get trade show items there and back,…
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Bar Chart of All Patents Originated in All US and Foreign Countries from January 1992 to January 2019

The bar chart below shows U.S. Granted Patents: Total Patents Originating in all U.S. and Foreign Regions. Patent origin is determined by the residence of the first-named inventor. Total patents issued is the sum of utility, plant, design, and reissue patents granted.   The Siburg Company specializes in buy-side and sell-side mergers and acquisitions, and…
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The Intersection of an Issue

All problems, choices and final decisions are at the intersection of an issue.   The key point is the thought process you use while at the intersection of the issue and decision that is made to move past the issue.   Getting to the intersection of an issue is the process of analyzing all the…
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Graph of CPI and PPI from December 1950 to March 2021

As of March 2021, both the CPI (Consumer Price Index) and PPI (Producer Price Index) have shown increases.  The CPIs are based on prices for food, clothing, shelter, and fuels; transportation fares; service fees, such as water and sewer service, and sales taxes. The producer price index (PPI) measures the price that industrial producers get…
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The Upside and Downside of Economic Transition Risk

There are businesses that do well and prosper during difficult economic time (recession, pandemic, legislative changes, inflation) while other businesses struggle or go out of business.   Businesses that experienced an economic upside during the pandemic were real estate, home furnishings, home improvement and technology companies.  People moved to the suburbs, set up home offices,…
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Map of the Hourly Wage by State

As of January 1, 2020, the Federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.  There are numerous states that have set their minimum wages higher than the Federal minimum wage.  See the map below for your state’s minimum wage. An employer of tipped employees is only required to pay that employee $2.13 per hour in direct…
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The “Feckless Business”

The “Feckless Business” is a business that is managed irresponsibly and lacks initiative.  Or another way of putting it, a business that has no budget or strategic plan and just exists day to day with ownership and management dealing with problems of their own making.   It is easy being a “Feckless Business” with no…
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Chart of Federal Tax Receipts as a Percent of GDP from 1929 to 2020

Tax season may have you questioning if the Federal tax burden increasing or decreasing. The chart shows aggregate U.S. Federal tax receipts as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Apart from the large increase during World War II, otherwise there is no real trend. The US uses a progressive income tax rate:  As a…
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Defensive or Explanatory Management Style

Management styles can either be defensive or explanatory of their position(s) or action(s).   A defensive management style is authoritative, where management has no desire or time to listen to other people’s input on ideas related to a topic or strategic direction.  Often defensive management styles are the result of leadership having no real idea…
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