Giving back to the community is smart business

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By James S. Cassel
May 17, 2015

James S. Cassel

Giving back can be great for the community and your business.

Companies and their people who support a healthy mix of charitable, community and business organizations tend to reap significant rewards. In addition to helping the community, this helps companies foster employee satisfaction, strengthen bonds with potential clients and referral sources, develop brand awareness, and position their brands in a more positive light. The relationships cultivated throughout this process also can create business and social opportunities that last a lifetime.

While many business owners recognize this potential, some struggle with implementing the right programs. They wish they had a crystal ball to know which organizations will bring the greatest personal satisfaction and business growth. Until we find that crystal ball, I can share some practical guidance I have found helpful for business owners navigating these issues.

First, identify and focus on your goals. Where do you see the future of your business and its growth? Then, determine what audiences you must reach to help you get there, and identify the community, charitable or business organizations with which these audiences are most involved.

Based on these considerations, examine your personal interests that align with these organizations. Are you more interested in organizations that mentor children or support technology growth? Focus on organizations that reach your target audiences while engaging you and your employees. This CANNOT be just for business. There must be a genuine interest in getting involved or it will not benefit anyone.

This is particularly true for board involvement. If you join a board but seem disengaged and rarely attend meetings, everyone will recognize that your heart is not in the cause. Conversely, serving actively on a board where you can roll up your sleeves, support the organization’s mission and demonstrate your skills is a powerful way to build relationships and therefore business.

Generally, organizations can be divided into three categories:

▪ Charitable organizations support philanthropic goals and social or public interests, such as the National Parkinson Foundation or World Wildlife Fund.

▪ Community organizations serve specific communities and may address specific interest or needs. Examples include United Way of Miami-Dade, Children’s Bereavement Center and Lotus House.

▪ Business organizations are nonprofit entities supporting commercial goals. They service civic needs and are a good place for networking as it plays a central role in chambers of commerce and other business organizations.

There are many ways to get involved. While writing checks is important, it is not enough for relationship-building. Depending on your company size, you may limit the involvement on company time, or you may offer your employees paid time to volunteer. You may provide a donation-matching program, schedule charitable group activities and encourage employees to find causes they’re passionate about. You can also support involvement after business hours.

The most basic involvement is attending events. This is a good way to meet new people and become more familiar with organizations and their people and confirm whether the organizations will be a good fit.

If you seek to build relationships, you should get involved with the committees or boards. Make sure you are comfortable with the organizations and their operations, and at that point, consider how you can get more involved. Again, follow your passions so it will be easier for you to stay committed long-term.

To build the right relationships, you must have a plan. Set realistic, quantifiable goals and specific steps to achieve them. For example: “I want to build a relationship with John Smith and Jane Doe.” So pay it forward and help them out. John is a fan of the Miami Heat, so invite him to a game. Jane wants to get more business from real-estate developers, so introduce her to some of your contacts.

When the time is right, however, you must ask for the business. Some people never get business because they don’t ask.

As the saying goes, “fish bite when they’re hungry,” so it’s important to keep your bait in the water. Stay top of mind with people after you have met them, such as a company newsletter or an occasional email to touch base, so that they will think of you when a business opportunity arises. Don’t make the mistake of meeting people and never following up.

Without a doubt, you can actively give back and support worthy causes while growing your business. The key is to develop a plan that will best support your goals and objectives in terms of personal satisfaction and business growth.

James Cassel is co-founder and chairman of Cassel Salpeter & Co., an investment-banking firm with headquarters in Miami that works with middle-market companies. www.casselsalpeter.com

Florida Banks Cash In on New Tide of Miami Money

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By Jackie Stewart
May 15, 2015

Miami is making a comeback, and Florida’s banks are angling for a piece of the action.

South Florida’s economy is diversifying beyond tourism, industry experts said. A flood of foreign investors and nondepository financial firms, like hedge and private-equity funds, have moved to the area, opening up opportunities for local banks.

“Miami is booming,” said Carl Fornaris, co-chair of the financial regulatory and compliance practice at Greenberg Traurig. “We’re becoming a true global city and global financial market. It all has a trickle-down effect into the depository institutions.”

Tourism remains an important part of the economy, but other industries are starting to take root, industry experts said.

“South Florida is a very healthy market right now,” said Daniel Sheehan, chairman of Professional Bank in Coral Gables, Fla. “The economy is getting more diverse … and the job prospects for young people are improving.”

South Florida is now the home of nearly 40 private-equity firms, a 9% increase from a year earlier and up 37% from 2010, based on a report from the investment banking firm Cassel Salpeter.

A number of factors are luring investment firms. Florida has no personal income tax, distinguishing it from states such as New York, Illinois and Connecticut. Recent changes to the federal tax code, such as limiting the amount of state and local taxes that high net worth individuals can itemize on their federal returns, have also made Florida a more attractive option, said Bowman Brown, who chairs the financial services practice group at Shutts & Bowen.

“There are powerful tax reasons for hedge, private-equity and venture capital funds to move to Miami,” Brown said. “Florida is clearly a business-friendly tax jurisdiction and will remain a low-tax jurisdiction.”

Foreign investment continues to give the area a lift, said Thomas Rudkin, a principal in investment banking at FIG Partners. He said that investors from Latin America are interested in South Florida because of its proximity to their home countries and sizable populations of immigrants from Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina.

For instance, the Venezuelan Benacerraf Group announced in May that it would buy Espirito Santo Bank, a unit of the now-defunct Portuguese bank Banco Espirito Santo.

“There’s a lot of foreign money coming in,” said Rudkin, who was an adviser to Espirito Santo during its sale. “They consider an investment in the U.S. to be solid.”

South Florida also has good infrastructure, including the closest U.S. seaport to the Panama Canal. Miami also has a renewed focus on cultural activities, including a new arts district that is rapidly expanding, industry experts said.

And if all of that was not enough to attract investment, the “weather is great, too,” Fornaris said.

“Clearly, it has become more diverse in the last five years,” Brown said. “The real estate development business has been a powerful engine in South Florida. The business of culture has really taken off, and the airport and seaport are major East Coast world-class operations.”

Banks can benefit from these developments, industry experts said. The area is enjoying a boom in property development. Banks can provide mortgages to people looking to buy homes and commercial loans to developers and businesses that support the construction industry.

Banks could also have an opportunity to work with the nondepository institutions that are relocating to the area, along with their employees, Fornaris said. Such firms, in addition to foreign investors, need a place to park their deposits. They may need other services, such as wealth management or private banking, though they are more likely to turn to bigger financial institutions for those products and services.

Community banks, nonetheless, are looking for ways to capitalize on the area’s transformation.

The $241 million-asset Professional Bank recently raised $15 million in a private offering to “take advantage of opportunities” in the area that could include acquisitions or hiring talent, Sheehan said.

“Business school graduates are considering Miami as an institutional market, not just New York, Boston, D.C., Los Angeles or Chicago anymore,” Sheehan said. The overall trends that are helping South Florida “are not going away anytime soon. There’s an awful lot of capital flowing in from other parts of the country.”

Still, banks must be aware that risks abound in South Florida.

Real estate development has “always been up and down” across the state, said Fernando Margarit, a partner at Hunton & Williams. South Florida is likely to go through another down cycle, but industry experts are hopeful that developers and lenders learned from the financial crisis. Current growth also seems more measured compared with past booms.

South Florida is “already highly competitive,” and banks are generally at a disadvantage because of the tough regulatory environment, Margarit said. As a result, potential customers could turn to nonbanks for capital and other services.

Regardless, Margarit said the area’s transformation should be viewed as a positive one for local banks. “As Miami becomes more sophisticated, it is like a snowball effect,” he said.

“All of this is leading to more people with money coming down and all of that helps the banks,” Margarit added. “There are a lot of synergies that will help the city and the banking industry.”

Private equity deals poised for takeoff in Florida

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By Margie Manning
April 1, 2015

A private equity company that recently relocated to Tampa is among a growing number of investment firms making their home in the Sunshine State.

Florida is the headquarters for 37 private equity firms, up from 27 firms in 2010, according to research by Cassel Salpeter & Co., a Miami-based investment banking company. Three firms set up shop in the state during 2014 – Supply Chain Equity Partners in Tampa, Brinkmere Capital Partners in Jacksonville and Innovative Capital Partners in Naples, a spokesman for Cassel Salpeter said.

The expanded presence of private equity investors in the state is a positive sign, because funders often prefer to be close to the companies in which they invest. That could mean more Florida businesses will be in line for capital and expertise they need to add jobs and grow, and that Florida firms sold to private equity investors likely will remain in the state.

There were 162 private equity deals in Florida in 2014, down 2.3 percent from the 166 deals in 2013, but a drop of a couple of deals does not make a huge difference, said Jim Cassel, co-founder. He’s more focused on a three-year trend that shows private equity deal flow remains strong. He expects that trend to continue, as Florida’s relatively young companies mature.

“There’s been a sea change among private businesses. Years ago, people used to sell businesses in their 50s and then retire,” Cassel said. “Now owners are holding them longer. Ten years from now, I think the number of private equity deals will be up by 25 percent, because those business owners who are 58 now will be 68 then and ready to retire.”

Casselsalpeter Deal Report Winter 2015 by JoLynn Brown

 

 

 

Ruthigen March 2015

Levon Resources Ltd. Announces Definitive Agreement to Acquire SciVac Ltd.

From: Marketwire – Canada

Mar-20-2015 8:30 AM

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwired – March 20, 2015) –
Levon Resources Ltd. (“Levon”) (TSX:LVN)(OTCQX:LVNVF)
(BERLIN:LO9)(FRANKFURT:LO9) and SciVac Ltd. (“SciVac”)
announced today that they have entered into an arrangement
agreement pursuant to which Levon will acquire 100% of the issued
and outstanding ordinary shares of SciVac by way of a court-approved
plan of arrangement (the “Arrangement”).

“I am excited to announce this transaction with SciVac, as I believe
it will generate tremendous value for Levon shareholders,” stated Ron
Tremblay, President and Chief Executive Officer of Levon. “In a difficult
market for resource issuers, we have chosen to preserve capital while
seeking to identify alternatives to create shareholder value. The
acquisition of SciVac gives Levon ownership of Sci-B-Vac(TM), a
commercial stage, potentially best in class hepatitis B vaccine which
could address a significant market opportunity. Levon shareholders will
also maintain an interest in Levon’s existing business and assets by
receiving shares of a newly formed company which will hold Levon’s
existing resource assets.”

Pursuant to the Arrangement, Levon shareholders will receive one new
common share of Levon (each a “New Levon Share”) and 0.5 of a
commonshare (each, a “Spinco Share”) of 1027949 BC Ltd., a newly
formedexploration company (“Spinco”) in exchange for each common
share of Levon (each a “Levon Share”) held by them. Upon closing
of the Arrangement, Levon shareholders will hold 100% of the
issued and understanding Spinco Shares and 31.6% of the issued and
outstanding New Levon Shares, with the former holders of SciVac
Shares holding the remaining 68.4% of the issued and outstanding
New Levon Shares.

In addition to acquiring all of the issued and outstanding shares
of SciVac, Levon will retain CAD $27 million in cash. All other
assets and liabilities of Levon will be transferred to or will be
assumed by Spinco. At the closing of the Arrangement, Levon expects
that in addition to holding all of Levon’s mineral properties,
including Levon’s flagship Cordero Project, SpinCo will have
approximately $20.1M in working capital, including approximately
$3M in cash, a $1.1M convertible debenture as well as 35,178,572
shares of Pershing Gold Corporation with current estimated value
of $16M. SpinCo will also hold a $2M Mexican value added tax
receivable that Levon expects will be recovered. The total of 22.1M
represents approximately 48% of Levon’s working capital as at
December 31, 2014.

“SciVac is pleased to announce this transaction with Levon in furtherance
of our goal of expanding market opportunities for SciVac products in
development, including Sci-B-Vac, our third-generation hepatitis B
vaccine,” said Dr. Curtis Lockshin, Chief Executive Officer for SciVac.
“Sci-B-Vac has already been approved in several countries, including
Israel, where it has been provided to hundreds of thousands of newborn
children. We intend to pursue marketing approvals for Sci-B-Vac in the
United States and other territories worldwide, initially focused on
at-risk populations such as End-Stage Renal Disease and HIV patients.
In addition, we believe the transaction will permit SciVac to cultivate
a pipeline of other therapeutics, utilizing novel treatment approaches
in various disease areas with unmet needs.”

SciVac is currently a privately owned company, of which approximately
45% of the shares are owned by OPKO Health, Inc. (NYSE:OPK).
OPKO’s CEO and Chairman, Dr. Phillip Frost, commented, “This
transaction with Levon presented an opportunity to unlock meaningful
value for OPKO shareholders via OPKO’s ownership interest in SciVac.
SciVac is a commercial-stage biotech leader in protein engineering whose
flagship product, Sci-B-Vac, is a superior next generation hepatitis
B vaccine. Sci-B-Vac has received approval for use in ten countries
including Israel, where it captures half the market for neonatal
hepatitis B vaccinations, and is offered to adults who do not respond
to competing hepatitis B vaccines. It appears positioned to expand
the billion dollar global hepatitis B vaccine market upon successful
completion of the FDA approval process.”

The board of directors of Levon has unanimously approved the
transaction and all directors and officers of Levon, collectively
holding approximately 10.08% of the number of Levon Shares and
76.94% of the number of options to purchase Levon Shares
(the “Levon Options”) anticipated to be entitled to vote at a special
meeting to consider the Arrangement, have agreed to vote in favour
of the Arrangement.

Arrangement Details

The Arrangement will be effected by way of a court-approved plan
of arrangement and will require the approval of at least 2/3 of the
votes cast by Levon’s shareholders and optionholders at a special
meeting expected to take place in April 2015 (the “Meeting”). The
transaction is also subject to applicable regulatory approvals,
including approval of the TSX, and the satisfaction of certain closing
conditions customary in transactions of this nature.

The Arrangement will result, through a series of transactions, in:

—  Levon shareholders receiving one New Levon Share and 0.5 of a
Spinco

Share for each Levon share currently held by them;

—  holders of SciVac Shares receiving that number of New Levon
Shares

representing 68.4% of the issued and outstanding New Levon Shares in

exchange for the acquisition by Levon of all of the issued and

outstanding SciVac Shares;

—  the change of Levon’s name to “SciVac Inc.”; and

—  the change of Spinco’s name to “Levon Resources Ltd.”

Holders of outstanding Levon stock options may exercise their
options until the effective time of the Arrangement, at which time
they will be cancelled.

On completion of the Arrangement, Spinco will own and operate
the existing business of Levon and Levon will own and operate
the existing business of SciVac. Levon shareholders who receive
New Levon Shares and Spinco Shares under the Arrangement will hold
100% of the issued and outstanding Spinco Shares and 31.6% of the
issued and outstanding New Levon Shares, with the former holders
of SciVac Shares holding the remaining 68.4% of the issued and
outstanding New Levon Shares.

After taking into consideration, among other things, the terms of
the Arrangement, the unanimous recommendation of a special committee
of Levon directors established to review the Arrangement and discussions
with its legal and financial advisors, Levon’s board of directors has
unanimously concluded that the Arrangement is in the best interests of
Levon and has approved the Arrangement. Levon’s board of directors
intends to recommend in the management information circular to be mailed
in connection with the Meeting that Levon’s shareholders and optionholders
vote in favour of the Arrangement.

Subject to SciVac’s right to match, Levon’s board of directors may
terminate the arrangement agreement in favour of an unsolicited
superior proposal upon payment of a US$1 million break fee to SciVac.

Advisors

Levon’s legal counsel is Stikeman Elliott LLP and Dorsey &
Whitney LLP. Cassel Salpeter & Co., LLC is Levon’s financial advisor.

About Levon Resources Ltd.

Levon is a gold and precious metals exploration Company, exploring the
company’s 100% owned flagship Cordero bulk tonnage silver, gold, zinc,
and lead project near Hidalgo Del Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico.

About SciVac Ltd.

SciVac Ltd., headquartered in Rehovot Israel, is in the business of
developing, producing and marketing biological products for human
healthcare. SciVac’s flagship product Sci-B-Vac is a recombinant 3rd
generation hepatitis B vaccine. SciVac also offers contract development
and manufacturing services to the life sciences and biotechnology
markets.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Ron Tremblay, President and Chief Executive Officer

Safe Harbour Statement – This news release contains “forward-looking
information” and “forward-looking statements” (together, the
“forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable
securities laws and the United States Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, include,
but are not limited to, statements regarding the completion of
the Arrangement and the various steps thereto, the mailing of
a management information circular in connection with the Meeting and
the holding of the Meeting and are made as of the date of this news
release. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the
future circumstances, outcomes or results anticipated in or implied
by such forward-looking statements will occur or that plans, intentions
or expectations upon which the forward-looking statements are based
will occur. While we have based these forward-looking statements on our
expectations about future events as at the date that such statements were
prepared, the statements are not a guarantee that such future events
will occur and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions
and other factors which could cause events or outcomes to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements.

Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX)
accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
The securities to be issued pursuant to the Arrangement have not been and
will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or the securities laws of any state
of the United States and may not be offered or sold absent such
registration or an available exemption from such registration requirements.
The securities in the Arrangement are anticipated to be offered and sold
pursuant to the exemption from registration under Section 3(a)(10) of
the U.S.Securities Act and pursuant to similar exemptions under any
applicable securities laws of any state of the United States. This press
release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an
offer to buy any of the securities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Levon Resources Ltd.

Investor Relations

Direct: 604-682-2991

ir@levon.comLevon Resources Ltd.Ron Tremblay

President and Chief Executive Officer

604-682-3701

www.levon.com

Source: Levon Resources Ltd.

 

Time to stop Miami’s brain drain: Bring our children home

To view the original article click here.

By James S. Cassel
Special to the Miami Herald
March 15, 2015

cassel

While it is great that many of our children are attending prestigious out-of-state colleges and universities and starting their careers elsewhere, it is a real problem that many aren’t coming back to work in Miami after they have graduated or gained useful work experience. Putting the brakes on this “brain drain” is critical for Miami’s future — especially in light of our ongoing efforts to position the city as a global business hub. We need a stronger local talent pool to support our city’s continued growth and to create new business opportunities, and our youth are one of our best assets.

Our business community must take a proactive approach to address this issue. How?

For starters, we should actively connect Miami’s youth with potential employers, referral sources and other key contacts. A quick email introduction or phone call from a trusted contact can go a long way toward motivating a business owner or a hiring manager to move certain résumés to the top of the stack and consider the candidates or at least forward their résumés to others who may be interested. I have made it a habit of connecting people in this way. I tell candidates I cannot guarantee them the job but I can generally get their résumés noticed. My matchmaking has greatly benefited the candidates and employers alike.

When facilitating these introductions, keep in mind that a major selling point helping these highly qualified candidates stand out is that they are from the local community. Employers recognize that they are better off hiring candidates with local connections and who are comfortable living here, as these candidates are more likely to stay and succeed. Greatly coveted are graduates with a few years of training and experience working at top companies in New York, Boston, California, etc. Candidates like these are music to a potential employer’s ears because they have the top-notch education and experience as well as commitment to Miami as “home.”

About a year ago, one of my daughter’s friends from Miami working at a New York private equity firm called me for advice. We decided she should talk to Baptist Health, among others, and I connected her to one of my contacts who helped her navigate Baptist. The result: She received a job offer and returned to Miami, which is great for her, for Baptist, and for Miami.

Similarly, our youth will be much more likely to return to Miami if they believe they can access quality introductions and opportunities to pursue their careers with leading companies in industries they’re interested in such as private equity, wealth management, healthcare, technology, etc. For our biggest players in some of these industries such as H.I.G. Capital, Trivest Partners, Rialto Capital Management, Baptist, Ryder and the cruise lines, to name a few, qualified candidates like these are worth their weight in gold. Considering our growing startup scene, we can also encourage candidates to return to Miami to start businesses and help them navigate the local environment.

Personal introductions and referrals are highly beneficial for all parties involved. Vehicles like job-posting websites aren’t the most effective tools for either applicants or employers. In a saturated ecosystem like ours where résumés abound, recruitment processes can often feel like crapshoots for both parties.

Based on my experience, I know there is significant opportunity in networking to help bring quality talent and employers together. Miami offers many networking opportunities for business leaders and candidates, including professional organizations, local meetups and other events, and social networking websites like LinkedIn, which, unlike the aforementioned and quite transactional job-posting websites, facilitate discussions among like-minded individuals in similar and adjacent verticals, fostering meaningful and organic connections. Networking can also connect candidates with companies that may not be seeking to fill immediate vacancies but may be looking for good talent who can provide distinct value to organizations. A classifieds website cannot help anyone forge such deep connections.

Without a doubt, rather than applying their knowledge, skills and talents to grow other regions, our youth should be focused on investing those valuable assets here and supporting our city’s ongoing growth. They will be much more motivated to do this if they know they will have the platform and access they need to succeed here. Recognizing this, now is a good time for us to ask ourselves how we can contribute, and, most importantly, take decisive action to help. We must bring our children home.

James Cassel is co-founder and chairman of Cassel Salpeter & Co., LLC, an investment-banking firm with headquarters in Miami that works with middle-market companies. www.casselsalpeter.com

 

 

 

 

Biscayne, March 2015

Levon, March 2015

Tiger, December 2014

How South Florida entrepreneurs can find and access the right funding

To view the original article click here.

By James S. Cassel
Special to the Miami Herald
February 15, 2015

cassel

With a growing entrepreneurial community in South Florida and increased access to a wide array of funding sources, companies seeking to raise capital have no shortage of options and resources locally and nationally. The key is creating a compelling investment story and setting realistic expectations regarding the time it will take and the valuation you will receive.

Governmental and nonprofit entities are encouraging the creation of new businesses. South Florida has a growing number of early-stage funding options including incubators, accelerators, angel groups, individual angel investors, and strategic business partners. Identifying the best-possible partners/investors is critical to your success. Doing so requires knowing which qualities will complement your goals, strengths, weaknesses and verticals. By researching the possible funding sources, you can better position yourself to find the right investors. Not every type of deal is good for all investors. For example, investors who like technology deals might not like biotech deals.

In South Florida, there are various places you might look for funding. The oldest local angel group is New World Angels. There’s also Accelerated Growth Partners, Scout Ventures, and Krillion Ventures. Venture Hive may supply small grants, office space and mentoring, while Rokk3r Labs might supply development, skill and technical expertise. There are later-stage investors like H.I.G. BioVentures, a life sciences fund, and Medina Capital. This is the tip of the iceberg.

Businesses are also participating in early-stage investing to stay on top of emerging trends. Strategic business partners can be solid mentors. For example, Kaplan Inc. invests in entrepreneurs through its Kaplan EdTech Accelerator, primarily in the education space.

South Florida is a good place to start, but smart entrepreneurs will look beyond the local market to find the right financial partner or investor. The National Venture Capital Association provides many entrepreneur resources, including lists of investors. Active local investors from out of town include Arsenal Venture Partners and Summit Partners.

Before contacting investors, entrepreneurs should develop a strong investment thesis and set realistic expectations. Fundraising takes time and involves many ups and downs. Entrepreneurs should be open to all partners, advice and offers. After many meetings and ideally multiple offers, they may be in the position to begin selecting the right financial partners. Often we see entrepreneurs regretting their decisions to reject strong offers that they had received early on when their valuation expectations were unrealistic.

Again, the investment story differs from the customer story. For first-time entrepreneurs, mentors may help with crafting the investment thesis. South Florida has a strong and growing mentorship ecosystem. The Knight Foundation is funding mentorship organizations such as Endeavor and the Enterprise Development Corporation. Smart entrepreneurs might seek out the many local events and cafés where early-stage investors congregate.

Nothing helps valuation and palatable deal terms like tangible validation such as revenue and customer agreements. We recommend self-funding (bootstrapping) or asking family and friends to provide support before seeking outside funds. Working entrepreneurs who want to start businesses should consider keeping their jobs while building their businesses on the side.

Another consideration is where you’ll be located. Until recently, it was assumed that success required a Silicon Valley or Boston home base. That’s no longer the case. Abundant and generous local resources are changing the dynamic of uprooting and are helping keep startups in South Florida.

When you’re considering where to locate your company, remember you’ll also need to tap into quality intellectual talent. The good news is South Florida’s brand, lifestyle and tax rates are attractive to a high-quality talent pool that continues growing, especially as the region continues gaining visibility and positioning as a tech hub.

It’s also not uncommon for companies to establish headquarters here and have team members based throughout Eastern Europe, South America or other places to take advantage of lower costs of quality labor and development so they can come to market less expensively and more quickly. South Florida can be a great point of entry to the U.S. market.

Given the variety of options for funding startups, the decision-making process can be overwhelming. Do not marry the first financial partner who serenades you or say “no” after one date or two — take the time to identify the right partners and confirm whether you need any partners at all. It’s always smart to seek assistance from consultants with deep experience in your industry and in guiding companies through the funding process.

James Cassel is co-founder and chairman of Cassel Salpeter & Co., LLC, an investment-banking firm with headquarters in Miami that works with middle-market companies. www.casselsalpeter.com