Core Values Series: Return on Our Energy 
As we work in small businesses, a goal of ours is to thrive in under-resourced environments where every contribution makes a meaningful impact. At Citadel Earth, we believe in…
Michael GerbasiJune 15, 2023
Core Values Series: Growth Mindset 
Maintaining a growth mindset is critical for long-term business success. At Citadel Earth, we understand that this mentality helps catapult the organization forward as an integral part of our…
Jessica LeonardMay 16, 2023
Core Values Series: Accountable to Our Community 
At Citadel Earth, accountability is the foundation for everything that we do. In fact, “accountable to our community” was naturally the first core value that the Citadel Earth team established.…
Susan WilliamsonApril 25, 2023
Citadel Earth’s Five Core Values 
In the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, it became apparent to the Citadel Earth team that it was time to reinvent our core values. We wanted to develop values…
Jeffrey KadlicApril 18, 2023
The Importance of Hiring Platforms 
Employers are always on the lookout for top-quality talent, but in today’s competitive job market, finding the right candidate for a job can be challenging. There are a variety of…
Kim LapcewichFebruary 24, 2023
The Benefits of an Employee Review Process 
An employee review process is an essential tool for any organization. It is a process of evaluating an employee's performance, skills, and contribution to the company. Employee reviews can be…
Susan WilliamsonFebruary 24, 2023
Post COVID Reset of M&A – Q2 
This year started off fast and its only going to get faster. In early May, the Atlanta Federal Reserve reported GDP growth in the first quarter of approximately 6.4% which…
Jeffrey KadlicJune 7, 2021
Post COVID Reset of M&A – Q1 
Like other industries, private equity adapted in 2020 in order to survive. But unlike many, adaptation is the private equity industry’s core competency. “PE People” tend to kick into overdrive…
Jeffrey KadlicMay 11, 2021
Development Opportunities at Non-Profits 
I believe it is important to advise and mentor young professionals when asked. Early in my career, I benefited greatly from the generosity and advice of mentors, and I do…
Jeffrey KadlicFebruary 22, 2021
PE and the Pandemic 
Normally when I write a blog post, I have a knowledge base about and experience with the topic. This post is different because this situation is unfolding in real time…
Jeffrey KadlicAugust 19, 2020
Structure Deals for Success 
There are many factors that have a meaningful impact on the success or failure of a transaction, and the structure of a deal is certainly one of them. The deal…
Jeffrey KadlicMay 19, 2020
Preparing for the Race 
Matt Neff, one of Citadel Earth’ Senior Advisors, has again shared his thoughts in an article in the Indiana Business Journal. His perspective is one Citadel Earth Capital is also…
Susan WilliamsonApril 7, 2020
Advisor’s Investment is Close to Home
Matt Neff, one of Citadel Earth' Senior Advisors, recently explained a very special investment in his personal portfoilo in an article in the Indiana Business Journal. Chondrial, soon to…
Susan WilliamsonJanuary 31, 2020
Four Benefits to Closing your Books in a Timely Fashion 
Accurate books are the starting point to understanding your small business’ profitability and financial position. And the quicker you get those numbers finalized each month, the easier it will be…
Jeff MihalekOctober 9, 2019
Recruiting your Dream Board 
When I talk to small businesses about the importance of having boards, I’m also advising that they actively seek the right people to fill those seats. Many times, these companies…
Michael GerbasiSeptember 20, 2019
What I Learned in School 
It’s back to school season! Jeff’s musings about his Miami University experience and how parts of it broadened his vision are shared with podcaster David Schwab. As a result, hard…
Susan WilliamsonSeptember 3, 2019
Nurturing a Small Business & Preparing for Sale
As part of Cordant Wealth Partners' podcast series, friend of Citadel Earth Scott Malbasa talked earlier this year to Founding Partner Jeff Kadlic about the potential of small, founder-focused businesses. Listen…
Susan WilliamsonAugust 22, 2019
What is the Difference Between Venture Capital, Private Equity? 
Capital comes in many forms. Generally, it can take the form of debt (personal and bank loans, credit card debt) or equity (common stock, preferred stock, etc.). Debt is based…
Guest ContributorJanuary 25, 2019
Get Your House in Order Before Putting Your Company on the Market
Selling your business is one of the most important decisions of your career. There are many issues that need to be considered, all of which could not possibly fit within…
Jeffrey KadlicNovember 20, 2018
Can We Accelerate Business Creation from Academia? 
“The Academy” is a shorthand reference to the faculty members in a college or university. This group ranges from tenured professors (with job security) through associate and assistant professors, all…
Guest ContributorNovember 2, 2018
More Lessons Learned from the Theranos Debacle 
My last article on the blood-testing firm Theranos explored how and why so many people could have been deceived by a business strategy and technology that proved to be entirely…
Guest ContributorOctober 5, 2018
The Do’s and Don’ts of Small Business Spending 
While it’s true that sometimes you have to spend money to make money, there’s a fine line between smart purchases and reckless spending when it comes to growing your small…
Jeffrey KadlicSeptember 12, 2018
Key Insights from Smart Business Dealmakers Q&A with Jeffrey Kadlic 
In a recent Dealmakers Q&A with Smart Business Magazine, Citadel Earth’s Jeffrey Kadlic calls on Congress to enact legislation that will open the doors to private equity as a viable investment…
Jeffrey KadlicSeptember 5, 2018
5 Red Flags to Look for When Buying A Small Business 
Acquiring or merging with another small business can significantly accelerate your growth strategy, or mark the beginning of an exciting new venture. At Citadel Earth, we’re all about leaping into enterprising…
Jeffrey KadlicAugust 22, 2018
8 Key Metrics Every Growing Business Should Track 
When it comes to running your small business, knowledge is power. But it’s what you do with that knowledge that really counts. As your business grows and evolves, it becomes…
Jeffrey KadlicAugust 8, 2018
Dismiss Cryptocurrencies as Fad at Your Own Risk 
Niall Ferguson’s book “The Ascent of Money” provides a long view of the development of currency, and its role in advancing society and commerce. Cryptocurrencies, like other inhabitants of the…
Guest ContributorAugust 3, 2018
Why Does Even a Small, Private Company Need a Board? 
The vast majority of companies in the United States are small, privately owned, with fewer than 500 employees. Many are family-owned, some are venture-capital-backed, others are supported by private equity.…
Guest ContributorJuly 20, 2018
Visionaries vs. Operators: Which One Are You? 
Visionaries and operators are like the yin and yang forces of an entrepreneurial undertaking. Their opposite approaches to management complement one another to create a dynamic system that’s more effective…
Jeffrey KadlicJuly 18, 2018
The 5 Biggest Cash-Flow Mistakes Made by Small-Business Owners 
It’s no secret that cash flow is one of the most important aspects of running a successful business – and, yet, that’s where many small-business owners fall short. In fact,…
Jeffrey KadlicJuly 11, 2018
Learning Private Equity Lingo 
Partnering with a private equity firm is all about learning. But before learning virtuous growth cycles, which can be mastered by any small-business owner regardless of industry or location, let’s…
Jeffrey KadlicJune 13, 2018
4 Signs It’s Time to Hire More Employees 
Hiring for a small business involves a delicate balance. Investing in good employees is necessary for scaling your business, but hiring too many people too soon can cause cash flow…
Jeffrey KadlicJune 6, 2018
Find Your Focus: A Look Inside the Mindset of Today’s Entrepreneur 
Being an entrepreneur today can be overwhelming. There is no shortage of information to help shape your decisions and the direction of your business. This can obviously be unnerving at…
Jeffrey KadlicMay 24, 2018
5 Questions That Small-Business Owners Should Ask Potential Investors 
The relationship between small business investor and entrepreneur is a two-way street. Just as an investor puts a lot of time, energy and resources into researching investment opportunities, owners should…
Jeffrey KadlicMay 16, 2018
How the Lab-Testing Firm Theranos Duped the World 
I saw the magician David Copperfield in Las Vegas one time. The headline of the act was that he would make an elephant disappear, right before the audience’s eyes! After…
Guest ContributorMay 11, 2018
Exit Planning Tips From an Expert 
Scott Snider knows how to make an exit. As Vice President of the Exit Planning Institute, he leads hundreds of Certified Exit Planning Advisors from across the globe who help…
Jeffrey KadlicMay 9, 2018
The Long and Short of Liabilities 
Unlike assets, liabilities are money or services that your small business owes to another person or entity. Properly documenting and monitoring them can help you plan responsibly for future expenditures…
Jeffrey KadlicApril 18, 2018
3 Tools to Assess Your Small-Business Leadership Team 
The most important factor behind the success – or failure – of a small business boils down to the effectiveness of its leadership team, interactions among team members and the…
Jeffrey KadlicApril 11, 2018
4 Tips to Get More Value Out of Your Professional Network 
Growing your professional network is a lot like growing your small business—it’s a thrilling, arduous and nerve-wracking endeavor. But networking and business growth go hand-in-hand. Being well-connected can lead to…
Jeffrey KadlicMarch 21, 2018
3 Key Characteristics of an Effective Leadership Team 
We’re all familiar with the adage, “A team is only as good as its leader.” And it couldn’t ring truer. When it comes right down to it, a leader has…
Jeffrey KadlicMarch 14, 2018
Current vs. Fixed Assets: What’s the Difference? 
To understand your business’s financial stance, it’s imperative to keep track of its assets. Knowing the different types and carefully keeping track of them can increase savings, reduce risk to…
Jeffrey KadlicFebruary 14, 2018
What the Top 1% of Small-Business Owners Do to Achieve Sustained Growth
Of the mere 25% of small businesses that survive the first 10 years, just 1-2% experience growth. These abnormally successful businesses are often twice-exceptional. Not only do the ventures outlive…
Jeffrey KadlicFebruary 7, 2018
2017 Annual Leadership Summit 
Each year we host our Leadership Summit and Annual Meeting in support of our growing list of active partner companies and business investors. Held at our headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, the meetings…
Jeffrey KadlicNovember 8, 2017
What to Know When a Family Business Takes on a Private Equity Partner 
Private equity is a good option in many cases when small-businesses are looking to expand and going into the partnership more aware of all of the adjustments that may be…
Jeffrey KadlicOctober 30, 2017
Top 3 Entrepreneurship Podcasts to Help Grow Your Small Business 
Listening to a favorite podcast regularly is almost like having a mentor whispering words of wisdom in your ear all the time. And for the busy entrepreneur, podcasts are an…
Jeffrey KadlicOctober 26, 2017
Forecasting Growth: 5 Predictive Metrics to Consider 
Forecasting growth may not seem like a high priority to small business owners who are focused on the daily hustle needed to build and upkeep business, but forecasting is important…
Jeffrey KadlicOctober 11, 2017
5 Tips for Attracting and Hiring the Right Talent for Your Small Business 
When it comes time to hire new employees, most small-business owners are so bogged down with day-to-day business operations that it can be tempting to just push out a job…
Jeffrey KadlicSeptember 20, 2017
What to Expect When Selling Your Small Business to Private Equity 
Selling the majority share of your small business to a private equity firm can create growth opportunities that may ultimately increase the value of your business–so much so that the…
Jeffrey KadlicSeptember 13, 2017
Age-Old Debate: Which is Better for Sales Leads – Quantity or Quality?
When it comes to sales lead generation, it’s all about numbers. The more the better, right? Not necessarily. To address this age-old debate between quality vs. quantity, we once again…
Jeffrey KadlicAugust 30, 2017
The Key Benefits of Transparency in Business 
For a company to exhibit transparency, it must be open and clear with unhindered honesty. Transparency can build a company loyalty and trust among its audiences, both internally and externally.…
Jeffrey KadlicAugust 16, 2017
Ready Your Small Business for a Capital Raise or Sale 
As private equity investors, we are buying or selling companies all of the time. It’s because of this role that I have the good fortune of seeing both sides of…
Jeffrey KadlicAugust 2, 2017
The Power of a Believable Sales Pipeline
A sales pipeline is a tool that tracks prospects as they progress through the stages of your sales process. It should contain information such as: Company name Contact Sales owner…
Susan WilliamsonJuly 5, 2017
Preparing Your Small Business for the Private Equity Exit Process 
So much has been written about selling to private equity, but far less has been discussed about when private equity sells and what is done to prepare the management team…
Jeffrey KadlicJune 28, 2017
The Latest in Cybersecurity: Is Your Small Business Prepared for a Cyberattack? 
In recent years, the number of cyberattacks has been increasing at an alarming rate – and small businesses are particularly vulnerable. In fact, 43% of all cyberattacks target small businesses.…
Jeffrey KadlicJune 21, 2017
5 Technology Advancements That Help Small Businesses Remain Competitive 
With less staff, resources and money compared to large corporations, small businesses have always been the stereotypical underdog. However, thanks to several technology advancements, these small businesses now have the…
Jeffrey KadlicJune 14, 2017
How To Set Attainable Goals For Your Small Business
Setting company goals is an important factor to keep your business continuously moving forward. However, the purpose of setting these goals is lost unless you make them realistic and attainable…
Jeffrey KadlicJune 1, 2017
5 Keys to Cultivating a Positive Company Culture 
While knee deep in the growth stage, many small-business owners neglect to focus on one of the most important factors behind the long-term success of their organization – creating a…
Jeffrey KadlicMay 24, 2017
Developing a Successful Sales Process
Having a well-defined sales process is the key to successfully managing your sales team and pipeline. A sales process is a repeatable and scalable series of steps that maps out…
Susan WilliamsonMay 17, 2017
5 Tips for Effective Communication in a Small-Business Atmosphere 
Establishing effective communication is the key to an organization’s success – particularly within a small-business atmosphere, where employees often wear many hats. It can have a cascading effect on all…
Jeffrey KadlicMay 10, 2017
4 Ways to Gain Capital and Support Small Business Growth 
Launching a new business takes hard work and determination, but the struggle doesn’t end there. Growing and developing your small business can be just as tough if you don’t have…
Jeffrey KadlicApril 12, 2017
7 Ways to Attract Investors for Your Small Business
When it comes time to grow and scale their company, small-business owners are increasingly looking to investors as a means of securing that much-needed extra capital. Attracting an investor –…
Jeffrey KadlicApril 5, 2017
The Entrepreneurial Operating System: Making a Difference in Small Businesses
The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) integrates a holistic business model aimed to align and synchronize all the pieces of a business to produce the desired results. This process has caught…
Jeffrey KadlicMarch 29, 2017
3 Financial Reporting Best Practices for Small Businesses 
Financials, is one of the most important elements for a growing business. Accurately tracking financial data plays a crucial role in monitoring the overall health and stability of your company.…
Jeffrey KadlicMarch 15, 2017
How to Use EBITDA for the Valuation of Your Small Business
Selling a business can be a difficult decision for entrepreneurs to make, both on an emotional and financial level. There are a number of factors that come into play when…
Jeffrey KadlicMarch 9, 2017
3 Ways Trump’s Proposed Policies Can Impact Small Businesses 
President Trump’s administration could have a significant influence on the 28 million small businesses in America. Business experts have presented conflicting views on what the next four years could bring.…
Jeffrey KadlicMarch 1, 2017
How Repealing ObamaCare May Impact Your Small Business
President Trump has long been calling for a repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – unofficially dubbed “ObamaCare” – with the goal of replacing it with a better and…
Jeffrey KadlicFebruary 21, 2017
3 Trends for Marketing Your Small Business in 2017 
As we move into 2017, today’s ever-evolving marketing landscape continues to place more demand on small-business owners than ever before. Although many small businesses lack the capital and resources for…
Jeffrey KadlicFebruary 10, 2017
Create a Plan, Set SMART Goals and Share
Creating a measurable and achievable strategic plan is vital to the success of your business. Not having a plan is like driving down the street at night without headlights on.…
Jeffrey KadlicFebruary 1, 2017
Debt vs. Equity Financing: Which is Best for Your Small Business and Personal Assets?
When small-business owners need extra capital to grow and scale their company, it can be a challenge to figure out which type of financing is the best fit. Should you…
Jeffrey KadlicJanuary 26, 2017
Panning for Gold: Innovation in Health Care 
Hospitals are busy places. They are driven by needs that change rapidly and occur at high intensity, in ways that are difficult to anticipate. Just staying ahead of the immediate…
Guest ContributorJanuary 14, 2017
Four Trends for Growing Your Small Business in 2017 
As we ring in the New Year, small-business owners are facing a host of new challenges as a wave of emerging trends hits the marketplace and technology becomes more vital…
Jeffrey KadlicJanuary 13, 2017