Windes

10/20/2026

How much of an acquisition’s value is determined after the deal closes? The first 100 days are critical for establishing financial control, aligning reporting, and measuring whether expected synergies are actually being realized. Learn more: https://hubs.li/Q04y-2vJ0

A 100-day post-merger integration checklist for finance and operations leaders, covering financial control, reporting standards, and synergy capture.

10/15/2026

Could small margin leaks be adding up across your business? Discount drift, unbilled work, cost-to-serve, and pricing gaps can quietly erode profitability over time. Learn more: https://hubs.li/Q04yZZCb0

Discount drift, unbilled scope, and mix shift erode margin invisibly. Where the leaks hide, and what your data must support before analytics can find them.

10/13/2026

Is your finance team spending more time processing transactions than helping you understand the business? When growth starts straining the close, transaction volume, and internal capacity, outsourcing accounting operations can create the consistency your team needs. Learn more: https://hubs.li/Q04yZSzX0

Six signals it is time to outsource accounting operations, how that differs from hiring a fractional controller, and what outsourcing will not fix.

10/08/2026

When do your financials stop keeping up with your growth? A fractional controller can bring senior-level oversight to reporting, controls, cash flow, and forecasting without the cost of a full-time hire. Learn more: https://hubs.li/Q04yZb8v0

Read, "When a Growing Business Needs a Fractional Controller", and search other shared research and guidance articles from Windes Insights.

10/05/2026

Small-deal M&A showed surprising strength in Q2, with transactions under $25 million reaching their highest average valuation multiples since late 2024 despite relatively muted deal volume.

The data points to continued buyer competition for quality smaller businesses and reinforces why size, sector, and deal structure matter when assessing today’s market. Learn more: https://hubs.li/Q04zbjzG0

10/02/2026

What happens when an AI-enhanced phishing attack compromises the CFO’s email and redirects a $250,000 vendor payment?

At our upcoming executive tabletop, participants will hear from Michael Hill, a 30-year FBI veteran and cybersecurity advisor; Daniel Pepper, a data privacy, cybersecurity, and technology attorney with more than 30 years of experience; and Cameron Manavian, an engineering executive whose leadership experience spans organizations including Disney and Roblox. Together, they’ll put executives through the financial, legal, operational, and reputational decisions that follow when every minute matters.

Want to strengthen your organization’s cyber readiness? Talk to the Windes Technology & Risk team: https://hubs.li/Q04y_cMn0

10/01/2026

What happens when your business grows faster than the systems protecting it? Customer demands, new contracts, audits, and acquisitions can expose gaps quickly, making early Technology & Risk planning far easier than a last-minute scramble: https://hubs.li/Q04yZKH40

Most companies wait too long to engage a tech and risk advisory firm. Learn the triggers, the four engagement phases, and realistic timelines.

09/30/2026

California’s new rules put employers on the hook for how automated AI tools screen, score, and influence employment decisions, even when a third-party vendor runs the system. Learn more: https://hubs.li/Q04yN6gx0

California's automated decision system rules are already in force, and an algorithm is no defense. Learn the deadlines, retention duty, and vendor risk.

08/27/2026

Is your employee handbook ready for California’s 2027 minimum wage increase? Minimum wage rises to $17.40 on Jan. 1, bringing new payroll, salary, and policy considerations for employers. Learn more: https://hubs.li/Q04vBnc90

Now is an ideal time for employers to review their employee handbooks, compensation practices, and payroll procedures.

08/25/2026

For SBA-backed business acquisitions, the quality of reported earnings will soon play a larger role in the underwriting process. Starting October 1, 2026, certain 7(a) transactions with a purchase price of $3 million or more will require an independent quality of earnings analysis, making early preparation increasingly important for buyers, sellers, and lenders: https://hubs.li/Q04vfFN00

The new SBA Underwriting Requirement introduces a significant change for initial acquisitions and business expansion transactions.