Tony Brewer

For years I have bought a variety of plants from the local hardware store to put in my garden. It is easier to get plants that already have a head start on their growth than to start them from seed.

My gardens have always done well with the plants, but this year I think I will try to start a few of them from seed. I have been saving the cardboard egg cartons and next weekend I will buy a big bag of potting soil mix from Lowes or Home Depot. The seeds should be sprouted and tall enough to transplant into the garden by mid-March.

Depending upon the weather, I’d like to get an early start with many of the vegetables and try to get a second crop of some things this year.

The process of selling and buying a business can be really complicated. I remember when my in-laws decided to sell their business and retire. It was so very hard for them to even make the decision to step down from the business – the store had been their life for almost 30 years. My my father-in-law’s health was the deciding factor. They listed it with a business broker and after 10 very long and hard months, they got an offer on the business and were able to sell it.

There are other business sales and major events, such as buying or selling a franchise or taking a new business public. I’m not sure which of the three is the toughest, but I have a feeling that going public is much more complicated because you have to deal with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

There is a professional VDR solution for IPO process that helps keep all the parties involved on track and organized. I can just imagine the nightmare of keeping the latest copies of all the reports and audits necessary for the audits, reviews and due diligence process.

As complicated as an IPO or business sale can be, imagine if the potential buyer or lender is not America. My in-laws sold their business to a middle aged couple from Mexico. The letter of intent and purchase contract had to be sent to their attorneys in Mexico City, so all the documents had to be written in both English and Spanish. Thankfully, there are places like the  Merrill Brink translation services to handle that need.

Another issue that might require a technical translation services provider would be if your company shut down it’s U.S. operations and moved to another country, like so many manufacturing companies have been doing since the NAFTA Agreement was signed. Just think of all the documents that would have to be translated to be able to staff up and begun plant operations across the border.

My boss called two nights ago and asked me to fly out to California to cover for him at a trade show.  I said OK, and packed my clothes in a hurry.  I packed my clothes in my new luggage.  I forgot that I had worn my fancy shorts the night before for about an hour, so I just threw them in the suitcase.  In one of the pockets was a brand new $14 jack knife.  I went through security and they asked me if I had any knives or anything, and I said “no, but do your thing and tear it apart.”  They tore it apart and found the jack knife.  They said “Can we get rid of this?”

I said “Can you wait a couple of minutes so my friend can come get it?”  She was only a few minutes away.  I called her on the cellphone and she said she’d be right there.  She was approximately three to four minutes away at the most.  Just before she was at the TSA checkpoint the officer turned to me and told me that I either had to go back to the beginning of the security line or throw the knife away, he wouldn’t wait for her to come.  Next time I’ll take the bus or the train if I can!  You can carry a gun (or a knife!) on a bus or a train!

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching I have been thinking of something to get to give as a Valentine’s gift for me girl. I don’t think that stopping by the grocery store and picking up the typical box of chocolates will quite do the trick, although she does love chocolate. So I’ve taken to the Internet to find some kind of chocolate that isn’t an “everyday” type of chocolate.

You wouldn’t believe how many candy/chocolate companies have websites these days, but it didn’t take me too awfully long to find some See’s chocolate at sees.com that I like the looks and sound of. So good that I’ve gone ahead and ordered several varieties for her, her mom and my mother as well. Might as well make all the women in my life happy for the day!

I know that some folks go all out on Valentine’s Day and buy nice quality expensive jewelry and/or go out for a fancy dinner, but they way that the economy is these days and considering all the money that I just dished out for Christmas, I think a box of nice quality chocolates will do just fine. And of course I’ll get to nibble on some of the goodies as well!

I was reading an article on the Time.com website about how a lot of companies are participating in what is termed “Greenwashing.”  I had never heard of the term “Greenwashing” before, so I was curious and read the article.  It seems that “Greenwashing” is the term used to describe the action of promoting a product or service claiming that it is better for the environment than it really is.  The article included links to other articles that showed instances and examples of greenwashing by real companies.  I found the article to be informative, and have bookmarked the links for future reference.  It is disappointing to see how many companies are so shameless in their false promotions!