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Ethereum Crypto Treasury to Go Public in $1.5 Billion SPAC Deal
Ethereum Crypto Treasury to Go Public in $1.5 Billion SPAC Deal

Bloomberg

time18 hours ago

  • Business
  • Bloomberg

Ethereum Crypto Treasury to Go Public in $1.5 Billion SPAC Deal

An Ethereum treasury firm has agreed to go public in a blank-check company merger backed by more than $1.5 billion of crypto and stock financing, joining the rush of digital assets heading to public markets. Ether Machine Inc., the expected surviving company of the merger, will be anchored by 169,984 Ether from one of the co-founders, and a stock financing of more than $800 million, according to a statement Monday. As much as $170 million of cash in the trust account of Dynamix Corp., the special purpose acquisition company merging with the pool would also be included.

Why Forward-Looking Planning Is Key For Financial Services Providers
Why Forward-Looking Planning Is Key For Financial Services Providers

Forbes

time21 hours ago

  • Business
  • Forbes

Why Forward-Looking Planning Is Key For Financial Services Providers

Matt is the CEO & co-founder of Origin, where he is working to solve employees' number one source of stress: money. Amid economic volatility and rapid technological change, access to financial planning remains deeply uneven. The financial services industry tends to prioritize high-income individuals, which can leave many households without the tools or support to plan for their financial futures. This gap is especially troubling as uncertainty around inflation, interest rates and broader economic disruption makes long-term financial stability harder to achieve. Many people face barriers to quality financial guidance. As an article by the World Economic Forum put it: "Often, those with lower incomes would benefit the most from financial guidance, but they are also the least likely to afford it or know where to seek it out." For providers of personal financial solutions, this moment presents both a challenge and an opportunity: How can we equip individuals with the clarity they need while adapting to a fast-moving economy and massive technological shifts? Why Consumers Need More—And Better—Guidance Today, middle- and lower-income households are often left to navigate life's biggest financial decisions, like buying a home, starting a family, changing careers or planning for retirement, largely on their own. The traditional financial system simply wasn't built for them. While the wealthiest typically have access to advisors and personalized planning, many others take the do-it-yourself route and often use tools that only show them where they stand today. What I believe is missing is the ability to connect that information to long-term goals and translate it into a meaningful plan for the future. My company provides a money management platform, and within our community, we're seeing a clear trend: Many people aren't just looking for help managing day-to-day finances—they want help planning for what's next. They're asking for tools that are personal, forward-looking and grounded in their actual lives. The problem is, this kind of planning can be complex and time-consuming to offer at scale. That's exactly what needs to change. Financial service providers have an opportunity to fill this gap, and they can use AI to help. How AI Can Change The Planning Experience From real-time cash flow analysis to scenario planning and behavior-based nudging, financial solution providers can use AI to deliver holistic, proactive and personalized financial guidance at a more affordable price point. Users could essentially have a context-aware, always-on financial advisor in their pocket. The ability to synthesize vast amounts of historical data, such as spending habits, income trends and investment performance, into meaningful, forward-looking projections is no longer a hypothetical—it's becoming table stakes. And yet, many financial institutions and benefit providers have been slow to fully embrace AI's strategic potential. A McKinsey report suggests that many financial services companies are not yet using AI to its full potential. I believe those that do could see improvements in client satisfaction, retention and engagement—especially among Millennials and Gen-Z, many of whom expect more intelligent, digital-first solutions. What This Means For Industry Leaders The financial planning experience can evolve from something static and reactive to something dynamic to help consumers achieve their life goals. I believe that today's mass market consumers aren't just looking for educational resources or generic calculators. Providers can strive to offer smarter, personalized guidance that reflects their customers' goals, circumstances and changing market realities. To stay ahead, industry leaders can: 1. Invest in data infrastructure and AI tools that enable real-time forecasting and personalized insights. Companies that build robust, scalable data pipelines and AI engines could not only improve customer outcomes but also create new monetization pathways through advisory, wealth and embedded financial services. 2. Combine digital tools with human advice to drive deeper engagement. Rather than choosing between automation and personalization, firms should integrate both. Adopting a tech-enabled human model can help build trust at scale and potentially improve outcomes across income levels and life stages. 3. Reframe financial planning as a continuous, iterative process, not a one-time event. Firms should think of financial planning not as a product or event, but as an evolving service layer that lives alongside the customer throughout their financial journey. Looking Ahead The personal finance market is on the verge of a fundamental shift. Tools once reserved for the affluent can become accessible to all. In my view, providers that fail to modernize risk falling behind. But those that embrace intelligent, forward-looking solutions will be best positioned to earn long-term trust, deepen customer relationships and create real impact. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?

How to Oust a Difficult Co-founder Legally and Smoothly
How to Oust a Difficult Co-founder Legally and Smoothly

Entrepreneur

time04-07-2025

  • Business
  • Entrepreneur

How to Oust a Difficult Co-founder Legally and Smoothly

There are a number of reasons that a co-founder may want to part ways with another co-founder. There are also legal considerations to keep in mind when co-founders separate. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Imagine this. Jean and John, who met at a startup incubator, founded a company together. But as they grew, Jean realized that she and John weren't aligned on many things, including what the company's future should look like. Neither John's goals nor his behavior reflected the company's mission, so Jean ousts John from the business. Reasons for a co-founder's departure There are a number of reasons that a co-founder may want to part ways with another co-founder. 1. Lack of dedication A startup that wants to scale for a big exit typically requires founders who dedicate long hours for little pay (at least at the beginning). While some founders, like Jean, are willing to do that, some, like John, are not. Jean was willing to put in as many hours as it took to meet her responsibilities. John, on the other hand, arrived late and left early, demonstrating that he wasn't dedicated to his role — or the company. 2. Difficult to work with Some founders are simply difficult to work with. They're not collaborative, they're closed off to others' input or they belittle or micromanage their employees. While in the office, John's attitude was one of superiority. He felt that certain tasks were below him and that others should do the "heavy lifting." He criticized his employees at every opportunity, lowering morale and eventually pushing a very dedicated, key employee out of the company. 3. Lack of alignment with vision While a dream team of co-founders might be committed and great as colleagues, they might have different visions about the company's future. For example, they may disagree on a pivot other founders believe is necessary. Jean wanted to focus on R&D to ensure ongoing innovation, but John was focused on expanding the company. In addition to his behavior, this lack of alignment caused so much tension that Jean started the process of terminating her co-founder. Related: So Your Co-Founder is Threatening to Quit Unless You Give Them More Equity. What Should You Do? Legal considerations In addition to mistakes that can be made during the termination process, there are several legal considerations to keep in mind when co-founders separate. 1. Complying with employment law Founders are almost always employees by law. When terminating an employee, keep in mind — and meet — the legalities of termination, including filing certain paperwork and notices, and meeting deadlines for paying the final paycheck, for example. When the tension between Jean and John began, Jean documented each instance so she had relevant backup at the time of John's termination. 2. Is your relationship buttoned up? Make sure you are not giving an ousted co-founder leverage. Breaking promises or not protecting the company legally in its founding documents on IP assignments or confidentiality obligations means that they now have valuable IP the company needs. 3. Do you have the legal right? It's critical to ensure that a co-founder has the legal right to terminate another co-founder. If they do not, they should take the necessary steps to secure those rights; it might not be as simple as telling them they are fired. For example, the company's bylaws might allow a co-founder to be terminated only if the board votes to do so. The ousting founders need to make sure they can — and do — get board support. When John's performance began to decline, Jean consulted with the company's board to ensure the board was informed from the outset. More legal considerations: What NOT to do While there are considerations to make so as not to run into legal issues, there are also considerations for what NOT to do. 1. Don't think about a separation agreement A legally binding separation agreement can get you a release of claims, potentially non-disparagement terms and other benefits for the company, including agreements to not sue. Investors will want to see this if at all possible in diligence. It's worth some money to get this. As soon as John's performance started suffering and other employees began complaining about his behavior, Jean consulted an employment attorney to prepare the paperwork necessary for a separation agreement, enabling the process to be completed without worrying about a potential lawsuit. 2. Forget to cut off access to systems To prevent an ousted co-founder from accessing company information post-termination, ensure that they can no longer access the company's systems. Disgruntled employees with access to company data can cause major problems. Once John was officially "out," all access to company information was cut off; Jean knew that, if given the opportunity, John would have tried to access certain data once he exited the company. 3. Bash the ousted founder to employees, investors and other stakeholders Sometimes in trying to explain the ousted founder's departure, founders will resort to speaking negatively about them; this opens the company to defamation liability. It can also reflect badly on the company and the founding terms. Finally, it can lead to the ousted founder becoming more hostile toward the company. Despite their differences, Jean maintained reasonable levels of professionalism. Although the process was stressful for her, her team and ultimately the company, John's ouster and the reasons behind it remained within the executive leadership team. Related: 4 Sane Strategies for Maintaining Healthy Co-Founder Relationships Ramifications of skirting the law All of this advice hinges on the remaining founders meeting the requirements to legally terminate a co-founder. When they don't, there are ramifications. 1. Incurring penalties and legal claims First, by not complying with employment laws, penalties can be incurred, and legal claims are given to the ousted founder; these can add up. For example, in California, if all wages aren't paid on the final day of employment, the ousted founder is entitled to a penalty equal to one full day of wages for every day until they are fully paid (up to 30 days). Jean's diligence in consulting a startup attorney prepared her for the separation. In addition to the separation agreement, Jean presented John with his final paycheck at the termination meeting. 2. Post-termination negotiations If you don't button up your relationship with the founder prior to termination, you will be stuck post-termination negotiating for what you need. At this point, you are unlikely to have much leverage. 3. No separation agreement If you fail to get a separation agreement, investors may push on you in diligence to get one later; this is often difficult. Also, you may subject the company to claims that would have been released if money was offered as severance at the outset. Note that a founder may sign a separation agreement quickly if it's offered with a positive message and incentives. The absence of an up-front offer can result in litigation, and demands may increase. The bottom line While there are myriad factors that contribute to the ousting of a company founder, it behooves those on the company side to make appropriate preparations to avoid legal troubles. Ready to break through your revenue ceiling? 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