Olsen Thielen Advisor Blog

Categories

Lisa Dunnigan Named Finalist for ORBIE Awards

May 22, 2018

Lisa Dunnigan, Olsen Thielen CIO and Principal was named a finalist for the Twin Cities CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards. The Twin Cities CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards honor chief information officers who have demonstrated excellence in technology leadership.

Shell Companies Could Mean Fraud

May 12, 2018

A shell company is an entity created without active business operations or assets. While they are not illegal, sometimes shell companies could mean fraud.

Synthetic Identity Theft

May 12, 2018

Synthetic identity theft involves the creation of a fictitious identity based on a combination of real and fake information. While criminals use only a portion of your stolen personal data to create the fictitious identity, that doesn’t necessarily lessen the negative impact to your credit. According to forensic experts, synthetic

Competitive Business Health Assessment

May 11, 2018

For business owners, it is important to step back and regularly do a competitive business health assessment. Even a successful business can fall victim to changing market conditions or major disruptions in the industry if they are not paying attention.

Trust and Fraud in Your Family Business

May 11, 2018

There are many benefits of working with a family you love and trust. However, sometimes the trust family members have for each other is one of the things that create some major problems that compromise the business’s finances and longevity because it only takes one person to damage or destroy

Quality Fraud Investigation Report

May 10, 2018

A quality fraud investigation report can provide many documents, including witness interviews, paper trails and detailed facts uncovered in the process.

Change Management Benefits

May 10, 2018

Change is difficult and when change management benefits are carefully considered, a formal approach can minimize the negative fallout and increase the likelihood of achieving your desired change goals, whether it be something as drastic as a merger or as simple as a new software program.

Net Operating Loss Treatment

May 10, 2018

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) made some significant changes in net operating loss treatment. A net operating loss (NOL) occurs when deductible expenses exceed income. While this is not usually the desired result, the NOL can result in tax benefits when used to offset other income.

Hiring Solvency Experts

May 9, 2018

Solvency is essential to staying in business and sometimes hiring solvency experts is needed to resolve creditor payment issues.

Cultivating Positive Public Relations

May 9, 2018

Cultivating positive public relations for nonprofits is an important way to build community support. Good public relations is a cost-effective way to build awareness and create opportunities to achieve your mission. If you’re struggling to get enough visibility from the media,

Advantages of a Nonprofit Advisory Board

May 8, 2018

A nonprofit advisory board has many advantages. An advisory board is an informal group of volunteers whose purpose is to give advice and support to the governing board. It does not have any formal legal responsibilities or decision-making authority, but it can bring complementary — and valuable — skills and

Build Fraud Risk Management Programs

May 7, 2018

Despite the real threat and high cost of fraud, too many businesses fail to build fraud risk management programs that work. If you have put off taking this important step toward protecting your company, now is the time to act.

Is Your Nonprofit Reaching Maturity?

March 29, 2018

Not-for-profit organizations are like many other businesses. Over time, they move through stages of development called the organization life cycle. Their early stage precedes a growth period that runs several years, followed by maturity. At this stage, the nonprofit has built its core programs and achieved a reputation in the

Benefits and Drawbacks of Telecommuting at Nonprofits

March 22, 2018

Telecommuting is a work arrangement in which an employee works outside of the standard office. The employee often works from home, either full-time, on certain days of the week or as the need arises. Telecommuting has become increasingly popular as employers seek new ways to provide a greater work/life balance

Encourage Use of Your Employee Assistance Program

March 22, 2018

An employee assistance program (EAP) is an employer sponsored program designed to assist employees in resolving personal problems, such as substance dependence, financial or legal woes, or mental health issues.