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Adapting to the new phase of life after the sale and exit of a business can be trickier than business owners are expecting—not anticipating the less-tangible challenges that can include the struggle with a lost sense of identity and even being unsure of how to introduce themselves after the exit. That’s why it’s important, well in advance of a liquidity event, to think about new outlets for time and energy.

Some executives approach governance and compliance as obligations. But the real payoff comes when those efforts strengthen resilience, which is no longer just a defensive shield. Instead, it’s a performance advantage that can also better position companies to anticipate disruption and act decisively when it strikes. Focusing on efficiency and profitability, this report explores the five traits powering stronger performance and how resilience drives business results.

Both rollover equity and management-equity incentives have become increasingly common during the sale process of a business, especially when selling to a financial investor like private equity or a family office. As a result, owner-operators pursuing a liquidity event should become familiar with these incentives and five key concepts—including impact on business valuation and oversight—that can help keep them committed to the company’s success while aligning the long-term financial interests for the next sale.

Although CFOs’ optimism has risen, finance leaders are confronting the disruptive triumvirate of new tax legislation, persistent tariff volatility, and rising AI integration—while seeking meaningful, measurable outcomes. All at once, three things must be considered in a complex environment where transformational opportunity and uncertainty coexist. The takeaway is that holistic modeling is essential for businesses to determine the right tax strategy for their circumstances.

While many businesses are still maturing their sourcing strategies, several clear patterns have emerged amid a hybrid environment undergoing rapid change and strain. It’s a transformation that is playing out across five key areas: an evolving delivery ecosystem; a new partnership ethos; a shifting provider mindset; the growing role of procurement; and the rising complexity of deals as providers and buyers adapt to these fast-moving changes.

Shadow AI is no longer a fringe issue—it’s a mainstream reality inside most organizations. While the risks are real—ranging from security breaches to compliance failures—it also represents a powerful signal: Your workforce is ready, willing, and already experimenting with AI to solve real problems. Organizations that respond with rigid control will stifle innovation. Those that respond with clear strategy, empowered oversight, and curated choice will unlock AI’s full potential—safely and at scale.

As regulatory complexity intensifies and business operations accelerate, legal departments face mounting pressure to deliver more—with greater speed, precision, and strategic insight—while managing costs and demonstrating value. Yet many remain constrained by traditional service models that struggle to scale with these evolving demands. This gap has created perfect conditions for innovation and unlocking efficiency and growth with legal managed services, which now represents a new paradigm on how legal work gets done in an increasingly complex business environment.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) has spurred more interest among businesses that may qualify for the tax benefits associated with qualified small business stock (QSBS), including businesses that currently are classified as S corporations for federal income tax purposes. With the amendments made by the OBBB, shareholders of S corporations have new incentives to consider converting to a C corporation structure to the extent Code Section 1202 might apply.

Today’s multigenerational workforce challenges even the most well-designed benefits strategies. And while many employers believe they’re delivering value, there’s a small perception gap that reveals where smarter strategy can take benefits programs from good to great. It’s more than a human capital issue, it’s a business-wide challenge impacting retention, performance, and ultimately, profitability.

The evolution of tax leaders into strategists has reached a critical inflection point. In a year defined by heightened uncertainty and significant U.S. tax policy shifts, heads of tax are increasingly taking a seat center stage in decision making. With tax changes in the spotlight, this survey further reveals the expanding role of the tax strategists who can connect the dots and help the C-suite executives address the tax implications of their financial, operational, and business decisions.