Clipboard with Uniform Commercial Code written on it

UCC Filings: A Powerful Tool for Investigators

The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) is a set of laws governing commercial transactions in the United States. While it may seem like a dry legal topic, UCC filings are public records, and they include a wealth of information about individuals and businesses that investigators can use in a variety of situations, including due diligence, asset […]

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Secretary of State sign on door

Exploring Business Registration Records: A Key to Company Information

It’s vital that you learn all you can about a company when making business decisions, whether you’re considering a partnership, making an investment, or checking out a competitor. Business registration records offer a wealth of information, and–before getting started–it’s important to understand how what they are and how they work. What are Business Registration Records? […]

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Wooden steps marked Step 1, Step 2, Step 3

Top Post: Getting up to speed in a new industry – A 3-step approach

This post was originally published on March 28, 2022. Investigations involve working with clients from a variety of industries, and that means learning about the environment in which they operate. It’s the only way to get to the heart of client concerns. For example, when I started working with my hedge fund clients years ago, […]

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files and gavel to represent court records

Top Post: Online court searching – What I’ve learned

Reposting from May 2022 When I first started in business, my research focused on market trends, the competitive landscape, and buyer preferences. I had little need for public records searching, especially online court documents, and chose to refer that kind of work to the experts. Fast forward several years and, after transitioning from market intelligence […]

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book with corporate records

Business registrations: 5 top challenges

In investigations and research, we often need information about companies and their owners, and one of the best places to look is in business registration records. Required by law, private and public companies register and file periodic reports that include names, addresses, dates, partnerships, and more. Registering a business adds legitimacy, protects the business name, […]

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Closeup robot hand machine picking up white ball on bokeh blurred background. Use smart robot in manufacturing industry

Top Post: Getting up to speed in a new industry – 5 top challenges

This post was originally published in February 2022. As business professionals, we often need to know the ins and outs of a new industry. Maybe you have a new client or a new job. Perhaps it’s a valuation case or a merger. Or maybe you just need to understand what’s going on now and in […]

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Laptop and print newspapers

News and social media research: Top 3 challenges

News and social media searching is a big part of most of our investigations. Without the news, I wouldn’t have learned about a company’s legal issues that never made it to the courts. Without social media, I wouldn’t have seen what our due diligence subject did during a two-year gap in their work history. Without […]

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diagram showing 3-step process

Getting up to speed in a new industry – A 3-step approach

Investigations involve working with clients from a variety of industries, and that means learning about the environment in which they operate. It’s the only way to get to the heart of client concerns. For example, when I started working with my hedge fund clients years ago, all I knew about alternative investments was the Madoff […]

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ships, planes, trucks, representing transportation industry

Getting up to speed in a new industry – 5 top challenges

As business professionals, we often need to know the ins and outs of a new industry. Maybe you have a new client or a new job. Perhaps it’s a valuation case or a merger. Or maybe you just need to understand what’s going on now and in the future within your own rapidly-changing business environment. […]

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lightbulbs showing creativity

Not enough Google results? – Time to get creative

Using Google for research and investigations can be a good news/bad news situation. The good news is that Google is a great starting point for finding answers and leads to even more answers. The bad news? Sometimes, it’s not so great. Most often, you get too much information, increasing the risk of missing something important. […]

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