Consulting & Advisory

Kmind Becomes First Chinese Strategy Firm to Host Silicon Valley Program

Shanghai – – September 21, 2026 -- Kmind Consulting became the first Chinese strategy consulting firm to host an executive program in Silicon Valley, bringing more than 100 technology and consumer-sector executives to the Computer History Museum on September 18.

Kmind chairman Noah Xie leads first Chinese strategy session in Silicon Valley

Noah Xie, Chairman and CEO of Kmind Consulting, led the Executive Strategy Program, presenting the firm's Next Generation Strategy framework to an audience of technology and consumer business leaders. The framework blends Eastern wisdom with Western theory and has been applied by Kmind across more than 100 companies to date.

Attain Partners Named Best Midsized Firm to Work For, 2nd Year

McLean, Va. – September 21, 2026 -- Attain Partners has been named to Consulting Magazine's 2026 Best Firms to Work For list, marking the second consecutive year the McLean, Va.-based management and technology consulting firm has earned the national honor.

Attain Partners ranks among 10 firms in the Best Midsized Firms category

The firm is one of ten organizations recognized in the 2026 Best Midsized Firms to Work For category. The annual program evaluates consulting firms across six areas: culture, career development, work/life balance, client engagement, compensation and benefits, and firm leadership, based on confidential surveys of each firm's consultants.

Poll: 78% of Americans Back Lawmakers Defending U.S. Firms Abroad

Washington – September 20, 2026 -- Bipartisan majorities of American voters and Washington policy influencers are demanding that U.S. lawmakers confront foreign governments over discriminatory treatment of American companies, according to a new poll commissioned by the US-Asia Fair Market Alliance (US-Asia FMA) and conducted by Penta Group.

78% of voters say they would back policymakers who defend U.S. businesses overseas

The survey found that 78% of the American public would be more likely to support policymakers who stand up against discriminatory barriers facing U.S. companies abroad, including 72% of Democrats and 87% of Republicans. The poll surveyed more than 300 D.C. policy influencers — congressional staff, think tank scholars and foreign policy experts — alongside a nationally representative sample of 1,000 American voters, including 137 small- and medium-sized business owners.

Wells Fargo Grant Funds SMB Tech Connect for 10 Bay Area Firms

Sunnyvale, Calif. – September 19, 2026 -- Plug and Play Foundation (PNPF) has launched SMB Tech Connect, an accelerator funded by a Wells Fargo grant that will help 10 Bay Area small businesses assess technology needs and fund adoption. Applications for the pilot program are now open.

Ten small businesses will receive assessments, startup pilots and adoption grants

Each participating business begins with a technology and AI readiness assessment mapping operational gaps and repetitive processes. Results determine placement into one of two tracks: a Technology Pilot Track matching businesses with vetted startup solutions, or a Workshop Implementation Track offering hands-on sessions on AI and automation tools.

Consello Becomes Official Supporter of 2027 Ryder Cup in Ireland

New York – September 19, 2026 -- Consello, a global advisory and investing platform, has signed an agreement with The European Tour to become an Official Supporter of the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in County Limerick, Ireland.

Ryder Cup returns to Ireland for first time since 2006

The 2027 tournament marks the event's return to Irish soil after a 21-year gap and coincides with the Ryder Cup's 100th anniversary. Consello operates offices in Dublin, Limerick, and Belfast, positioning Ireland as a strategic hub for the firm alongside New York, Miami, Atlanta, London, Brussels, and Abu Dhabi.

SellYourWay.org Launches Tool Defining CBI Broker Standard

Independence, Ohio – September 19, 2026 -- SellYourWay.org has launched an interactive online feature that defines the Certified Business Intermediary® (CBI) designation, aiming to help small business owners identify qualified brokers before selling their companies.

New tool breaks CBI credential into six qualifications

The feature, hosted on SellYourWay.org, outlines six specific qualifications business owners should verify when selecting a Business Broker, covering educational and performance requirements set by the International Business Brokers Association® (IBBA). SellYourWay.org is powered by IBBA, which describes itself as the largest international not-for-profit association for business brokers.

CKGSB-IE Report: Chinese Firms Shift to 'Capability Export' Globally

Singapore – September 18, 2026 -- Chinese companies are entering a third phase of globalization defined by exporting operating capabilities rather than just products, according to a joint report released by Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) and IE University's China Observatory.

Report identifies 'capability export' as the new phase of Chinese globalization

Titled Chinese Companies' New Playbook for Going Global, the study finds firms are transferring technical standards, product development processes, supply-chain organization, service models, branding and business models abroad while adapting them to local conditions. The research is led by CKGSB Professor of Economics and Associate Dean Li Wei.

New Leadership Book Ties Martial Arts Discipline to Workplace Accountability

ALBUQUERQUE – – September 18, 2026 -- Dr. David Jackson, DBA, MBA, drawing on more than 30 years of management experience and nearly five decades of martial arts practice, has published "The Martial Art of Management: The Accountability Advantage," a leadership guide aimed at building accountability-driven workplace cultures for executives and organizational leaders.

Book frames accountability as "disciplined freedom" rather than control or punishment

Jackson's central premise separates accountability from blame, positioning it instead as a system that grants employees autonomy while holding them responsible for decisions, actions and results.

CEO Coaching Clients Claim 22 Spots on 2026 Inc. 5000 List

Miami – – September 18, 2026 -- Nineteen clients and three Strategic Partners of CEO Coaching International secured places on the 2026 Inc. 5000 list, with Paek Management Group ranking No. 12 nationally after posting 12,520% three-year revenue growth.

Inc. 5000 honorees post median 130% growth over three years

Companies across the full 2026 Inc. 5000 list recorded a median three-year revenue growth rate of 130%, collectively adding more than 627,208 jobs to the U.S. economy over that period. The list spans sectors including AI, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, consumer products, and professional services.

SMB Franchise Advisors Secures Minority Investment From Navigator Partners

Doylestown, Pa. – September 18, 2026 -- SMB Franchise Advisors has secured a strategic minority investment from principals of Navigator Partners, a private equity group based in Summit, N.J., in a deal designed to scale the franchise consultancy's support services for emerging and maturing brands.

New Board Unites SMB and Navigator Leadership

The transaction establishes a new Board of Directors combining Steve Beagelman, Founder and CEO of SMB, and Brian Luciani, Chief Growth Officer at SMB, with Navigator Managing Partners Bernard Markey and William Stewart. SMB's existing leadership team retains control of strategic decision-making and day-to-day operations.