Chris Buttenham

Chris is one of the founders of Reins and loves talking to small business owners across America. For over 15 years, he has owned various small businesses himself, and provides great insight into helping fellow owners with their retention and succession plans via phantom stock plans.
New Issues with Trade Licenses in SBA Deals (June 2025)
August 15, 2025
In skilled or specialty trade businesses (e.g., HVAC, electrical, plumbing), licenses often reside with a key employee or the seller. When the buyer isn’t licensed, the seller or a licensed key employee typically must remain involved post-transaction to maintain the company’s license.Effective June 1, 2025, the Small Business Administration (SBA) changed several rules around business‑sale loans.
Chris Buttenham
The SBA just made big changes (SOP 50 10 8)…what does it mean for you?
July 14, 2025
Starting June 1, 2025, the Small Business Administration (SBA) drastically tightened the rules around business‑sale loans (7(a)/504). Here’s what you really need to know and ways alternative equity might be able to help...
Chris Buttenham
Giving Employees Incentive Goals to Chase
May 19, 2025
Should you link profit sharing and phantom stock programs to goals? Let's review all the reasons a business should tie incentives to company or personal milestones.
Chris Buttenham
Selling Your Company: What Happens to the Phantom Stock?
May 5, 2025
After years of building your company, you’ve made the decision to sell, and you’ve even found a favorable offer. Now, you need to inform your team. If you’ve offered phantom stock to your key employees, they’ll want to know what happens to that equity. Though the numbers will be unique from one business to the next, here are the basics of what everyone needs to know.
Chris Buttenham
What are the motivators for using alternative equity incentives?
April 8, 2025
In new survey results based on feedback from 158 managers considering a profit-sharing program for their employees, a common motivation for the decision is apparent with 48% of respondents indicating the goal of retaining their long-term employees.
Chris Buttenham
Sharing Ownership Improves Employee Retention Rates: How Do I Calculate Mine?
April 15, 2025
Learn how offering equity programs in the form of phantom stock or profit sharing has given many businesses an advantage over their competition in both attracting new talent and improving their employee retention rate.
Chris Buttenham
Who Should Benefit from Profit Sharing? Understanding the Rules and Exceptions
April 4, 2025
Explore your profit sharing options in both traditional funded, qualified profit sharing and unfunded, non-qualified profit sharing. Who should you include and why?
Chris Buttenham
If you share profits, do you cut back on equity? Apparently not.
March 10, 2025
Chris Buttenham
Ramp Up Recruiting: Offer a phantom stock or equity plan
March 18, 2025
Learn how phantom stock and equity plans help you match financial incentives offered by corporations.
Chris Buttenham
Simplifying Tax Time with Phantom Stock and the Modern Agreement for Rewards and Equity (MARE)
March 4, 2025
Learn how offering phantom stock instead of traditional stock helps workers avoid the immediate tax burden.
Chris Buttenham
Jumpstart a Team-Based Culture with Retention Rewards and Performance Bonuses
February 18, 2024
Building a team-based culture creates a space where everyone feels appreciated and works together to achieve goals.
Chris Buttenham
Investing Wisely in Bonuses and Benefits Leads to Overall Savings
February 4, 2025
Employers who invest in bonuses and benefits for their teams can see overall savings, reduced turnover and improve productivity.
Chris Buttenham