EDGAR 10-K Filing

Company CIK: 1236275
Filing Year: 2024
Filename: 1236275_10-K_2024_0001185185-24-000237.json

---

ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Item 1. Business Overview
The Company is engaged in providing transformational business management applications and technologies and professional consulting services to small and medium size companies, primarily in the manufacturing, distribution and service industries.
We are executing a multi-pronged business strategy centered on cloud-based products, services, recurring revenue, customer retention and on rapidly increasing the size of our installed customer base. The growth of our customer base is accomplished via both our traditional marketing programs and acquisitions. After a customer is secured, our strategy is to up-sell and cross-sell, providing the customer with advanced technologies and third-party add-ons that help them digitally transform their business. These add-on products could include application hosting, cybersecurity, warehouse management, human capital management, payment automation, sales tax compliance or any number of other products or services that we represent. Many of these incremental products and services are billed on a subscription basis, often paying monthly for the service, which increases our monthly recurring revenue (“MRR”). This strategy increases the average revenue per customer, which facilitates our continued growth, and reduces our cost of customer acquisition, which enhances our profitability profile.
As a business application, technology and consulting company, we provide strategies and solutions to meet our clients’ information, technology and business management needs. Our services and technologies enable customers to manage, protect and monetize their enterprise assets whether on-premise or in the cloud. As a value-added reseller of business application software, we offer solutions for accounting and business management, financial reporting, Enterprise Resource Planning (“ERP”), Human Capital Management (“HCM”), Warehouse Management Systems (“WMS”), Customer Relationship Management (“CRM”), and Business Intelligence (“BI”). Additionally, we have our own development staff building software solutions for various ERP enhancements. Our value-added services focus on consulting and professional services, specialized programming, training, and technical support. We have a dedicated Information Technology (“IT”) managed services practice that provides cybersecurity, application hosting, disaster recovery, business continuity, cloud and other services. Our customers are nationwide, with concentrations in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, Arizona, Connecticut, Southern California, North Carolina, Washington, Oregon and Illinois.
Our core business is divided into the following practice areas:
ERP (Enterprise Resource Management) and Accounting Software
We are a value-added reseller for a number of industry-leading ERP applications. We are a Sage Software Authorized Business Partner and Sage Certified Gold Development Partner. We believe we are among the largest Sage partners in North America, with a sales and implementation presence complemented by a scalable software development practice for customizations and enhancements. Due to the growing demand for cloud-based ERP solutions, we also have in our ERP portfolio Acumatica, a browser-based ERP solution that can be offered on premise, in the public cloud, or in a private cloud, and Sage Intacct, a cloud-based ERP software solution. We develop and resell a variety of add-on solutions to all our ERP and accounting packages that help customize the installation to our customers’ needs and streamline their operations.
Value-Added Services for ERP
We go beyond simply reselling software packages; we have a consulting and professional services organization that manages the process as we move from the sales stage into implementation, go live, and production. We work inside our customers’ organizations to ensure all software and IT solutions are enhancing their business needs. A significant portion of our services revenue comes from continuing to work with existing customers as their business needs change, upgrading from one version of software to another, or providing additional software solutions to help them manage their business and grow their revenue. We have a dedicated help desk team that fields hundreds of calls every week. Our custom programming department builds specialized software packages as well as “off the shelf” enhancements and time and billing software.
Network and Managed Services
We provide comprehensive IT network and managed services designed to eliminate the IT concerns of our customers. Businesses can focus on their core strengths rather than technology issues. We adapt our solutions for virtually any type of business from product and service providers to small businesses with local customers. Our business continuity services provide automatic on-site and off-site backups, complete encryption, and automatic failure testing. We also provide application hosting, IT consulting and managed network services.
Industry Overview
As a value-added reseller of business application software, we offer solutions for accounting and business management, financial reporting, managed services, ERP, HCM, WMS, CRM, and BI. Additionally, we have our own development staff building software solutions for various ERP enhancements. Our value-added services focus on consulting and professional services, specialized programming, training, and technical support. The majority of our customers are small and medium businesses (“SMBs”).
Potential Competitive Strengths
•
Independent Software Vendor. As an independent software vendor we have published integrations between ERPs and third-party products which differentiates us from other business application providers because, as a value-added reseller of the ERPs that our proprietary products integrate with, we have specific software solution expertise in the ERPs we resell, which ensures that our products tightly integrate with the ERPs. We own the intellectual property related to these integrations and sell the solutions both directly and through other software resellers within the Sage network.
•
Sage Certified Gold Development Partner. As a Sage Certified Gold Development Partner, we are licensed to customize the source code of the Sage ERPs. Very few resellers are master developers, and in fact, we provide custom programming services for many other resellers. We have full-time programmers on staff, which provides us with a depth and breadth of expertise that we believe very few competitors can match.
•
Ability to Recruit, Manage and Retain Quality Personnel. We have a track record of recruiting, managing and retaining skilled labor and our ability to do so represents an important advantage in an industry in which a shortage of skilled labor is often a key limitation for both clients and competitors alike. We recruit skilled labor from competitors and from amongst end users with experience using the various products we sell, whom we then train as consultants. We believe our ability to hire, manage and maintain skilled labor gives us an edge over our competitors as we continue to grow.
•
Combination of Hardware/Software Expertise. Many competitors have software solution expertise. Others have network/hardware expertise. We believe we are among the very few organizations with an expertise in both software and hardware, affording us the opportunity to provide turnkey solutions for our customers without the need to bring in additional vendors on a project.
•
Technical Expertise. Our geographical reach and substantial technical capabilities afford our clients the ability to customize and tailor solutions to satisfy all of their business needs.
Our Growth Strategy
General
Our strategy is to grow our business through a combination of organic growth of our software applications, technology solutions and managed services, as well as expansion through acquisitions. We have established a national presence via our internal marketing, sales programs, and acquisitions and now have ERP customers throughout most of the United States.
Organic Growth
Our organic growth strategy is to increase our market penetration and client retention through the upgrade of, and expanded sales efforts with our existing products and managed services and development of new and enhanced software and technology solutions. Our client retention is sustained by our providing responsive, ongoing software and technical support and monitoring and maintenance services for both the solutions we sell and other client technology needs we provide.
Repeat business from our existing customer base has been key to our success and we expect it will continue to play a vital role in our growth. We focus on nurturing long-standing relationships with existing customers while also establishing relationships with new customers.
Acquisitions
The markets in which we provide our services are occupied by a large number of competitors, many substantially larger than us, and with significantly greater resources and geographic reach. We believe that to remain competitive, we need to take advantage of acquisition opportunities that arise which may help us achieve greater geographic presence and economies both within our existing footprint and expanded territories. We may also utilize acquisitions, whenever appropriate, to expand our technological capabilities and product offerings. We focus on acquisitions that are profitable and fit seamlessly with our existing operations.
We believe our markets contain a number of attractive acquisition candidates. We foresee expanding through acquisitions of one or more of the following types of software and technology organizations:
Managed Service Providers (“MSPs”). MSPs provide their small and medium-sized business clients with a suite of services, which may include application hosting, cybersecurity, disaster recovery, business continuity, data back-up, and the like. There are hundreds of providers of such services in the U.S., most with annual recurring revenue of less than $10 million. We believe that we may be able to consolidate a number of these MSPs with our existing operation in an effort to become one of the more significant providers of these services in the U.S.
Independent Software Vendors (“ISVs”). ISVs are publishers of both stand-alone software solutions and integrations that integrate with other third-party products. Our interest lies with ISVs selling into the small and medium-sized business marketplace, providing applications addressing e-commerce, mobility, security, and other functionalities. Since we have expertise in both selling directly to end-users and selling through a sales channel, we believe we can significantly enhance the sales volume of any potential acquisition via our existing infrastructure, our sales channel, and our internal marketing programs. There are many ISVs in North America, constituting a large and significant target base for our acquisition efforts.
Value-Added Resellers (“VARs”) of ERP, Human Capital Management (“HCM”), Warehouse Management Systems (“WMS”), CRM and BI Software. VAR’s gross margins are a function of the sales volume they provide a publisher in a twelve (12) month period, and we are currently operating at the highest margins. Smaller resellers who sell less and operate at significantly lower margins, are at a competitive disadvantage to companies such as ours, and are often amenable to creating a liquidity event for themselves by selling to larger organizations. We have benefitted from completing such acquisitions in a number of ways, including but not limited to: (i) garnering new customers to whom we can upsell and cross-sell our broad range of products and services; (ii) gaining technical resources that enhance our capabilities; and (iii) extending our geographic reach.
Our business strategy provides that we will examine the potential acquisition of businesses within and outside our industry. In determining a suitable acquisition candidate, we will carefully analyze a target’s potential to add to and complement our product mix, expand our existing revenue base, improve our margins, expand our geographic coverage, strengthen our management team, add technical resources and expertise, and, above all, improve stockholder returns. More specifically, we have identified the criteria listed below, by which we evaluate potential acquisition targets in an effort to gain the synergies necessary for successful growth of the Company:
●
Access to new customers and geographic markets;
●
Recurring revenue of the target;
●
Opportunity to gain operating leverage and increased profit margins;
●
Diversification of sales by customer and/or product;
●
Improvements in product/service offerings; and
●
Ability to attract public capital and increased investor interest.
We are unable to predict the nature, size or timing of any acquisition. We can give no assurance that we will reach agreement or procure the financial resources necessary to fund any acquisition, or that we will be able to successfully integrate or improve returns as a result of any such acquisition.
We continue to seek out and hold preliminary discussions with various acquisition candidates.
On April 1, 2021, SWK Technologies, Inc. (“SWK”) acquired certain assets of CT-Solution, Inc. (“CTS”), a leading Indianapolis-based reseller of Sage Software solutions. Over the last 20 years, CTS has implemented technology applications at prominent manufacturers, distributors, and professional service organizations throughout the Midwest.
On May 1, 2021, SWK acquired certain assets of PeopleSense, Inc. (“PSI”), a leading Chicago-based reseller of Sage Software's human resource management solutions. Over the last 18 years, PSI has implemented HCM solutions to clientele spanning over half of the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
On January 1, 2022, the Company entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Dynamic Tech Services, Inc (“DTS”), a Georgia corporation pursuant to which SWK acquired from DTS certain assets related to the component of DTS’ operations devoted to selling and supporting Acumatica Enterprise Resource Planning solutions.
On January 22, 2022, the Company entered into an agreement to acquire certain assets of NEO3, LLC (“NEO3”), an Ohio-based company related to its Sage 100 and Acumatica operations.
On November 13, 2023, SWK entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with JCS Computer Resource Corporation (“JCS”), an Illinois corporation pursuant to which SWK acquired from JCS certain assets (the “Acquired Assets”) related to the component of JCS’ business devoted to being a value added reseller of Sage 100, Sage 50, and Quickbooks software, together with ancillary consulting services related thereto.
Enterprise Resource Planning Software Strategy
Our ERP software strategy is focused on serving the needs of our expansive installed base of customers for our Sage 100, Sage 500, and Sage BusinessWorks practices, while rapidly growing the number of customers using Acumatica. We currently have approximately 8,000 active ERP customers using one of these solutions, including customers using certain add-on support products to these solutions. In the past, we had focused primarily on on-premise mid-market Sage Software solutions. However, we now focus primarily on cloud ERP solutions. This has allowed us to increase our average deal size and to keep pace with the changing trends that we see in the industry.
Managed Services Strategy
The IT Managed Services market is broadly segmented by types of services, including managed datacenter, managed network, managed mobility, managed infrastructure, managed communications, managed information, managed security and other managed services. In addition, the market is segmented by market verticals, such as public sector, banking, financial services and insurance, education, retail, contact centers and service industries, high tech and telecommunications, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, travel and logistics, manufacturing, energy and utilities among others.
The recent trend in the industry shows that there is a high demand for managed services across every industry vertical. The implementation of managed services can reduce IT costs by 30% to 40% in such enterprises. This enables organizations to have flexibility and technical advantage. Enterprises having their services outsourced look forward to risk sharing and to reduce their IT costs and IT commitments, so that they can concentrate on their core competencies. Organizations implementing managed services have reported almost a 50% to 60% increase in the operational efficiency of their outsourced processes. Enterprises have accepted outsourcing services as a means to enable them to reduce their capital expenditures (CapEx) and free up internal sources. Newer managed services that penetrate almost all the industry domains, along with aggressive pricing in services, are being offered. This results in an increase in the overall revenues of the managed services market. With increasing technological advancements and the cost challenges associated with having the IT services in-house, we believe the future seems optimistic for managed services providers.
Our strategy is to continue to expand our product offerings to the small and medium sized business marketplace, and to increase our scale and capabilities via acquisition throughout the United States, but initially in those regions where we currently have existing offices.
Geographic Expansion
Generally, our technology offerings require some on-premise implementation and support. When we expand into new geographic territories, we prefer to find qualified personnel in an area to augment our current staff of consultants to service our business. The need for hands-on implementation and support may also require investment in additional physical offices and other overhead. We believe our approach is conservative.
We may accelerate expansion if we find complementary businesses that we are able to acquire in other regions. Our marketing efforts to expand into new territories have included attendance at trade shows in addition to personal contact.
Our Products and Services
Enterprise Resource Planning Software
Substantially all our initial sales of ERP financial accounting solutions consist of pre-packaged software and associated services to customers in the United States.
The Company resells ERP software published by Sage Software, including Sage Intacct, Acumatica and other providers for the financial accounting requirements of small- and medium-sized businesses focused on manufacturing, distribution, and professional services, and the delivery of related services from the sales of these products, including installation, implementation, support and training. The programs perform and support a wide variety of functions related to accounting, including financial reporting, accounts payable and accounts receivable, and inventory management.
We provide end-user technical support services through our support/help desk. Our product and technology consultants assist customers calling with questions about product features, functions, usability issues, and configurations. The support/help desk offers services in a variety of ways, including prepaid services, time and materials billed as utilized and annual support contracts. Customers can communicate with the support/help desk through e-mail, telephone, and fax channels. Standard support/help desk services are offered during normal business hours five (5) days per week.
Warehouse Management Systems
We are resellers of warehouse management software for mid-market distributors. The primary purpose of a WMS is to control the movement and storage of materials within an operation and process the associated transactions. Directed picking, directed replenishment, and directed put-away are the key to WMS. The detailed setup and processing within a WMS can vary significantly from one software vendor to another. However, the basic WMS will use a combination of item, location, quantity, unit of measure, and order information to determine where to stock, where to pick, and in what sequence to perform these operations.
The WMS software improves accuracy and efficiency, streamlines materials handling, meets retail compliance requirements, and refines inventory control. Accellos also works as part of a complete operational solution by integrating seamlessly with radio frequency hardware, accounting software, shipping systems and warehouse automation equipment.
We market WMS solutions to both our new and existing medium-sized business customers.
IT Managed Network Services and Business Consulting
We provide IT managed services, cybersecurity, business continuity, disaster recovery, data back-up, network maintenance and service upgrades for our business clients. We are a Microsoft Solutions Provider. Our staff includes engineers who maintain certifications from Microsoft and Sage Software. They are Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers and Microsoft Certified Professionals, and they provide a host of services for our clients, including remote network monitoring, server implementation, support and assistance, operation and maintenance of large central systems, technical design of network infrastructure, technical troubleshooting for large scale problems, network and server security, and backup, archiving, and storage of data from servers. There are numerous competitors, both larger and smaller, nationally and locally, with whom we compete in this market.
Cybersecurity
We provide enterprise level security services to the mid-market. Our cybersecurity-as-a-service offering includes a security operations center, incident response, cybersecurity assessments, penetration testing, and hacking simulations. The service is particularly well-suited for customers in compliance-driven and regulated industries, including financial services, pension administration, insurance, and the land and title sector.
Application Hosting
We provide hosting services to customers located throughout the country within our own data centers.
Product Development
We are continually looking to improve and develop new products. Our product initiatives include various new product offerings, which generally are extensions of existing products. We are using a dual-shore development approach to keep product development costs at a minimum. All our product development is led by U.S. based employees. The project leaders are technical resources who are involved in developing technical specifications, design decisions, usability testing, and transferring the project knowledge to our offshore development team. Several times per week, the product development leadership team meets with our project leaders and development teams to discuss project status, development obstacles, and project timelines.
Arrangements with Principal Suppliers
Our revenues are primarily derived from the resale of vendor software products and services. These resales are made pursuant to channel sales agreements whereby we are granted authority to purchase and resell the vendor products and services. Under these agreements, we either resell software directly to our customers or act as a sales agent for various vendors and receive commissions for our sales efforts.
We are required to enter into an annual Channel Partner Agreement with Sage Software whereby Sage Software appoints us as a non-exclusive partner to market, distribute, and support Sage 100, Sage 500, and Sage Intacct. The Channel Partner Agreement is for a one-year term, and automatically renews for an additional one-year term on the anniversary of the agreement’s effective date. These agreements authorize us to sell these software products to customers in the United States. There are no clauses in this agreement that limit or restrict the services that we can offer to customers. We also operate a Sage Software Authorized Training Center Agreement and are party to a Master Developers Program License Agreement.
For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, purchases from one supplier through a “channel partner” agreement were approximately 16% and 15% respectively. This channel partner agreement is for a one-year term and automatically renews for an additional one-year term on the anniversary of the agreements effective date. Generally, the Company does not rely on any one specific supplier for all its purchases and maintains relationships with other suppliers that could replace its existing supplier should the need arise.
Customers
We market our products primarily throughout North America. For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the top ten customers accounted for 9% ($4,869,634) and 7% ($3,147,258), respectively, of total revenues. Generally, we do not rely on any one specific customer for any significant portion of our revenue base. No single customer accounted for ten percent or more of our consolidated revenues base.
Intellectual Property
We regard our technology and other proprietary rights as essential to our business. We rely on copyright, trade secret, confidentiality procedures, contract provisions, and trademark law to protect our technology and intellectual property. We have also entered into confidentiality agreements with our consultants and corporate partners and intend to control access to, and distribution of our products, documentation, and other proprietary information.
Competition
Our markets are highly fragmented, and the business is characterized by a large number of participants, including several large companies, as well significant number of small, privately-held, local competitors. A significant portion of our revenue is currently derived from requests for proposals (“RFPs”) and price is often an important factor in awarding such agreements. Accordingly, our competitors may underbid us if they elect to price their services aggressively to procure such business. Our competitors may also develop the expertise, experience and resources to provide services that are equal or superior in both price and quality to our services, and we may not be able to enhance our competitive position. The principal competitive factors for our professional services include geographic presence, breadth of service offerings, technical skills, quality of service and industry reputation. We believe we compete favorably with our competitors on the basis of these factors.
Human Capital
As of January 31, 2024, we had approximately 195 full time employees with 48 of our employees engaged in sales and marketing activities, 108 employees engaged in service fulfillment, and 39 employees performing administrative functions. SilverSun’s future success depends in significant part upon the continued services of its key sales, technical, and senior management personnel and its ability to attract and retain highly qualified sales, technical, and managerial personnel. None of SilverSun’s employees are represented by a collective bargaining agreement and SilverSun Holdings has never experienced a work stoppage.
Human capital management is critical to our ongoing business success, which requires investing in our people. Our aim is to create a highly engaged and motivated workforce where employees are inspired by leadership, engaged in purpose-driven, meaningful work and have opportunities for growth and development. We are committed to creating and maintaining a work environment in which employees are treated with respect and dignity. We value our diverse employees and provide career and professional development opportunities that foster the success of our company. An effective approach to human capital management requires that we invest in talent, development, culture and employee engagement. We aim to create an environment where our employees are encouraged to make positive contributions and fulfill their potential. We emphasize our core values of innovation, encouragement, motivation, and curiosity with our employees to instill our culture and create an environment of growth and positivity.
Our Corporate History
We were incorporated on October 3, 2002, as a wholly owned subsidiary of iVoice, Inc. (“iVoice”). On September 5, 2005, we changed our corporate name to Trey Resources, Inc. On February 11, 2004, the Company was spun off from iVoice and became an independent publicly traded company. In March 2004, Trey Resources, Inc. began trading on the OTCBB under the symbol TYRIA.OB. In June 2011, we changed our name to SilverSun Technologies, Inc., trading under the symbol SSNT.
Prior to June 2004, we were engaged in the design, manufacture, and marketing of specialized telecommunication equipment. On June 2, 2004, our wholly owned subsidiary, SWK Technologies, Inc. (“SWK”) completed its acquisition of SWK, Inc.
On June 2, 2006, SWK completed the acquisition of certain assets of AMP-Best Consulting, Inc. (“AMP”) of Syracuse, New York. AMP is an information technology company and value-added reseller of licensed ERP software published by Sage Software. AMP sold services and products to various end users, manufacturers, wholesalers and distribution industry clients located throughout the United States, with special emphasis on companies located in the upstate New York region.
During 2011, SWK acquired Sage’s Software’s customer accounts in connection with IncorTech, LLC (“IncorTech”), a Southern California-based Sage business partner. This transaction increased our geographical influence in Southern California for the sale and support of our MAPADOC integrated EDI solution and the marketing of our Sage EM (formerly Sage ERP X3) to both former IncorTech customers as well as new consumers. IncorTech had previously provided professional accounting, technology, and business consulting services to over 300 clients.
In June 2012, SWK acquired selected assets and obligations of Hightower, Inc., a Chicago-based reseller of Sage software applications. In addition to the strategic geographic benefits that this acquisition brought to SWK, there was also a substantial suite of proprietary enhancement software solutions.
In May 2014, we completed the purchase of selected assets of ESC Software (“ESC”), a leading Arizona-based reseller of Sage Software and Acumatica applications. Founded in 2000, ESC has implemented technology solutions at prominent companies throughout the Southwest. In addition to the strategic benefits of this acquisition, it has given us additional annual revenues, approximately 300 additional Sage Software ERP customers and affords us market penetration in the Southwest.
On March 11, 2015, SWK entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with 2000 SOFT, Inc. d/b/a Accounting Technology Resource (“ATR”), a California corporation. In addition to the strategic geographic benefits of this acquisition, it has provided additional revenues from the approximately 250 additional customers.
On July 6, 2015, SWK entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Productive Tech, Inc. (“PTI”), a New Jersey managed IT service provider. corporation. In addition to the strategic geographic benefits of this acquisition, it has provided additional revenues from the approximately 85 additional customers.
On October 1, 2015, SWK entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with The Macabe Associates, Inc., (“Macabe”) a Washington based reseller of Sage Software and Acumatica applications. In addition to the strategic geographic benefits of this acquisition, it has provided additional revenues from the approximately 180 additional customers.
On October 19, 2015, SWK entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Oates & Company, (“Oates”) a North Carolina reseller of Sage Software applications. In addition to the strategic geographic benefits of this acquisition, it has provided additional revenues from the approximately 185 additional customers.
On May 31, 2018, SWK entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Info Sys Management, Inc., (“ISM”) an Oregon based reseller of Sage Software and Acumatica applications. In addition to the strategic geographic benefits of this acquisition, it has provided additional revenues from the approximately 700 additional customers.
In May 2018, the Company formed a wholly owned subsidiary, Secure Cloud Services, Inc. (“SCS”), a Nevada corporation, for the purpose of providing application hosting services. On May 31, 2018, Secure Cloud Services entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Nellnube, Inc. (“Nellnube”) an Oregon based application hosting provider.
In May 2018, the Company formed a wholly owned subsidiary, Critical Cyber Defense Corp. (“CCDC”), a Nevada corporation, for the purpose of providing cyber defense products and services.
On January 1, 2019, SWK entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Partners in Technology, Inc.(“PIT”), an Illinois based reseller of Sage Software. In addition to the strategic geographic benefits of this acquisition, it has provided additional revenues from the approximately 170 additional customers.
On August 26, 2019 SWK entered into and closed that certain Asset Purchase Agreement (the “MAPADOC Asset Purchase Agreement”) by and among the Company, SPS Commerce, Inc., as buyer (“SPS”), and SWK as seller, pursuant to which SPS agreed to acquire from SWK substantially all of the assets related to the MAPADOC business.
On July 31, 2020, the Company entered into an Asset Agreement to acquire certain assets of Prairie Technology Solutions Group, LLC, (“PT”), a Chicago-based managed services provider ("MSP") which provides managed IT services, cybersecurity, and business continuity and disaster recovery services for small and medium-sized businesses pursuant to an Asset Agreement. This acquisition will help us in our plans to expand our MSP business to other regions where we currently have significant numbers of customers from our other technology businesses, including Phoenix, Southern California, the Pacific Northwest, and North Carolina.
On October 1, 2020, the Company acquired certain assets of Computer Management Services, LLC (“CMS”) pursuant to an Asset Purchase Agreement. CMS is in the business of selling and supporting enterprise resource planning and similar software for small and middle market companies. In addition to the strategic geographic benefits of this acquisition, it has provided additional revenues from its additional customers.
On December 1, 2020, the Company acquired certain assets of a company d/b/a Business Software Solutions (“BSS”) pursuant to an Asset Purchase Agreement. BSS is an Oregon based reseller of Sage Software and Acumatica applications. In addition to the strategic geographic benefits of this acquisition, it has provided additional revenues from its additional customers.
On April 1, 2021, SWK acquired certain assets of CT-Solution, Inc. (“CTS”), a leading Indianapolis-based reseller of Sage Software solutions. Over the last 20 years, CT-Solution has implemented technology applications at prominent manufacturers, distributors, and professional service organizations throughout the Midwest.
On May 1, 2021, SWK acquired certain assets of PeopleSense, Inc. (“PSI”), a leading Chicago-based reseller of Sage Software's human resource management solutions. Over the last 18 years, PeopleSense has implemented HCM solutions to clientele spanning over half of the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
On November 10, 2021, SWK entered into an asset purchase agreement (the “Asset Purchase Agreement”) with Net@Work, Inc. (“NAW”) pursuant to which NAW acquired from SWK certain assets related to the component of SWK’s business devoted to selling and supporting the Sage X3 software application published by Sage Software, Inc. for small and middle market companies in North America.
On January 1, 2022, SWK entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Dynamic Tech Services, Inc (DTS”), a Georgia corporation (“DTS”) pursuant to which SWK acquired from DTS certain assets related to the component of DTS’ operations devoted to selling and supporting Acumatica Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning solutions.
On January 22, 2022, entered into an agreement to acquire certain assets of NEO3, LLC (“NEO3”), an Ohio-based company related to its Sage 100 and Acumatica operations.
On November 13, 2023, SWK entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with JCS Computer Resource Corporation (“JCS”), an Illinois corporation pursuant to which SWK acquired from JCS certain assets (the “Acquired Assets”) related to the component of JCS’ business devoted to being a value-added reseller of Sage 100, Sage 50, and QuickBooks software, together with ancillary consulting services related thereto.
Recent Events - Rhodium
On September 29, 2022, SilverSun entered into a definitive agreement and plan of merger (the “Rhodium Merger Agreement”) by and among SilverSun, Rhodium Enterprises Acquisition Corp, Rhodium Enterprises Acquisition LLC and Rhodium Enterprises, Inc., an industrial-scale digital asset technology company utilizing proprietary technologies to mine bitcoin. On October 13, 2023, SilverSun terminated the Rhodium Merger Agreement.
Recent Events - Jacobs Private Equity II, LLC (“JPE”)
On December 3, 2023, SilverSun entered into an Investment Agreement (as it may be amended or supplemented, the “Investment Agreement”), with Jacobs Private Equity II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“JPE”), and the other investors party thereto (the “Other Investors,” and together with JPE, the “Investors”), providing for an aggregate investment by the Investors of $1,000,000,000 in cash in SilverSun, including $900,000,000 from JPE (the “Equity Investment”). The Investment Agreement has been unanimously approved by the SilverSun board of directors. Following the closing (the “Closing”) of the Equity Investment (together with all of the other transactions contemplated by the Investment Agreement), JPE will become the controlling stockholder of SilverSun, and Brad Jacobs, the Managing Member of JPE, will become Chairman of the SilverSun board of directors and Chief Executive Officer of SilverSun.
Following the Closing, SilverSun intends to pursue a business strategy of creating a tech-forward leader in the building products distribution industry. After spinning off the existing SilverSun business as described below, the remaining company, which will be renamed QXO, Inc., will be a standalone platform for acquisitions and operations in the building products distribution industry.
At least two days prior to the Closing, SilverSun will amend and restate its certificate of incorporation (the “Charter Amendment”) or the “Fifth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”) to, among other things, effect an 8:1 reverse stock split (the “Reverse Stock Split”) with respect to SilverSun’s common stock, par value $0.00001 per share (“SilverSun common stock”). Upon the Closing and giving effect to the Reverse Stock Split, SilverSun will issue to the Investors, in the aggregate: (a) 1,000,000 shares of Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock of SilverSun (the “Convertible Preferred Stock”) that, in the aggregate, will be convertible into approximately 219 million shares of SilverSun common stock at an initial conversion price of $4.566 per share (equivalent to $0.571 per share pre-Reverse Stock Split), subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments; and (b) warrants to purchase an additional approximately 219 million shares of SilverSun common stock (the “Warrants,” and together with the Convertible Preferred Stock, the “Securities”) at initial exercise prices of $4.566 per share (equivalent to $0.571 per share pre-Reverse Stock Split) with respect to 50% of the Warrants, $6.849 per share (equivalent to $0.856 per share pre-Reverse Stock Split) with respect to 25% of the Warrants, and $13.698 per share (equivalent to $1.712 per share pre-Reverse Stock Split) with respect to the remaining 25% of the Warrants, in each case subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments. Following the Closing, the Investors will own approximately 99.85% of SilverSun common stock on an as-converted, as-exercised basis.
The Convertible Preferred Stock will pay quarterly cash dividends equal to the greater of (a) the as-converted dividends on the underlying Company common stock for the relevant quarter and (b) 9% of the then-applicable liquidation preference per annum. Accrued and unpaid dividends for any quarter will accrete to liquidation preference for all purposes. The Convertible Preferred Stock will not be redeemable and will vote together with the Company’s common stock on an as-converted basis on all matters, except as otherwise required by law, and separately as a class with respect to certain matters implicating the rights of holders of shares of Convertible Preferred Stock. The terms of the Convertible Preferred Stock are more fully set forth in Exhibit A to the Investment Agreement filed herewith.
Each Warrant will initially be exercisable at any time and from time to time from the closing date until the tenth anniversary of the Closing date, at the option of the holder thereof, into one share of Company common stock at the exercise prices described above, subject to customary anti-dilution adjustments. The terms of the Warrants are more fully set forth in Exhibit B to the Investment Agreement that was filed as Exhibit 2.1 to our Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 4, 2023.
Under the terms of the Investment Agreement, SilverSun will, six days after the Closing (the “Distribution Date”), separate the existing SilverSun business (the “Separation”) into SilverSun Technologies Holdings, Inc., a Nevada corporation and currently a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“SilverSun Holdings” or “SpinCo”), and distribute all of the shares of SilverSun Holdings (the “Distribution”) to the stockholders of SilverSun as of the close of business on a record date that is expected to be one day prior to the date of closing (the “Record Date”) (collectively, the “Spin-Off”) in accordance with a separation and distribution agreement to be executed between SilverSun and SilverSun Technologies Holdings on or prior to the Distribution Date (the “Separation Agreement”). Upon completion of the Distribution, each SilverSun stockholder as of the Record Date will receive eight shares of common stock, par value $0.00001 per share, of SilverSun Holdings (“SilverSun Holdings common stock”), for every share of SilverSun common stock held as of the close of business on the Record Date. SilverSun Holdings common stock will be issued in book-entry form only, which means that no physical share certificates will be issued. No fractional shares of SilverSun Holdings common stock will be issued.
Also pursuant to the Investment Agreement and the Separation Agreement, SilverSun will declare a $2.5 million aggregate cash dividend to its stockholders of record as of the Record Date (the “Dividend”). The Dividend will be paid on the Distribution Date from proceeds received by SilverSun from the Equity Investment.
The Charter Amendment and the transactions contemplated by the Investment Agreement (including the issuance and sale to the Investors of the Securities), among other matters, were submitted for approval at the Special Meeting of the stockholders of SilverSun held at 9:00 A.M.EST on March 14, 2024 (the “Special Meeting”) as discussed in the definitive proxy statement of SilverSun dated February 13, 2024 and were approved at the Special Meeting. As a result of the approval of the proposals set forth in such definitive proxy statement and subject to the closing under the Investment Agreement, eligible shareholders do not need to take any action to receive their shares of SilverSun Holdings common stock in connection with the Distribution. It is expected that their shares of SilverSun Holdings common stock will trade on the OTCQX tier of OTC Markets and that their shares of SilverSun common stock will continue to trade on The Nasdaq Capital Market. Shortly after the Closing, SilverSun is expected to change its name to QXO, Inc. Once renamed, SilverSun is expected to change the ticker symbol of its common stock to “QXO.” Until such time, SilverSun will continue to trade on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “SSNT.”
Following the Distribution, SilverSun Holdings will operate through its direct subsidiaries SWK, SCS and CCDC and conduct the business conducted by SilverSun prior to the Distribution and the Closing under the Investment Agreement.
One day prior to the date of the Distribution, SilverSun and SilverSun Holdings will enter into an Employee Matters Agreement (the “Employee Matters Agreement”). The Employee Matters Agreement sets forth the terms and conditions of certain employment, compensation and benefit matters related to the Distribution beyond those covered by the Separation Agreement.
One day prior to the date of the Distribution, SilverSun and SilverSun Holdings will also enter into a Tax Matters Agreement (the “Tax Matters Agreement”). The Tax Matters Agreement will govern the respective rights, responsibilities and obligations of SilverSun and SilverSun Holdings after the Distribution with respect to tax liabilities and benefits, tax attributes, certain indemnification rights with respect to tax matters, the preparation and filing of tax returns, the control of audits and other tax proceedings, the intended federal income tax characterization of the Separation and the Distribution and the agreed-upon reporting thereof and certain other tax matters.
The Distribution will have tax consequences to SilverSun and the SilverSun stockholders that receive shares of SilverSun Holdings in the Distribution.
Following the Spin-Off, the Company’s current executive officers and directors, including Mark Meller, SilverSun’s chief executive officer, are expected to continue in their current roles at SilverSun Holdings and its subsidiaries. SilverSun Holdings will apply for the public quotation of its shares on the OTCQX tier of OTC Markets, which shares will be registered pursuant to a Form 10 registration statement that has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
The Investment Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Investment Agreement have been approved by SilverSun’s board of directors. The approval of the Equity Investment, the Fifth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including the 8:1 reverse stock split contemplated therein) and the equity incentive plan proposed by JPE were approved by the stockholders at the Special Meeting. The transactions are also subject to the receipt of necessary antitrust approvals and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.
Following the Closing of the Equity Investment, the board of directors of SilverSun will be reconstituted such that (a) the number of seats on the board of directors will be as directed by JPE, (b) each of such directors (including Mr. Jacobs) will be individuals designated by JPE, (c) each standing committee of the board of directors of the Company will be reconstituted in a manner designated by JPE and (d) Mr. Jacobs will be appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of SilverSun and Chief Executive Officer of SilverSun. For information regarding the expected terms of Mr. Jacobs engagement, see “Jacobs Employment Agreement.”
In addition, the current executive officers of SilverSun will resign and new officers designated by JPE will be appointed, and SilverSun will change its name and trading symbol as determined by JPE.
Under the Investment Agreement, between signing and Closing, the Company will cooperate with JPE in JPE’s efforts for the Company to consummate an acquisition of one or more businesses selected by JPE, the consummation of which will not occur until the closing of the Spin-Off. Such cooperation by the Company will include signing any definitive agreements with respect to such acquisition so long as the closing thereunder does not occur until the Closing. JPE will pay for the expenses of this cooperation until the closing of the Spin-Off, at which point the Company will reimburse JPE for all such expenses (with the intention being that these expenses shall not reduce cash otherwise available to SilverSun Holdings).
If JPE consummates an acquisition of a business or businesses before the Closing, at the sole election of JPE, JPE may contribute such business or businesses to the Company and the Company will cooperate with JPE to effectuate any such contribution. As part of such contribution, the Company will issue to JPE (and as directed by JPE) shares of Convertible Preferred Stock and Warrants with a value equal to the amount paid by JPE to purchase such business or businesses contributed by JPE, based on the same per share of Convertible Preferred Stock/per Warrant prices set forth above, and in such case the portion of the purchase price otherwise payable by JPE to the Company will be reduced by the amount JPE paid for the contributed business or businesses.
Under the Investment Agreement, the Company will be subject to restrictions on its ability to solicit alternative acquisition proposals from third parties and to provide non-public information to and enter into discussions or negotiations with third parties regarding alternative acquisition proposals, subject to the exceptions set forth in the Investment Agreement. The Investment Agreement contains termination rights for both JPE and the Company, including, among others, for the Company if its board changes its recommendation to its stockholders of the Equity Investment in connection with a Superior Proposal (as defined in the Investment Agreement) to acquire the Company, and for JPE in the event of the Board changing its recommendation to its stockholders of the Equity Investment. Upon termination of the Investment Agreement in connection with a Superior Proposal and certain other circumstances described in the Investment Agreement, the Company may be obligated to pay JPE a termination fee of $600,000.
Under the Investment Agreement, JPE will be permitted to delay the Closing of the Equity Investment, on one or more occasions, to a date that does not exceed 12 months following the December 3, 2023 signing (subject to the continued satisfaction of closing conditions at such time). If JPE delays the Closing by more than 7 months following the signing, JPE will pay the Company the following fees on the first day of each additional month, starting with the first day of the eighth month: (a) month eight (8): $40,000, (b) month nine (9): $40,000, (c) month ten (10): $50,000, (d) month eleven (11): $50,000; and (e) month twelve (12): $50,000.
Concurrently with the Closing of the Equity Investment, the Company and the Investors will enter into a Registration Rights Agreement with respect to the shares of Convertible Preferred Stock and Warrants and the shares of Company common stock issuable upon conversion or exercise thereof, which agreement will contain, among other customary provisions, the terms set forth on Exhibit C to the Investment Agreement filed herewith. In addition, concurrently with the Closing of the Equity Investment, the Company and the Investors will enter into a stockholders’ agreement in the form attached as Exhibit G to the Investment Agreement filed herewith.
Upon the Closing of the Equity Investment, the SilverSun Technologies, Inc. 2019 Equity and Incentive Plan and all outstanding options issued thereunder, if any, will be terminated.
The Company and the Investors have made customary representations and warranties and covenants in the Investment Agreement.
Plan of Reorganization
Prior to Closing, SilverSun will contribute to SilverSun Holdings all of the issued and outstanding stock of SWK, SCS, and CCDC to SilverSun Holdings resulting in SWK, SCS and CCDC being direct wholly owned subsidiaries of SilverSun Holdings and SWK Technologies Canada, Inc., an Ontario corporation, which is currently owned by SWK and at the time of such Contribution will continue being owned by SWK, being an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of SilverSun Holdings.
In addition, at least one day prior to Closing the Equity Investment, SilverSun will contribute all of its assets, liabilities and employees to SilverSun Holdings.
Prior to the Distribution Date, SilverSun will declare the Dividend, and the Dividend will be paid to the SilverSun stockholders as of the Record Date on the Distribution Date from proceeds received by SilverSun from the Equity Investment.
In addition, at the Effective Time on the Distribution Date, each holder of SilverSun common stock as of the Record Date will receive eight shares of SilverSun Holdings common stock for every share of SilverSun common stock held as of the close of business on the Record Date by such holder of SilverSun common stock as of the Record Date. No fractional shares of SilverSun Holdings common stock will be issued.
The Separation Agreement sets forth the terms and conditions regarding the Separation and the Distribution. In addition, the Separation Agreement governs the treatment of indemnification, insurance, and litigation responsibility and management of SilverSun Holdings and SilverSun after the date of Distribution. The Separation Agreement provides that SilverSun Holdings will indemnify SilverSun following the Distribution for any obligations and liabilities related to or arising from the SilverSun Holdings’ obligations and liabilities related to or arising from its respective businesses.
In addition to the Separation Agreement, SilverSun Holdings will enter several other agreements with us to effect the Separation and provide a framework for our relationship with SilverSun Holdings after the Separation including the Tax Matters Agreement and Employee Matters Agreement. These agreements will provide for the allocation between SilverSun Holdings and its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and SilverSun and its subsidiaries, on the other hand, of the assets, liabilities, legal entities, and obligations associated with the business application, technology and consulting businesses, on the one hand, and the other SilverSun businesses (including the expected building products distribution business), on the other hand, and will govern the relationship between SilverSun Holdings and its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and SilverSun and its subsidiaries, on the other hand, subsequent to the Separation and the Distribution.
The Separation and the Distribution is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions. For a more detailed description of these conditions, see “Conditions to the Distribution” filed as Exhibit I to the Investment Agreement filed as Exhibit 2.1 on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 4, 2023. We cannot provide any assurances that SilverSun will complete the Separation and the Distribution.
Reasons for the Separation
The SilverSun board of directors and its various committees have met regularly; engaged in an extensive evaluation and analysis of the businesses conducted through its subsidiaries; explored opportunities to drive enhanced performance and stockholder value; consulted with financial, legal, tax, and accounting advisors; and engaged in a strategic review of the growth prospects, enterprise value, end-markets, customers, financial market considerations, credit and insurance factors, and business operations in the current market for each business.
Following a strategic review, it was determined that separating the SpinCo Business (as such term is defined in the Separation Agreement) from the building products distribution businesses expected to be conducted by SilverSun following Closing would create two companies with attributes that best position each company for long-term success, including the following:
●
Distinct Focus. Each company will benefit from a distinct strategic and management focus on its specific operational and growth priorities.
●
Differentiated Investment Theses. Each company will offer differentiated and compelling investment opportunities based on its particular operating and financial model, allowing it to more closely align with its natural investor type.
●
Optimized Balance Sheet and Capital Allocation Priorities. Each company will operate with a capital structure and capital deployment strategy tailored to its specific business model and growth strategies without having to compete with the other for investment capital.
●
Direct Access to Capital Markets. Each company will have its own equity structure that will afford it direct access to the capital markets and allow it to capitalize on its unique growth opportunities appropriate to its business.
●
Incremental Stockholder Value. Each company will benefit from the investment community’s ability to value its businesses independently within the context of its particular industry with the anticipation that, over time, the aggregate market value of the companies will be higher, on a fully distributed basis and assuming the same market conditions, than if SilverSun were to remain under its current configuration.
The SilverSun board of directors also considered a number of potentially negative factors in evaluating the Separation, including:
●
Risk of Failure to Achieve Anticipated Benefits of the Separation. We may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the separation for a variety of reasons, including, among others: the Separation will demand significant management resources and require significant amounts of management’s time and effort, which may divert management’s attention from operating our business; following the Separation, we may be more susceptible to market fluctuations, and other events may be more disadvantageous for us than if we were still part of SilverSun, because our business would be less diversified than if the Separation and the Distribution were to not be consummated after the Closing.
●
Disruptions and Costs Related to the Separation. The actions required to separate the SpinCo Business from SilverSun could disrupt our operations. In addition, in connection with the Separation, we will incur costs that may, in the aggregate, be substantial. These costs may include accounting, tax, legal and other professional services costs, recruiting and relocation costs associated with hiring key senior management personnel who are new to SilverSun and tax costs.
●
Uncertainty Regarding Stock Prices. We cannot predict with certainty the effect of the Separation on the trading prices of SilverSun Holdings common stock or SilverSun common stock or know whether the combined market value of one share of our common stock and one share of SilverSun common stock will be less than, equal to or greater than the market value of one share of SilverSun common stock prior to the Distribution.
In determining whether to pursue the separation, the SilverSun board of directors concluded the potential benefits of the Separation outweighed the potential negative factors. However, neither we nor SilverSun can assure you that, following the Separation, any of the benefits described above or otherwise will be realized to the extent anticipated or at all. For more information see “Risk Factors.”
Formation of SilverSun Technologies Holdings
SilverSun Technologies Holdings was formed as a Nevada corporation on November 30, 2023 for the purpose of holding the SpinCo Business. As part of SilverSun’s plan to separate the SpinCo Business from the remainder of its business, in connection with the plan of reorganization pursuant to the Separation Agreement, SilverSun plans to transfer the equity interests of certain entities that are expected to operate the SpinCo Business and the assets and liabilities of the SpinCo Business to SilverSun Holdings prior to the Distribution. For additional information, see “Plan of Reorganization.”
Results of the Distribution
After the Distribution, SilverSun Holdings will be a publicly-traded company. On the Distribution Date and effective as of the Effective Time, SilverSun will distribute all of the issued and outstanding shares of SilverSun Holdings common stock owned by it to the SilverSun stockholders as of the Record Date based on the distribution ratio of eight shares of SilverSun Holdings common stock for every one share of SilverSun common stock held by such holder of SilverSun common stock as of the Record Date. The actual number of shares to be distributed will be determined on the Record Date.
Regulatory Approvals
We must complete the requirements for our common stock, including the shares underlying the Convertible Preferred Stock and the Warrants, to continue to be approved for listing on Nasdaq and for the common stock of SilverSun Holdings to be quoted on the OTCQX. be approved for quotation on OTCQX. We must also the file a notification and report under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended and satisfy the applicable waiting period thereunder, Other than these requirements, we do not believe that any other material governmental or regulatory filings or approvals will be necessary to close the Investment Agreement and consummate the Distribution.
In addition under the Investment Agreement, SilverSun and the Investors have agreed to use their reasonable best efforts to obtain all required governmental approvals in connection with the completion of the transactions contemplated by the Investment Agreement (including the Separation, the Distribution and the Dividend). SilverSun and JPE have determined that a filing under the HSR Act is required in connection with the Equity Investment. We are unaware of any other material federal, state or foreign regulatory requirements or approvals required for completion of the Equity Investment.
Appraisal Rights
No SilverSun stockholder will have any appraisal rights in connection with the Separation or Distribution.
Trading of Our Common Stock
Beginning on the Record Date and continuing up to and including the Distribution Date, we expect that there will be two markets in SilverSun common stock: a “regular-way” market and an “ex-distribution” market. Shares of SilverSun common stock that trade on the “regular-way” market will trade with an entitlement to receive the Dividend and shares of SilverSun Holdings’ common stock in connection with the Distribution. Shares of SilverSun common stock that trade on the “ex-distribution” market will trade without an entitlement to receive the Dividend and shares of SilverSun Holdings’ common stock in the Distribution. Therefore, SilverSun shareholders that sell shares of SilverSun common stock on the “regular-way” market after the Record Date and up to and including through the Distribution Date, will be selling their right to receive the Dividend and shares of SilverSun Holdings’ common stock in connection with the Distribution. If a shareholder owns shares of SilverSun common stock as of the Record Date and sell those shares on the “ex-distribution” market, up to and including through the Distribution Date, the shareholder will still receive the Dividend and the shares of SilverSun Holdings’ common stock that they would be entitled to receive in respect of your ownership, as of the Record Date, of the shares of SilverSun common stock that they sold.
Furthermore, beginning on the Record Date and continuing up to and including the Distribution Date, we expect there will be a “when-issued” market in SilverSun Holdings’ common stock. “When-issued” trading refers to a sale or purchase made conditionally because the security has been authorized but not yet issued. The “when-issued” trading market will be a market for shares of SilverSun Holdings’ common stock that will be distributed to SilverSun stockholders on the Distribution Date. If you own shares of SilverSun common stock as of the Record Date, you would be entitled to receive shares of SilverSun Holdings’ common stock in connection with the Distribution. You may trade this entitlement to receive shares of SilverSun Holdings’ common stock, without trading the shares of SilverSun common stock you own, in the “when-issued” market. On the first trading day following the Distribution Date, we expect “when-issued” trading with respect to SilverSun Holdings’ common stock will end and “regular-way” trading in SilverSun Holdings’ common stock will begin.
Conditions to the Distribution
The consummation of the Distribution is subject to the satisfaction or waiver by SilverSun in its sole and absolute discretion of the following conditions:
●
the SEC will have declared effective SilverSun Holdings’ registration statement on Form 10, under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement on Form 10 will be in effect; and no proceedings for such purpose will be pending or threatened by the SEC;
●
this information statement exhibit to the Form 10 will have been mailed or otherwise made available to the holders of SilverSun common stock as of the Record Date;
●
the transfer of the SilverSun Holdings assets and the assumption of the SilverSun Holdings liabilities contemplated to be transferred from SilverSun (or the applicable subsidiary of SilverSun) to SilverSun Holdings (or the applicable subsidiary of SilverSun Holdings) on or prior to the Distribution will have occurred, and the transfer of SilverSun retained assets and assumption of the SilverSun retained liabilities contemplated to be transferred from SilverSun Holdings (or the applicable subsidiary of SilverSun Holdings) to SilverSun (or the applicable subsidiary of SilverSun) on or prior to the Distribution Date will have occurred, in each pursuant to the plan of reorganization included in the Separation Agreement and in accordance with and subject to the terms of the Separation Agreement;
●
each of the other ancillary agreements contemplated by the Separation Agreement will have been duly executed and delivered by the applicable parties thereto;
●
no order, injunction or decree issued by any governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or other legal restraint or prohibition preventing the consummation of the Separation, the Distribution or any of the transactions related thereto shall be pending or in effect;
●
at least two days prior to the Closing, SilverSun shall have filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, the Fifth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and had the Fifth Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation become effective in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware as of 11:59 p.m., New York Time, on the date that is two (2) days prior to the Closing;
●
SilverSun’s common stock, including the shares underlying the Convertible Preferred Stock and the Warrants, will have been approved for continued listing on Nasdaq and SilverSun Holdings’ common stock to be distributed to the SilverSun stockholders as of the Record Date in connection with the Distribution will have been approved for quotation on the OTCQX, subject to official notice of distribution; and
●
the Equity Investment will have been consummated.
Agreements with SilverSun
Prior to the Distribution, SilverSun Holdings and SilverSun (which will, shortly after the Closing, be renamed QXO, Inc.) will enter into certain agreements that will affect the separation of SilverSun’s legacy businesses from SilverSun, including by providing for the attribution between SilverSun Holdings and SilverSun of SilverSun’s assets, employees, liabilities and obligations (including its investments, property and employee benefits and tax-related assets and liabilities), and provide a framework for our relationship following the Distribution with SilverSun Holdings. These agreements are the Separation Agreement, the Tax Matters Agreement and the Employee Matters Agreement.
Separation and Distribution Agreement
Transfer of Assets and Assumption of Liabilities
The Separation Agreement will identify the assets to be transferred, the liabilities to be assumed and the contracts to be transferred to each of SilverSun Holdings and SilverSun as part of the Separation and will provide for when and how these transfers and assumptions will occur. In particular, the Separation Agreement will provide that, among other things, subject to the terms and conditions contained therein:
●
Certain assets related to the SpinCo Business, which we refer to as the “SpinCo Assets,” will be retained by or transferred to SilverSun Holdings or one of its subsidiaries. The SpinCo Assets will consist of:
o
all issued and outstanding capital stock or other equity interests of the subsidiaries of SilverSun Holdings that hold the SpinCo Business; and
o
all other assets owned by SilverSun and its subsidiaries immediately prior to 12:01 am, New York City time on the Distribution Date (the “Effective Time”), excluding the Parent Retained Assets (as such term is defined in the Separation Agreement). In addition, the SpinCo Assets will not include any assets related or attributable to, or arising in connection with, taxes or tax returns, which will be exclusively governed by the Tax Matters Agreement.
●
Certain liabilities related to the SpinCo Business or the SpinCo Assets, which we refer to as the “SpinCo Liabilities,” will be retained by or transferred to SilverSun Holdings. The SpinCo Liabilities will consist of:
o
any and all liabilities of SilverSun and/or its subsidiaries that were liabilities as of immediately prior to (or were incurred prior to or related to any period prior to) the Effective Time, including any and all liabilities of SilverSun and/or its subsidiaries related to the SpinCo Assets or the SpinCo Business, excluding only the Parent Retained Liabilities (as such term is defined in the Separation Agreement); and
o
any and all liabilities arising out of claims made by any third party (including SilverSun’s or SilverSun Holdings’ respective directors, officers, stockholders, employees and agents) against SilverSun or any subsidiary or SilverSun Holdings or any subsidiary to the extent relating to, arising out of or resulting from the Separation Agreement or the Investment Agreement or the transactions contemplated thereby or the SpinCo Business or the SpinCo Assets. In addition, the SpinCo Liabilities will not include any liabilities to the extent related or attributable to, or arising in connection with, taxes or tax returns, which shall be exclusively governed by the Tax Matters Agreement.
●
Certain assets will be retained by or transferred to SilverSun, which we refer to as the “SilverSun Retained Assets.” The SilverSun Retained Assets will consist of:
o
cash in an amount equal to the aggregate purchase price for the Securities (without limiting the obligation of SilverSun to pay the Dividend);
o
any contracts or other assets contributed by JPE to SilverSun at the Closing; and
o
any contracts entered into, or any other assets acquired by, SilverSun on or after the Closing and before the Effective Time at the written direction of JPE or with the approval of the SilverSun board of directors after the Closing (the “New Assets”).
●
liabilities to the extent relating to the New Assets, which we refer to as the “SilverSun Retained Liabilities,” will be retained by or transferred to SilverSun.
Unless otherwise provided in the Separation Agreement or any of the related ancillary agreements, all assets will be transferred on an “as is, where is” basis. Generally, if the transfer of any assets or any claim or right or benefit arising thereunder requires a consent that will not be obtained before the Distribution, or if the transfer or assignment of any such asset or such claim or right or benefit arising thereunder would be ineffective or would adversely affect the rights of the transferor thereunder so that the intended transferee would not in fact receive all such rights, the party retaining any asset that otherwise would have been transferred will use commercially reasonable efforts to promptly transfer, or cause the entity(ies) affiliated with it to promptly transfer, to the other party or the appropriate entity(ies).
Information provided herein with respect to the assets and liabilities of the parties following the Distribution is presented based on the allocation of such assets and liabilities pursuant to the Separation Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires. The Separation Agreement will provide that in the event that the transfer of certain assets and assumption liabilities (or a portion thereof) to SilverSun Holdings or SilverSun, as applicable, does not occur prior to the Effective Time, then until such assets or liabilities (or a portion thereof) are able to be transferred, SilverSun Holdings or SilverSun, as applicable, will hold such assets on behalf and for the benefit of the transferee at the expense of the transferee and will use commercially reasonable efforts to effect such transfer of assets or assumption of liabilities as promptly following the Effective Time as will be practicable. In addition, SilverSun and SilverSun Holdings will agree that on and prior to the eighteen (18)-month anniversary following the Effective Time, if any party owns any asset, that, although not transferred pursuant to the Separation Agreement, is mutually agreed by such party and the other party in their good faith judgment to be an asset that more properly (given the intention of the Separation Agreement) belongs to the other party or a subsidiary of the other party (other than (for the avoidance of doubt) any asset acquired from an unaffiliated third party by SilverSun or SilverSun Holdings or any of its subsidiaries following the Effective Time), then the party owning such asset shall, as applicable (i) transfer any such asset to the other party or the subsidiary of the other party identified as the appropriate transferee and following such transfer, such asset will be a Parent Retained Asset or SpinCo Asset, as the case may be, or (ii) grant such mutually agreeable rights with respect to such asset to permit such continued use, subject to, and consistent with the Separation Agreement, including with respect to assumption of associated liabilities.
The Distribution
The Separation Agreement will also govern the rights and obligations of the parties regarding the Distribution following the completion of the Separation. On the Distribution Date, SilverSun will distribute to its stockholders that hold SilverSun common stock as of the Record Date of all of the issued and outstanding shares of SilverSun Holdings common stock on a pro rata basis. SilverSun will not distribute any fractional shares of SilverSun Holdings common stock.
Releases
The Separation Agreement will provide that, except as expressly set forth in the Separation Agreement, SilverSun Holdings and its affiliates will release and discharge SilverSun and its affiliates from all liabilities assumed by SilverSun Holdings as part of the Separation, all liabilities arising from or in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Separation Agreement and all other activities to implement the Separation and the Distribution, and all liabilities arising from or in connection with actions, inactions, events, omissions, facts, or circumstances occurring or existing prior to the Effective Time, in each case to the extent relating to the SpinCo Business, the assets transferred to SilverSun Holdings as part of the Separation or the liabilities assumed by SilverSun Holdings as part of the Separation. The Separation Agreement will further provide that, except as expressly set forth in the Separation Agreement, SilverSun and its affiliates will release and discharge SilverSun Holdings and its affiliates from all liabilities retained by SilverSun as part of the Separation and from all liabilities arising out of acts and events occurring or failing to occur, and all conditions existing, on or before the Effective Time of the Distribution, in each case to the extent relating to the businesses conducted by SilverSun, except the SpinCo Business, the assets retained by SilverSun as part of the Separation or the liabilities retained by SilverSun as part of the Separation.
Indemnification
In the Separation Agreement, SilverSun Holdings will agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless SilverSun, each of SilverSun’s affiliates after giving effect to the Distribution and each of their respective representatives and all persons who at any time prior to the Effective Time are or have been stockholders, directors, officers, agents or employees of SilverSun Holdings or a subsidiary of SilverSun Holdings (after the Distribution) and who are not, as of immediately following the Effective Time, directors, officers or employees of SilverSun Holdings or its subsidiaries from and against all losses to the extent arising out of, relating to or resulting from, directly or indirectly:
●
the SpinCo Assets, the SpinCo Liabilities or the SpinCo Business;
●
any breach by SilverSun Holdings or a subsidiary (after the Distribution) of the Separation Agreement;
●
any failure of SilverSun Holdings, any subsidiary of SilverSun Holdings or any other person to pay, perform or otherwise promptly discharge any SpinCo Liabilities in accordance with their terms, whether prior to, on or after the Effective Time;
●
any guarantee, indemnification or contribution obligation, surety bond or other credit support agreement, arrangement, commitment or understanding for the benefit of any subsidiary of SilverSun Holdings by SilverSun that survives following the Distribution; or
●
all information contained in the Proxy Statement (as defined in the Investment Agreement), registration statement on Form 10 or the information statement exhibit to the Form 10 or the documents incorporated by reference therein (other than any information provided by JPE and as expressly set forth in the Separation Agreement), any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
SilverSun will agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless SilverSun Holdings, each of SilverSun Holdings’ subsidiaries, each of the respective representatives of SilverSun Holdings and its subsidiaries from and against all losses to the extent arising out of, relating to or resulting from, directly or indirectly:
●
the SilverSun Retained Liabilities;
●
any breach by SilverSun of the Separation Agreement;
●
any failure of SilverSun or any other person to pay, perform or otherwise promptly discharge any SilverSun Retained Liabilities in accordance with their terms, whether prior to, on or after the Effective Time; or
●
solely with respect to information regarding the Investors provided by or on behalf of JPE in writing to SilverSun or SilverSun Holdings expressly for inclusion in the registration statement on Form 10 or this information statement exhibit to Form 10, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
Indemnification with respect to taxes, and the procedures related thereto, will be governed by the Tax Matters Agreement.
Insurance
SilverSun Holdings and SilverSun will acknowledge that the insurance policies of SilverSun prior to the Separation and the Distribution and insurance coverage maintained in favor of SilverSun Holdings and its subsidiaries, are part of the corporate insurance program maintained by the SilverSun Holdings and its subsidiaries and their respective affiliates (the “Corporate Policies”) and such coverage will not be available or transferred to any other subsidiary of SilverSun for any occurrence arising following the Distribution Date. SilverSun Holdings and SilverSun will agree that in no event will SilverSun or any SilverSun Indemnitee have any liability or obligation
whatsoever to SilverSun Holdings or any of its subsidiaries in the event that any Corporate Policies or other Corporate Policy-related contract is terminated or otherwise ceases to be in effect for any reason, is unavailable or inadequate to cover any liability of any SilverSun Holdings or any of its subsidiaries for any reason whatsoever or will not be renewed or extended beyond the current expiration date.
Dispute Resolution
The Separation Agreement will contain provisions that govern, except as otherwise provided in any ancillary agreement, the resolution of disputes, controversies or claims that may arise between SilverSun and SilverSun Holdings related to the Separation or Distribution and that are unable to be resolved through good faith negotiations between SilverSun and SilverSun Holdings. These provisions will contemplate that efforts will be made to resolve disputes, controversies and claims by escalation of the matter to executives of the parties in dispute. If such efforts are not successful, one of the parties in dispute may submit the dispute, controversy or claim to binding alternative dispute resolution, subject to the provisions of the Separation Agreement.
Expenses
The Separation Agreement will provide that all costs and expenses incurred prior to the Closing Date by any of SilverSun or its affiliates (other than those costs and expenses incurred by JPE) or SilverSun Holdings or any of its subsidiaries (whether or not paid on or prior to the Closing Date) relating to or in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, printing and implementation of the Separation Agreement and any ancillary agreement, the registration statement on Form 10, the Contribution, the plan of reorganization, the Separation, the Distribution and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, will be charged to and paid by SilverSun Holdings, and shall be a SpinCo Liability. All costs and expenses incurred on or after the Closing Date by SilverSun or any of its subsidiaries (other than any costs or expenses relating to SilverSun Holdings, any of its subsidiaries, or any of its or their respective directors, officers, employees, advisors or other representatives, the SpinCo Business, the SpinCo Liabilities, the SpinCo Assets, the Separation, the Distribution, the Separation Agreement, the other ancillary agreements or any of the other transactions contemplated thereby or any actions taken by or at the request or direction of or on behalf of SilverSun Holdings, its subsidiaries or its and their respective directors, officers or employees) will be borne by SilverSun, and shall be a liability of SilverSun.
The Investment Agreement and the Meller Letter Agreement (as defined in the Investment Agreement)), provide that SilverSun will pay Mark Meller, as the result of the termination of the Meller SilverSun Employment Agreement, an amount not to exceed $3,000,000 (computed in accordance with the terms of the Meller SilverSun Employment Agreement and Meller Letter Agreement) and that, to the extent that the payment Mark Meller is owed as a result of the termination of the Meller SilverSun Employment Agreement is less than $3,000,000, the difference shall be treated as an additional expense reimbursement payable to SilverSun Holdings. The payment to Mr. Meller thereunder will be $2,854,534, which will be paid by SilverSun. Therefore, SilverSun will reimburse SilverSun Holdings the difference between $3,000,000 and $2,854,534, or $145,466. The forgoing payments will be made by SilverSun from the funds received in the Equity Investment.
Subject to certain exceptions, under the Tax Matters Agreement:
●
SilverSun Holdings generally will be responsible for (i) taxes of SilverSun, SilverSun Holdings and their respective subsidiaries for tax periods (or portions thereof) ending on or before the Distribution Date, (ii) taxes imposed on SilverSun, SilverSun Holdings, and their respective subsidiaries as a result of, in connection with or relating to the Distribution and certain related transactions, other than the first $1.5 million of such taxes, which will be borne by SilverSun and (iii) taxes of SilverSun Holdings and its subsidiaries for tax periods (or portions thereof) beginning after the Distribution Date;
SilverSun generally will be responsible for (i) the first $1.5 million of taxes imposed on SilverSun, SilverSun Holdings and their respective subsidiaries as a result of, in connection with or relating to the Distribution and certain related transactions, and (ii) taxes of SilverSun and its subsidiaries for tax periods (or portion thereof) beginning after the Distribution Date.
Amendment and Termination
The Separation Agreement will provide that the Separation Agreement and the Distribution can only be amended, terminated, modified or abandoned by mutual agreement of SilverSun and SilverSun Holdings. In the event of such termination, neither party will have any liability of any kind to the other party or any other person.
Employee Matters Agreement
As of or prior to the Distribution, SilverSun and SilverSun Holdings will enter into the Employee Matters Agreement which will allocate liabilities and responsibilities relating to employment matters, employee compensation and benefits plans and programs, and other related matters. The Employee Matters Agreement will govern certain compensation and employee benefit obligations with respect to current and former employees and non-employee directors of each company.
The Employee Matters Agreement will provide that for purposes of compensation and benefit matters, unless otherwise specified, SilverSun Holdings will be responsible for liabilities for all current and former employees of SilverSun and its subsidiaries (including SilverSun Holdings and its subsidiaries) as of the Distribution.
Tax Matters Agreement
As of or prior to the Distribution, SilverSun and SilverSun Holdings will enter into the Tax Matters Agreement which will govern the respective rights, responsibilities and obligations of SilverSun and SilverSun Holdings after the Distribution with respect to tax liabilities and benefits, tax attributes, certain indemnification rights with respect to tax matters, the preparation and filing of tax returns, the control of audits and other tax proceedings, the intended federal income tax characterization of the Separation and the Distribution and the agreed-upon reporting thereof and certain other tax matters.
Subject to certain exceptions, under the Tax Matters Agreement:
●
SilverSun Holdings generally will be responsible for (i) taxes of SilverSun, SilverSun Holdings and their respective subsidiaries for tax periods (or portions thereof) ending on or before the Distribution Date, (ii) taxes imposed on SilverSun, SilverSun Holdings and their respective subsidiaries as a result of, in connection with or relating to the Distribution and certain related transactions, other than the first $1.5 million of such taxes, which will be borne by SilverSun, and (iii) taxes of SilverSun Holdings and its subsidiaries for tax periods (or portions thereof) beginning after the Distribution Date;
●
SilverSun generally will be responsible for (i) the first $1.5 million of taxes imposed on SilverSun, SilverSun Holdings and their respective subsidiaries as a result of, in connection with or relating to the Distribution and certain related transactions, and (ii) taxes of SilverSun and its subsidiaries for tax periods (or portion thereof) beginning after the Distribution Date.
Investment Agreement
Under the Investment Agreement, until the Closing of the Equity Investment, SilverSun will cooperate with JPE in JPE’s efforts for SilverSun to consummate an acquisition of one or more businesses selected by JPE, the consummation of which will not occur until the consummation of the Separation and the Distribution. Such cooperation by SilverSun will include signing any definitive agreements with respect to such acquisition so long as the closing thereunder does not occur until the Closing. JPE will pay for the expenses of this cooperation until the closing of the Separation and the Distribution, at which point SilverSun will reimburse JPE from the Equity Investment for all such expenses (with the intention being that these expenses will not reduce cash otherwise available to SilverSun Technologies Holdings).
JPE may consummate an acquisition of a business or businesses prior to the Closing, and at, or substantially contemporaneously with, the Closing, at its sole election, JPE may contribute such business or businesses to SilverSun, in which case the Company will be required to cooperate to effectuate such contribution. Such contributed business or businesses would be SilverSun Retained Assets and would remain with SilverSun following the consummation of the Separation and the Distribution.
In addition, the Investment Agreement provides that during the Post-Closing Spin-Off Period (as such term is defined in the Investment Agreement:
●
neither SilverSun, the SilverSun board of directors, JPE, nor its controlled affiliates, will take any action by or on behalf of us (or any of JPE or its controlled affiliates) that would be likely to delay, compromise or otherwise jeopardize our consummation of the Separation and the Distribution;
●
each member of JPE or its controlled affiliates will act in good faith in connection with the continued operation of the SpinCo Business, consistent with past practice in all material respects, and will use his, her, or its reasonable best efforts to cooperate with SilverSun in effecting the Separation and the Distribution; and
●
no member of JPE or its controlled affiliates will make any material decisions relating to or impacting the SpinCo Business, including without limitation, modifying any of the organizational documents of SpinCo or any of its subsidiaries other than as contemplated by the Investment Agreement, or modifying any contracts to the extent relating to or impacting the legacy businesses, other than as contemplated by the Investment Agreement, without consulting with and obtaining the prior written consent of Mark Meller, the present CEO of SilverSun or in his absence, the then-current CEO of SilverSun Holdings (in each case which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), or preventing or terminating the Separation and the Distribution.
In addition, SilverSun, JPE and the Other Investors agreed in the Investment Agreement that SilverSun, JPE, and the SilverSun board of directors will be permitted to operate SilverSun and its subsidiaries (other than SilverSun Holdings and SpinCo Business that has been contributed to SilverSun Holdings) during the Post-Closing Spin-Off Period in any manner SilverSun deems to be appropriate, including consummating an acquisition of one or more businesses or entities; purchasing any assets of one or more businesses or entities, entering into financing transactions, or engaging in any similar transactions and actions in connection with the foregoing. Without limiting the foregoing, during the Post-Closing Spin-Off Period, no member of JPE or its controlled affiliates will amend or modify (or agree to amend or modify) any terms of any of the agreements or other documents delivered pursuant to the Investment Agreement, in each case without the prior written consent of the CEO or in his absence the then-current CEO of SilverSun Holdings (which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed).
If the Closing occurs, JPE will pay up to $900,000 of the out-of-pocket expenses incurred by SilverSun in connection with the Investment Agreement and the transactions and related agreements contemplated thereby, including all fees of its legal counsel, financial advisers, and accountants incurred in connection therewith.
Jacobs Employment Agreement
Effective as of the Closing, the Company will enter into an employment agreement with Brad Jacobs (the “Jacobs Employment Agreement”) in the form directed by JPE in writing prior to the Closing (but in no event earlier than 2 business days prior to the Closing). The expected principal terms of the Jacobs Employment Agreement are described below.
Term
The Jacobs Employment Agreement will provide for a five-year term, commencing on the Closing Date.
Position and Reporting
Mr. Jacobs will serve as Chief Executive Officer of the Company, reporting to the Company Board and, effective on the first day of the term, Mr. Jacobs will also be appointed as a member and Chairman of the Company Board.
Salary and Target Annual Bonus
Mr. Jacobs’ annual base salary will have an initial annual rate of $750,000 and his target annual bonus will initially be 100% of his base salary. Mr. Jacobs’ annual base salary and target annual bonus will increase (but not decrease) each calendar year of the term depending on the Company’s annualized revenue run rate as of the preceding December 31 as follows:
Potential Salary increases based on Annual Revenue Run Rate Band
Annualized Revenue Run Rate Band
Base Salary
$
1 Billion to $5 Billion
$ 950,000
$
5 Billion to $10 Billion
$ 1,150,000
$
10 Billion to $20 Billion
$ 1,250,000
$
20 Billion to $30 Billion
$ 1,500,000
Greater than $30 Billion
$ 1,700,000
Potential Target Bonus Amounts based on Annual Revenue Run Rate Band
Annualized Revenue Run Rate Band
Target Bonus
			Percentage
Target Bonus
			Amount
$
1 Billion to $5 Billion
135% of Base Salary
$ 1,282,500
$
5 Billion to $10 Billion
150% of Base Salary
$ 1,725,000
$
10 Billion to $20 Billion
165% of Base Salary
$ 2,062,500
$
20 Billion to $30 Billion
200% of Base Salary
$ 3,000,000
Greater than $30 Billion
200% of Base Salary
$ 3,400,000
Termination Event
The Company may terminate Mr. Jacobs’ employment during the term with or without cause and Mr. Jacobs may resign his employment on 30 days’ prior written notice to the Company (or may resign for good reason in certain circumstances as described below). The term will also end upon Mr. Jacobs’ permanent disability or death. The severance payments described below are subject to and conditioned upon Mr. Jacobs (a) signing an irrevocable waiver and general release in favor of the Company and (b) complying with the restrictive covenants contained in the Jacobs Employment Agreement.
Non-CIC Termination. In the event that either prior to a change in control of the Company or more than two years after a change in control of the Company occurs, the Company terminates Mr. Jacobs’ employment without cause, Mr. Jacobs will be entitled to receive:
• a cash payment equal to 12 months of base salary;
• medical and dental coverage for a period of six months from the date of termination; and
• vesting of equity-based or other long-term incentive compensation awards solely to the extent set forth in the applicable award agreement.
CIC Termination. In the event that upon or within the two-year period following a change in control of the Company, Mr. Jacobs’ employment is terminated by the Company without cause or he resigns for good reason, Mr. Jacobs will receive:
• 2.99 times the sum of Mr. Jacobs’ annual base salary and target bonus;
• a pro rata target bonus for the year of termination;
• medical and dental coverage for a period of 24 months from the date of termination; and
• vesting of equity-based or other long-term incentive compensation awards solely to the extent set forth in the applicable award agreement.
In the event that any benefits due or amounts payable to Mr. Jacobs in connection with a change in control of the Company constitute “parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), then any such amounts will be reduced to avoid triggering the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, provided that such reduction will be applied solely if it would result in Mr. Jacobs retaining a greater portion of the payments on a net after-tax basis.
Clawbacks. Mr. Jacobs will be subject to any compensation recovery policy maintained by the Company, as in effect from time to time.
Restrictive Covenants
Mr. Jacobs is generally subject to the following restrictive covenants: employee and customer non-solicitation covenants during his employment and for a period of four years thereafter; confidentiality and mutual non-disparagement covenants during his employment and thereafter; and non-competition covenants during his employment and for a period of 12 months thereafter (during which period the Company will make monthly noncompete payments to Mr. Jacobs equal to one-twelfth of his base salary), except that the Company will have the right (other than following a change in control of the Company) to extend the non-compete for up to three additional one-year periods so long as the Company pays Mr. Jacobs an amount equal to the sum of one-twelfth of his base salary for each month during each applicable one-year extension period.
Initial Equity Awards
Grant of Initial Equity Awards. In connection with the execution of the Jacobs Employment Agreement, following the Closing on a date selected by the Compensation Committee of the Company Board (which is anticipated to be no later than the 120th day after the Closing), the Company will grant to Mr. Jacobs an award of time-based restricted stock units relating to 3,832,676 shares of Common Stock (the “RSUs”) and an award of performance-based restricted stock units relating to 7,117,828 shares of Common Stock at target (the “PRSUs”). Any RSUs and PRSUs that vest will be settled for Common Stock or, at the Company’s election, an equivalent amount of cash. Except in the event of a change in control of the company, all shares delivered in settlement of RSUs and PRSUs (net of any shares withheld to cover taxes) will be subject to a transfer restriction that prohibits Mr. Jacobs from disposing of such shares prior to December 31, 2029. The Jacobs Employment Agreement does not contemplate that any additional equity awards will be granted to Mr. Jacobs during the five-year term of the Jacobs Employment Agreement.
RSU Vesting. The RSUs will vest in five tranches on each of the first five anniversaries of the grant date, with the first tranche covering 15% of the RSUs, each of the next two tranches covering 17.5% of the RSUs, and each of the final two tranches covering 25% of the awards. Vesting of RSUs will generally be subject to Mr. Jacobs’s continued service with the Company through the applicable vesting date.
PRSU Vesting. The PRSUs will be earned based on performance goals relating to the Company’s total stockholder return (“TSR”) compared to the TSR ranking of each company that is in the S&P 500 Index. The PRSUs may be earned at a level ranging from zero to 225% of the target number, depending upon the degree of achievement of the applicable performance goal. The degree of achievement of the Company TSR relative to the S&P 500 companies’ TSR will be measured against a specified payout matrix, pursuant to which Company TSR below the 55th percentile of the S&P 500 companies will result in zero payout, while achievement at the 90th percentile or above will result in a payout of 225% of target. The performance goals for a portion of the PRSUs will be measured over a cumulative performance period beginning on the grant date and ending on December 31, 2028 and the performance goals for the remainder of the PRSUs will be measured based on designated performance periods that occur within such cumulative period. Vesting of the PRSUs will generally be subject to Mr. Jacobs’s continued service through the applicable performance period.
Termination of Employment. The RSUs and PRSUs will be subject to special rules providing for either partial or full vesting on a qualifying termination of employment, including due to death, disability, termination without cause or, during the two years following a change in control, termination for good reason.
Treatment of Equity-Based Compensation
SilverSun, JPE and the Other Investors agreed in the Investment Agreement that effective as of the Closing, each Company stock option that is outstanding and unexercised as of immediately prior to the Closing, if any, will automatically be cancelled without payment or consideration to the holder thereof. In addition, under the terms of the Employee Matters Agreement, the SilverSun Technologies, Inc. 2019 Equity and Incentive Plan will be terminated effective as of immediately prior to the Closing.
Transferability of Shares of SilverSun Holdings’ Common Stock
The shares of SilverSun Holdings’ common stock that eligible SilverSun shareholders will receive in connection with the Distribution will be freely transferable, unless the recipient is considered an “affiliate” of SilverSun Holdings pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Persons that can be considered SilverSun Holdings’ affiliates after the Separation generally include individuals or entities that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, control, are controlled by, or are under common control with SilverSun Holdings, and will include the officers and directors of SilverSun Holdings. Such affiliates may sell shares of our common stock received in connection with the Distribution only:
●
under a registration statement that the SEC has declared effective under the Securities Act; or
●
under an exemption from registration under the Securities Act, such as the exemption afforded by Rule 144.
In general, under Rule 144 as currently in effect, an affiliate will be entitled to sell, within any three-month period, a number of shares of our common stock that does not exceed the greater of the following:
●
one percent of our common stock then outstanding; or
●
the average weekly trading volume of our common stock during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 for the sale.
Rule 144 also includes notice requirements and restrictions governing the manner of sale for sales by our affiliates. Sales may not be made under Rule 144 unless certain information about us is publicly available.
Where You Can Find More Information
Our website address is www.silversuntech.com. We do not intend our website address to be an active link or to otherwise incorporate by reference the contents of the website into this Report. The SEC maintains an Internet website (http://www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC.

---

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Item 1A. Risk Factors
Risks Relating to our Business.
We may incur future losses and may be unable to maintain profitability.
We may incur net losses in the future. Our ability to achieve and sustain long-term profitability is largely dependent on our ability to successfully market and sell our products and services, control our costs, and effectively manage our growth. We cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain profitability. In the event we fail to maintain profitability, our stock price could decline.
We cannot accurately forecast our future revenues and operating results, which may fluctuate.
Our operating history and the rapidly changing nature of the markets in which we compete make it difficult to accurately forecast our revenues and operating results. Furthermore, we expect our revenues and operating results to fluctuate in the future due to a number of factors, including the following:
●
the timing of sales of our products and services;
●
the timing of product implementation, particularly large design projects;
●
unexpected delays in introducing new products and services;
●
increased expenses, whether related to sales and marketing, product development, or administration;
●
the mix of product license and services revenue; and
●
costs related to possible acquisitions of technology or businesses.
We may fail to develop new products or may incur unexpected expenses or delays.
Although we currently have fully developed products available for sale, we may need to develop various new technologies, products and product features and remain competitive. Due to the risks inherent in developing new products and technologies - limited financing, loss of key personnel, and other factors - we may fail to develop these technologies and products or may experience lengthy and costly delays in doing so. Although we license some of our technologies in their current stage of development, we cannot assure that we will be able to develop new products or enhancements to our existing products in order to remain competitive.
We may need additional financing which we may not be able to obtain on acceptable terms. If we are unable to raise additional capital, as needed, the future growth of our business and operations could be severely limited.
A limiting factor on our growth is our limited capitalization, which could impact our ability to execute on our business plan. If we raise additional capital through the issuance of debt, this will result in increased interest expense. If we raise additional funds through the issuance of equity or convertible debt securities, the percentage ownership of the Company held by existing shareholders will be reduced and our shareholders may experience significant dilution. In addition, new securities may contain rights, preferences or privileges that are senior to those of our Common Stock. If additional funds are raised by the issuance of debt or other equity instruments, we may become subject to certain operational limitations (for example, negative operating covenants). There can be no assurance that acceptable financing necessary to further implement our business plan can be obtained on suitable terms, if at all. Our ability to develop our business, fund expansion, develop or enhance products or respond to competitive pressures, could suffer if we are unable to raise the additional funds on acceptable terms, which would have the effect of limiting our ability to increase our revenues or possibly attain profitable operations in the future.
The global macroeconomic environment could negatively impact our business and our financial position, results of operations and/or cash flows could be materially adversely affected.
Our business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows may be adversely impacted by the global macroeconomic environment, which has experienced, and continues to experience, extraordinary challenges, including high rates of inflation; increasing interest rates; widespread disruptions in supply chains; workforce challenges, including labor shortages; and market volatility. These challenges have, among other things, led to increased costs, labor and supply shortages, and transportation and performance delays and disruptions and have adversely affected us, our industry, our customers and suppliers and others with whom we do business. We (including our suppliers, customer and other partners) have and may continue to experience inflationary pressures, supply chain disruption and labor, material and transportation cost increases at a rate higher than anticipated. As such, we may be unable to recover some of these increased costs or to offset such costs with greater than expected efficiencies. While some aspects of the macroeconomic environment continues to experience challenges, and we have been able to mitigate some of the challenges, other challenges persist. We cannot predict how long these challenges will persist or how they will change over time, or how the macroeconomic environment will evolve and continue to impact us. While we continue to work proactively to mitigate these challenges, if we are unable to do so successfully, our financial position, results of operations and/or cash flows could be materially adversely affected.
If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal control, we may not be able to report our financial results accurately or to reduce probability of fraud occurrence. Any inability to report and file our financial results accurately and timely could harm our reputation and adversely impact the trading price of our Common Stock.
Effective internal control is necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and prevent fraud. We may not be able to manage our business as effectively as we would if an effective control environment existed, and our business and reputation with investors may be harmed.
Management has concluded that the Company did maintain effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on the criteria set forth in 2013 Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the COSO.
We may fail to recruit and retain qualified personnel.
We expect to rapidly expand our operations and grow our sales, development and administrative operations. Accordingly, recruiting and retaining such personnel in the future will be critical to our success. There is intense competition from other companies for qualified personnel in the areas of our activities, particularly sales, marketing and managed services. If we fail to identify, attract, retain and motivate these highly skilled personnel, we may be unable to continue our marketing and managed services activities and service our clients’ needs, and this could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations and future prospects.
If our technologies and products contain defects or otherwise do not work as expected, we may incur significant expenses in attempting to correct these defects or in defending lawsuits over any such defects.
Software products are not currently accurate in every instance and may never be. Furthermore, we could inadvertently release products and technologies that contain defects. In addition, third-party technology that we include in our products could contain defects. We may incur significant expenses to correct such defects. Clients who are not satisfied with our products or services could bring claims against us for substantial damages. Such claims could cause us to incur significant legal expenses and, if successful, could result in the plaintiffs being awarded significant damages. Our payment of any such expenses or damages could prevent us from becoming profitable.
Our success is highly dependent upon our ability to compete against competitors that have significantly greater resources than we have.
The ERP software, MSP and business consulting industries are highly competitive, and we believe that this competition will intensify. Many of our competitors have longer operating histories, significantly greater financial, technical, product development and marketing resources, greater name recognition and larger client bases than we do. Our competitors could use these resources to market or develop products or services that are more effective or less costly than any or all of our products or services or that could render any or all of our products or services obsolete. Our competitors could also use their economic strength to influence the market to continue to buy their existing products.
If we are not able to protect our trade secrets through enforcement of our confidentiality and non-competition agreements, then we may not be able to compete effectively, and we may not be profitable.
We attempt to protect our trade secrets, including the processes, concepts, ideas and documentation associated with our technologies, through the use of confidentiality agreements and non-competition agreements with our current employees and with other parties to whom we have divulged such trade secrets. If the employees or other parties breach our confidentiality agreements and non-competition agreements or if these agreements are not sufficient to protect our technology or are found to be unenforceable, our competitors could acquire and use information that we consider to be our trade secrets and we may not be able to compete effectively. Some of our competitors have substantially greater financial, marketing, technical and manufacturing resources than we have, and we may not be profitable if our competitors are also able to take advantage of our trade secrets.
Our failure to secure trademark registrations could adversely affect our ability to market our product candidates and our business.
Our trademark applications in the United States and any other jurisdictions where we may file may be denied, and we may not be able to maintain or enforce our registered trademarks. During trademark registration proceedings, we may receive rejections. Although we are given an opportunity to respond to those rejections, we may be unable to overcome such rejections. In addition, with respect to the United States Patent and Trademark Office and any corresponding foreign agencies, third parties are given an opportunity to oppose pending trademark applications and to seek to cancel registered trademarks. Opposition or cancellation proceedings may be filed against our applications and/or registrations, and our applications and/or registrations may not survive such proceedings. Failure to secure such trademark registrations in the United States and in foreign jurisdictions could adversely affect our ability to market our product candidates and our business.
We may unintentionally infringe on the proprietary rights of others.
Many lawsuits currently are being brought in the software industry alleging violation of intellectual property rights. Although we do not believe that we are infringing on any patent rights, patent holders may claim that we are doing so. Any such claim would likely be time-consuming and expensive to defend, particularly if we are unsuccessful, and could prevent us from selling our products or services. In addition, we may also be forced to enter into costly and burdensome royalty and licensing agreements.
Our industry is characterized by rapid technological change and failure to adapt our product development to these changes may cause our products to become obsolete.
We participate in a highly dynamic industry characterized by rapid change and uncertainty relating to new and emerging technologies and markets. Future technology or market changes may cause some of our products to become obsolete more quickly than expected.
The trend toward consolidation in our industry may impede our ability to compete effectively.
As consolidation in the software industry continues, fewer companies dominate particular markets, changing the nature of the market and potentially providing consumers with fewer choices. Also, many of these companies offer a broader range of products than us, ranging from desktop to enterprise solutions. We may not be able to compete effectively against these competitors. Furthermore, we may use strategic acquisitions, as necessary, to acquire technology, people and products for our overall product strategy. The trend toward consolidation in our industry may result in increased competition in acquiring these technologies, people or products, resulting in increased acquisition costs or the inability to acquire the desired technologies, people or products. Any of these changes may have a significant adverse effect on our future revenues and operating results.
We face intense price-based competition for licensing of our products which could reduce profit margins.
Price competition is often intense in the software market. Price competition may continue to increase and become even more significant in the future, resulting in reduced profit margins.
The software and technology industry is highly competitive. If we cannot develop and market desirable products that the public is willing to purchase, we will not be able to compete successfully. Our business may be adversely affected, and we may not be able to generate any revenues.
We have many potential competitors in the software industry. We consider the competition to be competent, experienced, and may have greater financial and marketing resources than we do. Our ability to compete effectively may be adversely affected by the ability of these competitors to devote greater resources to the development, sales, and marketing of their products than are available to us. Some of the Company’s competitors, also, offer a wider range of software products, have greater name recognition and more extensive customer bases than the Company. These competitors may be able to respond more quickly to new or changing opportunities, customer desires, as well as undertake more extensive promotional activities, offer terms that are more attractive to customers and adopt more aggressive pricing policies than the Company. We cannot provide any assurances that we will be able to compete successfully against present or future competitors or that the competitive pressure we may encounter will not force us to cease operations.
If there are events or circumstances affecting the reliability or security of the internet, access to our website and/or the ability to safeguard confidential information could be impaired causing a negative effect on the financial results of our business operations.
Despite the implementation of security measures, our website infrastructure may be vulnerable to computer viruses, hacking or similar disruptive problems caused by members, other internet users, other connected internet sites, and the interconnecting telecommunications networks. Such problems caused by third-parties could lead to interruptions, delays or cessation of service to our customers. Inappropriate use of the internet by third-parties could also potentially jeopardize the security of confidential information stored in our computer system, which may deter individuals from becoming customers. Such inappropriate use of the internet includes attempting to gain unauthorized access to information or systems, which is commonly known as “cracking” or “hacking.” Although we have implemented security measures, such measures have been circumvented in the past by hackers on other websites on the internet, although our networks have never been breached, and there can be no assurance that any measures we implement would not be circumvented in the future. Dealing with problems caused by computer viruses or other inappropriate uses or security breaches may require interruptions, delays or cessation of service to our customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
If we lose the services of any of our key personnel our business may suffer.
We are dependent on Mark Meller, our Chief Executive Officer, and other key employees in our operating subsidiary SWK. The loss of any of our key personnel could materially harm our business because of the cost and time necessary to retain and train a replacement. Such a loss would also divert management attention away from operational issues.
To service our debt obligations, we will require a significant amount of cash. Our ability to generate cash depends on many factors beyond our control. Any failure to repay our outstanding indebtedness as it matures, could materially adversely impact our business, prospects, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and cash flows.
Our ability to satisfy our debt obligations and repay or refinance our maturing indebtedness will depend principally upon our future operating performance.
As a result, prevailing economic conditions and financial, business, legislative, regulatory and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, will affect our ability to make payments on our debt. If we do not generate sufficient cash flow from operations to satisfy our debt service obligations, we may have to undertake alternative financing plans, such as refinancing or restructuring our debt, incurring additional debt, issuing equity or convertible securities, reducing discretionary expenditures and selling certain assets (or combinations thereof). Our ability to execute such alternative financing plans will depend on the capital markets and our financial condition at such time. In addition, our ability to execute such alternative financing plans may be subject to certain restrictions under our existing indebtedness. Any refinancing of our debt could be at higher interest rates and may require us to comply with more onerous covenants compared to those associated with any debt that is being refinanced, which could further restrict our business operations. Our inability to generate sufficient cash flow to satisfy our debt obligations, or our inability to refinance our debt obligations on commercially reasonable terms or at all, would have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and cash flows.
Computer Malware, Viruses, Hacking, Phishing Attacks and Spamming Could Harm Our Business and Results of Operations.
Computer malware, viruses, physical or electronic break-ins and similar disruptions could lead to interruption and delays in our services and operations and loss, misuse or theft of data. Computer malware, viruses, computer hacking and phishing attacks against online networking platforms have become more prevalent and may occur on our systems in the future.
Any attempts by hackers to disrupt our website service or our internal systems, if successful, could harm our business, be expensive to remedy and damage our reputation or brand. Our network security business disruption insurance may not be sufficient to cover significant expenses and losses related to direct attacks on our website or internal systems. Efforts to prevent hackers from entering our computer systems are expensive to implement and may limit the functionality of our services. Though it is difficult to determine what, if any, harm may directly result from any specific interruption or attack, any failure to maintain performance, reliability, security and availability of our products and services and technical infrastructure may harm our reputation, brand and our ability to attract customers. Any significant disruption to our website or internal computer systems could result in a loss of customers and could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
We have previously experienced, and may in the future experience, service disruptions, outages and other performance problems due to a variety of factors, including infrastructure changes, third-party service providers, human or software errors and capacity constraints. If our services are unavailable when customers attempt to access them or they do not load as quickly as they expect, customers may seek other services.
Some errors in our software code may only be discovered after the code has been deployed. Any errors, bugs, or vulnerabilities discovered in our code after deployment, inability to identify the cause or causes of performance problems within an acceptable period of time or difficultly maintaining and improving the performance of our platform, particularly during peak usage times, could result in damage to our reputation or brand, loss of revenues, or liability for damages, any of which could adversely affect our business and financial results.
We expect to continue to make significant investments to maintain and improve our software and to enable rapid releases of new features and products. To the extent that we do not effectively address capacity constraints, upgrade our systems as needed and continually develop our technology and network architecture to accommodate actual and anticipated changes in technology, our business and operating results may be harmed.
We have a disaster recovery program to transition our operating platform and data to a failover location in the event of a catastrophe and have tested this capability under controlled circumstances, however, there are several factors ranging from human error to data corruption that could materially lengthen the time our platform is partially or fully unavailable to our user base as a result of the transition. If our platform is unavailable for a significant period of time as a result of such a transition, especially during peak periods, we could suffer damage to our reputation or brand, or loss of revenues any of which could adversely affect our business and financial results.
We need to manage growth in operations to realize our growth potential and achieve our expected revenues, and our failure to manage growth will cause a disruption of our operations resulting in the failure to generate revenue and an impairment of our long-lived assets.
In order to take advantage of the growth that we anticipate in our current and potential markets, we believe that we must expand our sales and marketing operations. This expansion will place a significant strain on our management and our operational, accounting, and information systems. We expect that we will need to continue to improve our financial controls, operating procedures and management information systems. We will also need to effectively train, motivate and manage our employees. Our failure to manage our growth could disrupt our operations and ultimately prevent us from generating the revenues we expect.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned targets, the general strategies of our Company are to maintain and search for hard-working employees who are innovative and creative, as well as to keep a close eye on expansion opportunities through merger and/or acquisition.
We face risks arising from acquisitions.
We may pursue strategic acquisitions in the future. Risks in acquisition transactions include difficulties in the integration of acquired assets into our operations and control environment, difficulties in assimilating and retaining employees and intermediaries, difficulties in retaining the existing clients of the acquired entities, assumed or unforeseen liabilities that arise in connection with the acquired assets or businesses, the failure of counterparties to satisfy any obligations to indemnify us against liabilities arising from the acquired assets or businesses, and unfavorable market conditions that could negatively impact our growth expectations for the acquired assets or businesses. Fully integrating an acquired company or business into our operations may take a significant amount of time. We cannot assure you that we will be successful in overcoming these risks or any other problems encountered with acquisitions and other strategic transactions. These risks may prevent us from realizing the expected benefits from acquisitions and could result in the failure to realize the full economic value of a strategic transaction or the impairment of goodwill and/or intangible assets recognized at the time of an acquisition. These risks could be heightened if we complete a large acquisition or multiple acquisitions within a short period of time.
Risks Related to the Separation and the Distribution
SilverSun’s separation into two independent, publicly traded companies is complex in nature, and unanticipated developments or changes, including changes in the law, the macroeconomic environment, competitive conditions of SilverSun’s markets, regulatory approvals or clearances, the uncertainty of the financial markets and challenges in executing the Separation, could delay or prevent the completion of the proposed separation, or cause the separation to occur on terms or conditions that are different or less favorable than expected. The process of completing the proposed separation has been and is expected to continue to be time-consuming and involves significant costs and expenses. The Separation costs may be significantly higher than what we currently anticipate and may not yield a discernible benefit if the Separation is not completed or is not well-executed, or the expected benefits of the Separation are not realized. Executing the proposed Separation will also require significant amounts of management’s time and effort, which may divert management’s attention from operating and growing our business. Other challenges associated with effectively executing the separation include attracting, retaining and motivating employees during the pendency of the Separation and following its completion; addressing disruptions to our procurement, sales and distribution, and other operations resulting from separating SilverSun into two independent companies.
We may not realize the anticipated benefits from the Separation and the Distribution, and the Separation and the Distribution could harm our business.
We may not be able to achieve the full strategic and financial benefits expected to result from the Separation and the Distribution and our realization of such benefits may be delayed or not occur at all. The Separation and the Distribution are designed to enhance strategic and management focus, provide a distinct investment identity, and allow us to efficiently allocate resources and deploy capital. We may not achieve these and other anticipated benefits for a variety of reasons, including the following:
●
the Separation and the Distribution will require significant amounts of management’s time and effort, which may divert management’s attention from operating and growing our business; and
●
actions required to separate the respective businesses could disrupt our operations.
If we fail to achieve some or all of the benefits expected to result from the Separation and the Distribution, or if such benefits are delayed, our business could be harmed.
In connection with the Separation and the Distribution, we and SilverSun Holdings will indemnify each other for certain liabilities, we may need to divert cash to meet those obligations if we are required to act under these indemnities to SilverSun Holdings, and SilverSun Holdings may not be able to satisfy its indemnification obligations to us in the future.
Pursuant to the Separation Agreement and other agreements with SilverSun Holdings, SilverSun Holdings will agree to indemnify us for certain liabilities and we will agree to indemnify SilverSun Holdings for certain liabilities, as discussed further in “The Separation and the Distribution.” Payments that we may be required to provide under indemnities to SilverSun Holdings may be significant and could negatively affect our business. Third parties could also seek to hold us responsible for the liabilities that SilverSun Holdings has agreed to retain and, under certain circumstances, we may be subject to continuing contingent liabilities of SilverSun Holdings following the Separation and the Distribution that arise relating to the operations of the spun-out businesses during the time prior to the Separation and the Distribution.
SilverSun Holdings has agreed to indemnify us for such contingent liabilities. While we have no reason to expect that SilverSun Holdings will not be able to support its indemnification obligations to us, we can provide no assurance that SilverSun Holdings will be able to fully satisfy its indemnification obligations or that such indemnity obligations will be sufficient to cover our liabilities for matters which SilverSun Holdings has agreed to retain, including such contingent liabilities. Moreover, even if we ultimately succeed in recovering from SilverSun Holdings any amounts for which we are indemnified, we may be temporarily required to bear these losses ourselves. Each of these risks could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial condition.
The one-time and ongoing costs of the Separation and the Distribution may be greater than we expect.
We will incur significant costs in connection with the Separation and the Distribution. These costs, whether incurred before or after the Separation and the Distribution, may be greater than anticipated and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We will share responsibility for certain of our and SilverSun’s Holdings’ income tax liabilities for tax periods ending prior to or including the Distribution Date.
In connection with the Distribution, we will enter into the Tax Matters Agreement with SilverSun Holdings which will govern our and SilverSun Holdings’ rights and obligations with respect to certain pre-Distribution tax liabilities. To the extent we are responsible for any liability under the Tax Matters Agreement, there could be a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows in future reporting periods.
We or SilverSun Holdings may fail to perform under various transaction agreements that will be executed as part of the Separation and the Distribution.
Prior to the Distribution, we and SilverSun Holdings will enter into various transaction agreements related to the Separation and the Distribution. All of these agreements will also govern our relationship with SilverSun Holdings following the Separation and the Distribution. We will rely on SilverSun Holdings to satisfy its performance obligations under these agreements. If we or SilverSun Holdings are unable to satisfy our respective obligations pursuant to the Separation Agreement, the Tax Matters Agreement and the Employee Matters Agreement, including indemnification obligations, our business, results of operations, cash flows, and financial condition could be adversely affected.
The Distribution will be taxable to SilverSun stockholders who receive shares of SilverSun Holdings’ common stock in the Distribution for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
Each U.S. Holder (as defined in the section of this information statement titled “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Distribution”) of SilverSun common stock that receives shares of SilverSun Holdings common stock in connection with the Distribution will be treated as receiving a taxable distribution in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares of SilverSun Holdings common stock received. Such distribution generally will be taxed as a dividend to the extent of such holder’s ratable share of SilverSun’s current or accumulated earnings and profits (including the SilverSun’s taxable gain, if any, recognized in connection with the Distribution and the Dividend), with any excess treated as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of such holder’s basis in its SilverSun common stock and any remaining excess treated as capital gain from the sale or exchange of SilverSun common stock.
Although SilverSun will be ascribing a value to the shares of SilverSun Holdings common stock in the Distribution for tax purposes, this valuation is not binding on the IRS or any other tax authority. These tax authorities could ascribe a higher valuation to those shares, particularly if shares of SilverSun Holdings common stock trade at prices significantly above the value ascribed to those shares by SilverSun in the period following the Distribution. Such higher valuation may cause a larger reduction in the tax basis of a U.S. Holder’s shares of SilverSun common stock or may cause a U.S. Holder to recognize additional dividend or capital gain income.
SilverSun will not be able to advise U.S. Holders of the amount of its earnings and profits until after the end of the calendar year in which the Distribution occurs. However, SilverSun anticipates that it will recognize capital gain for U.S. federal income tax purposes in connection with the Distribution that will have the effect of increasing its earnings and profits for the year in which the Distribution occurs.
The tax consequences to you related to the Distribution will depend on your particular facts and circumstances. You are urged to consult your tax advisors as to the specific tax consequences to you. Holders who are not U.S. Holders are urged to consult with their tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the Distribution and the Dividend.
Following the Distribution, certain of our directors and employees may have actual or potential conflicts of interest because of their positions with or financial interests in SilverSun.
After the Closing, the Investors will own approximately 99.85% of SilverSun’s common stock on an as-converted, as-exercised basis. Certain of our expected executive officers and directors may continue to own equity interests in SilverSun following the Distribution. These factors could create, or appear to create, potential conflicts of interest to the extent that we and SilverSun Holdings face decisions that could have different implications for the two companies. For example, potential conflicts of interest could arise in connection with the resolution of any dispute that may arise between SilverSun Holdings and us regarding the terms of the agreements governing the Separation and the relationship thereafter between the companies.
Risks Related to Our Securities
The market price of our common stock is likely to be volatile and could subject us to litigation.
The market price of our common stock has been and is likely to continue to be subject to wide fluctuations. Factors affecting the market price of our common stock include:
●
variations in our operating results, earnings per share, cash flows from operating activities, deferred revenue, and other financial metrics and non-financial metrics, and how those results compare to analyst expectations;
●
issuances of new stock which dilutes earnings per share;
●
forward looking guidance to industry and financial analysts related to future revenue and earnings per share;
●
the net increases in the number of customers and customers paying subscriptions, either independently or as compared with published expectations of industry, financial or other analysts that cover our company;
●
changes in the estimates of our operating results or changes in recommendations by securities analysts that elect to follow our common stock;
●
announcements of technological innovations, new services or service enhancements, strategic alliances or significant agreements by us or by our competitors;
●
announcements by us or by our competitors of mergers or other strategic acquisitions, or rumors of such transactions involving us or our competitors;
●
announcements of customer additions and customer cancellations or delays in customer purchases;
●
recruitment or departure of key personnel; and
●
trading activity by a limited number of stockholders who together beneficially own a majority of our outstanding common stock.
In addition, if the stock market in general experiences uneven investor confidence, the market price of our common stock could decline for reasons unrelated to our business, operating results or financial condition. The market price of our common stock might also decline in reaction to events that affect other companies within, or outside, our industries even if these events do not directly affect us. Some companies that have experienced volatility in the trading price of their stock have been the subject of securities class action litigation. If we are to become the subject of such litigation, it could result in substantial costs and a diversion of management’s attention and resources.
We currently have a limited trading volume, which results in higher price volatility for, and reduced liquidity of, our common stock.
There has been limited trading of our common stock since we began trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market (“NASDAQ”) in April 2017, meaning that the number of persons interested in purchasing our common stock at or near ask prices at any given time may be relatively small or non-existent. This situation is attributable to a number of factors, including the fact that we are a smaller reporting company that is relatively unknown to stock analysts, stockbrokers, institutional investors and others in the investment community who generate or influence sales volume. Even in the event that we come to the attention of such persons, they would likely be reluctant to follow an unproven company such as ours or purchase or recommend the purchase of our shares until such time as we become more seasoned and viable. As a consequence, our stock price may not reflect an actual or perceived value. Also, there may be periods of several days or more when trading activity in our shares is minimal or non-existent, as compared to a seasoned issuer that has a large and steady volume of trading activity that will generally support continuous sales without an adverse effect on share price. A broader or more active public trading market for our common shares may not develop or if developed, may not be sustained. Due to these conditions, you may not be able to sell your shares at or near ask prices or at all if you need money or otherwise desire to liquidate your shares.
Although our shares have been approved for listing on the NASDAQ, our shares may be subject to potential delisting if we do not meet or continue to maintain the listing requirements of the NASDAQ.
Our shares have been approved for and are currently trading on NASDAQ; however Nasdaq has rules for continued listing, including, without limitation, minimum market capitalization and other requirements. Failure to maintain our listing, or delisting from Nasdaq, would make it more difficult for shareholders to dispose of our common stock and more difficult to obtain accurate price quotations on our common stock. This could have an adverse effect on the price of our common stock. Our ability to issue additional securities for financing or other purposes, or otherwise to arrange for any financing we may need in the future, may also be materially and adversely affected if our common stock is not traded on a national securities exchange.
In order to raise sufficient funds to expand our operations, we may have to issue additional securities at prices which may result in substantial dilution to our shareholders.
If we raise additional funds through the sale of equity or convertible debt, our current stockholders’ percentage ownership will be reduced. In addition, these transactions may dilute the value of our common shares outstanding. We may also have to issue securities that may have rights, preferences and privileges senior to our common stock.
Possible adverse effect of issuance of preferred stock.
Our Certificate of Incorporation authorizes the issuance of 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, of which all shares are available for issuance, with designations, rights and preferences as determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. As a result of the foregoing, the Board of Directors can issue, without further shareholder approval, preferred stock with dividend, liquidation, conversion, voting or other rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of Common Stock. The issuance of preferred stock could, under certain circumstances, discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of the Company.
Our stock price could fall and we could be delisted from the NASDAQ in which case U.S. Broker-Dealers may be discouraged from effecting transactions in shares of our common stock because they may be considered penny stocks and thus be subject to the penny stock rules.
The SEC has adopted a number of rules to regulate “penny stock” that restricts transactions involving stock which is deemed to be penny stock. Such rules include Rules 3a51-1, 15g-1, 15g-2, 15g-3, 15g-4, 15g-5, 15g-6, 15g-7, and 15g-9 under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These rules may have the effect of reducing the liquidity of penny stocks. “Penny stocks” generally are equity securities with a price of less than $5.00 per share (other than securities registered on certain national securities exchanges or quoted on the NASDAQ Stock Market if current price and volume information with respect to transactions in such securities is provided by the exchange or system). Our securities have in the past constituted, and may again in the future constitute, “penny stock” within the meaning of the rules. The additional sales practice and disclosure requirements imposed upon U.S. broker-dealers may discourage such broker-dealers from effecting transactions in shares of our common stock, which could severely limit the market liquidity of such shares and impede their sale in the secondary market.
A U.S. broker-dealer selling penny stock to anyone other than an established customer or “accredited investor” (generally, an individual with net worth in excess of $1,000,000 or an annual income exceeding $200,000, or $300,000 together with his or her spouse) must make a special suitability determination for the purchaser and must receive the purchaser’s written consent to the transaction prior to sale, unless the broker-dealer or the transaction is otherwise exempt. In addition, the “penny stock” regulations require the U.S. broker-dealer to deliver, prior to any transaction involving a “penny stock”, a disclosure schedule prepared in accordance with SEC standards relating to the “penny stock” market, unless the broker-dealer or the transaction is otherwise exempt. A U.S. broker-dealer is also required to disclose commissions payable to the U.S. broker-dealer and the registered representative and current quotations for the securities. Finally, a U.S. broker-dealer is required to submit monthly statements disclosing recent price information with respect to the “penny stock” held in a customer’s account and information with respect to the limited market in “penny stocks”.
Stockholders should be aware that, according to SEC, the market for “penny stocks” has suffered in recent years from patterns of fraud and abuse. Such patterns include (i) control of the market for the security by one or a few broker-dealers that are often related to the promoter or issuer; (ii) manipulation of prices through prearranged matching of purchases and sales and false and misleading press releases; (iii) “boiler room” practices involving high-pressure sales tactics and unrealistic price projections by inexperienced sales persons; (iv) excessive and undisclosed bid-ask differentials and markups by selling broker-dealers; and (v) the wholesale dumping of the same securities by promoters and broker-dealers after prices have been manipulated to a desired level, resulting in investor losses. Our management is aware of the abuses that have occurred historically in the penny stock market. Although we do not expect to be in a position to dictate the behavior of the market or of broker-dealers who participate in the market, management will strive within the confines of practical limitations to prevent the described patterns from being established with respect to our securities.

---

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
Not applicable.

---

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Item 2. Properties
On March 1, 2017, the Company entered into a new operating lease agreement for its main office located at 120 Eagle Rock Avenue, East Hanover, NJ 07936. The main office premises consist of 5,129 square feet of office space at a monthly rent starting at $8,762 and escalating to $10,044 per month by the end of the term April 30, 2024. On January 3, 2024, the Company extended its lease for two years ended April 30, 2026. Monthly base rent will be $10,258 for the first year and $10,471 for the second year.
The Company leased 3,422 square feet of office space in Greensboro, NC with a monthly rent of $4,182 a month. The lease expired February 28, 2017 and was extended after reducing the rental space to 2,267 square feet at a monthly rent of $2,765 per month. The extension expired February 28, 2020 and was renewed for a term of three years at a rate of $3,022 per month. The Company vacated the premises on February 28, 2023.
The Company leases office space in Sisters, OR with a monthly rent of $720. The lease expired on November 30, 2019 and is being rented on a month-to-month basis.
The Company leases 2,105 square feet of office space in Phoenix, AZ starting at $1,271 and escalating to $2,982 per month by the end of the term September 30, 2020. On June 25, 2020, the Company signed an extension to a lease for 2,105 square feet of space in Phoenix, Arizona. The lease begins October 1, 2020 and terminates September 30, 2023 with a monthly rent of $3,026 escalating to $3,201 per month in the third year. On June 2, 2023, the Company extended the lease for an additional three years expiring September 30, 2026 with monthly rent of $3,245 escalating to $3,421 in the third year.
Our leased space is utilized for office purposes and it us our belief that the space is adequate for our immediate needs. Additional space may be required as we expand our business activities. We do not foresee any significant difficulties in obtaining additional facilities if deemed necessary.

---

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
We are not currently involved in any litigation that we believe could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations. Other than indicated below, to our knowledge, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or by any court, public board, government agency, self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the knowledge of the executive officers of our Company our subsidiaries, threatened against or affecting our Company, our common stock, our subsidiaries or of our Company’s or our Company’s subsidiaries’ officers or directors in their capacities as such, in which an adverse decision could have a material adverse effect.

---

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
PART II

---

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
(a) Market Information
The Company’s Common is listed and is traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “SSNT”.
(b) Holders of Common Equity
As of March 13, 2024, there were approximately 850 stockholders of record. An additional number of stockholders are beneficial holders of our Common Stock in “street name” through banks, brokers and other financial institutions that are the record holders.
(c) Dividend Information
On August 4, 2023, the Board of Directors approved the payment of a $0.20 special cash dividend per share of Common Stock to shareholders of record August 18, 2023. The dividend was paid on August 25, 2023. No dividends were approved or paid for the year ended December 31, 2022.
The declaration of any future cash dividends is at the discretion of our board of directors and depends upon our earnings, if any, our capital requirements and financial position, our general economic conditions, and other pertinent conditions.
Unregistered Equity Securities
There were no unregistered sales of the Company’s equity securities during 2023 that were not previously disclosed in a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or in a Current Report on Form 8-K.
Transfer Agent
Our transfer agent is Pacific Stock Transfer Company at 6725 Via Austi Pkwy, Suite 300, Las Vegas, NV 89119.

---

ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
Item 6. Reserved

---

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
This annual report on Form 10-K and other reports filed by SilverSun Technologies, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries, SWK Technologies, Inc., Secure Cloud Services, Inc., Critical Cyber Defense Corp., and SilverSun Technologies Holdings, Inc. (together the “Company”, “we”, “our”, and “us”) from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) contain or may contain forward-looking statements and information that are based upon beliefs of, and information currently available to, the Company’s management as well as estimates and assumptions made by Company’s management. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. When used in the filings, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “future,” “intend,” “plan,” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions as they relate to the Company or the Company’s management identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current view of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors, including the risks contained in the “Risk Factors” section of the Annual Report on Form 10-K, relating to the Company’s industry, the Company’s operations and results of operations, and any businesses that the Company may acquire. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may differ significantly from those anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended, or planned.
Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements. Except as required by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States, the Company does not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform these statements to actual results.
Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). These accounting principles require us to make certain estimates, judgments, and assumptions. We believe that the estimates, judgments and assumptions upon which we rely are reasonable based upon information available to us at the time that these estimates, judgments and assumptions are made. These estimates, judgments and assumptions can affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the periods presented. Our consolidated financial statements would be affected to the extent there are material differences between these estimates and actual results. In many cases, the accounting treatment of a particular transaction is specifically dictated by GAAP and does not require management’s judgment in its application. There are also areas in which management’s judgment in selecting any available alternative would not produce a materially different result. The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this report.
Overview
SilverSun Technologies, Inc. is engaged in providing transformational business management applications and technologies and professional consulting services to small and medium size companies, primarily in the manufacturing, distribution and service industries.
We are executing a multi-pronged business strategy centered on recurring revenue, customer retention and on rapidly increasing the size of our installed customer base. The growth of our customer base is accomplished via our traditional marketing programs and acquisitions. After a customer is secured, our strategy is to up-sell and cross-sell, providing the customer with advanced technologies and third-party add-ons that help them digitally transform their business. These add-on products could include application hosting, cybersecurity, warehouse management, human capital management, payment automation, sales tax compliance or any number of other products or services that we represent. Many of these incremental products and services are billed on a subscription basis, often paying monthly for the service, which increases our monthly recurring revenue (“MRR”). This strategy increases the average revenue per customer, which facilitates our continued growth, and reduces our cost of customer acquisition, which enhances our profitability profile.
Our core strength is rooted in our ability to discover and identify the driving forces of change that are affecting - or will affect - businesses in a wide range of industries. We invest valuable time and resources to fully understand how technology is transforming the business management landscape and what current or emerging innovations are deserving of a clients’ attention. By leveraging this knowledge and foresight, our growing list of clients are empowered with the means to more effectively manage their businesses; to capitalize on real-time insight drawn from their data resources; and to materially profit from enhanced operational functionality, process flexibility and expedited process execution.
We are a business application, technology and consulting company providing strategies and solutions to meet our clients’ information, technology and business management needs. Our services and technologies enable customers to manage, protect and monetize their enterprise assets whether on-premise or in the cloud. As a value-added reseller of business application software, we offer solutions for accounting and business management, financial reporting, Enterprise Resource Planning (“ERP”), Human Capital Management (“HCM”), Warehouse Management Systems (“WMS”), Customer Relationship Management (“CRM”), and Business Intelligence(“BI”).
Additionally, we have our own development staff building software solutions for various ERP enhancements. Our value-added services focus on consulting and professional services, specialized programming, training, and technical support. We have a dedicated Information Technology (“IT”) network services practice that provides managed services, Infrastructure-as-a-Service, cybersecurity, application hosting, disaster recovery, business continuity, cloud and other services. Our customers are nationwide, with concentrations in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, Arizona, Connecticut, Southern California, North Carolina, Washington, Oregon and Illinois.
As Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers and Microsoft Certified Professionals, our staff offers a host of mission critical services, including cybersecurity, business continuity, disaster recovery, application hosting, remote network monitoring, server implementation, support and assistance, and technical design of network infrastructure, among other services. We compete with numerous large and small companies in this market sector, both nationally and locally.
Distinguished as one of the largest Acumatica and Sage Software practices in North America, we resell enterprise resource planning software published by both Acumatica and Sage, which addresses the financial accounting requirements of small- and medium-size businesses focused on manufacturing and distribution. We also offer services related to these sales, including design, installation, implementation, support and training. These product sales are primarily packaged software programs installed on a user workstation, on a local area network server, or in a hosted environment. The programs perform and support a wide variety of functions related to accounting, including financial reporting, accounts payable, accounts receivable and inventory management.
We employ consultants and host formal, topic-specific, training classes, both remotely and on-site at our clients’ facilities. Our consultants must pass annual subject matter examinations required by the software publisher to retain their product-based teaching certifications. We also provide end-user technical support services through our support/help desk, which is available during normal business hours, Monday through Friday. Our team of qualified product and technology consultants assist customers that contact us with questions about product features, functions, usability issues and configurations. The support/help desk offers services in a variety of ways, including prepaid services, time and materials billed as utilized and annual support contracts. Our customers can communicate with our support/help desk through email, chat, telephone and fax channels.
Led by specialized project managers, we provide professional services ranging from software customization to data migration to small- and medium-size business consulting.
We also are resellers of the WMS software, which develops warehouse management software for middle market distributors. The primary purpose of a WMS is to control the movement and storage of materials within an operation and process the associated transactions. Directed picking, directed replenishment, and directed put-away are the key to WMS. The detailed setup and processing within a WMS can vary significantly from one software vendor to another. However, the basic WMS will use a combination of item, location, quantity, unit of measure and order information to determine where to stock, where to pick, and in what sequence to perform these operations. The WMS software improves accuracy and efficiency, streamlines materials handling, meets retail compliance requirements, and refines inventory control. WMS also works as part of a complete operational solution by integrating seamlessly with RF hardware, accounting software, shipping systems and warehouse automation equipment. We market the WMS solution to our new and existing medium-sized business clients.
Investing in the acquisition of other companies and proprietary business management solutions has been an important growth strategy for our Company, allowing us to rapidly expand into new geographic markets and create new and exciting profit centers. To date, we have completed a series of strategic ventures that have served to fundamentally strengthen our Company’s operating platform and materially expand our footprint to nearly every U.S. state. More specifically, over the past fifteen years, we have outright acquired select assets of or entered into revenue sharing agreements with Business Tech Solutions Group, Inc.; Wolen Katz Associates; AMP-BEST Consulting, Inc.; IncorTech; Micro-Point, Inc.; HighTower, Inc.; Point Solutions, LLC; SGEN, LLC., ESC, Inc., 2000 SOFT, Inc., Productive Tech Inc., The Macabe Associates, Oates & Co; Pinsight Technology, Inc.; Info Sys Management, Inc., Nellnube, Inc., Partners in Technology Inc., Prairie Technology Solutions Group, Inc., Computer Management Services, LLC, Business Software Solutions, PeopleSense, Inc., Dynamic Tech Services, Inc. and NEO3, LLC. On November 13, 2023, SWK entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with JCS Computer Resource Corporation (“JCS”), an Illinois corporation pursuant to which SWK acquired from JCS certain assets (the “Acquired Assets”) related to the component of JCS’ business devoted to being a value-added reseller of Sage 100, Sage 50, and QuickBooks software, together with ancillary consulting services related thereto.
Additionally, it is our intention to continue to increase our business by seeking additional opportunities through potential acquisitions, revenue sharing arrangements, partnerships or investments. Such acquisitions, revenue sharing arrangements, partnerships or investments may consume cash reserves or require additional cash or equity. Our working capital and additional funding requirements will depend upon numerous factors, including: (i) strategic acquisitions or investments; (ii) an increase to current company personnel; (iii) the level of resources that we devote to sales and marketing capabilities; (iv) technological advances; and (v) the activities of competitors.
As discussed above (see Recent Events - Merger), on September 29, 2022, SilverSun entered into a definitive agreement and plan of merger (the “Rhodium Merger Agreement”) by and among SilverSun, Rhodium Enterprises Acquisition Corp, Rhodium Enterprises Acquisition LLC and Rhodium Enterprises, Inc., an industrial-scale digital asset technology company utilizing proprietary technologies to mine bitcoin. On October 13, 2023, SilverSun terminated the Rhodium Merger Agreement
On December 3, 2023, SilverSun entered into an Investment Agreement (as it may be amended or supplemented, the “Investment Agreement”), with Jacobs Private Equity II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“JPE”), and the other investors party thereto (the “Other Investors,” and together with JPE, the “Investors”), providing for an aggregate investment by the Investors of $1,000,000,000 in cash in SilverSun, including $900,000,000 from JPE (the “Equity Investment”). The Investment Agreement has been unanimously approved by the SilverSun board of directors. Following the closing (the “Closing”) of the Equity Investment (together with all of the other transactions contemplated by the Investment Agreement), JPE will become the controlling stockholder of SilverSun, and Brad Jacobs, the Managing Member of JPE, will become Chairman of the SilverSun board of directors and Chief Executive Officer of SilverSun (see “Recent Events” above for more detail).
Results of Operations
Revenues
Revenues for the year ended December 31, 2023 increased $9,531,665 (21.2%) to $54,516,941 as compared to $44,985,276 for the year ended December 31, 2022. This increase is mostly attributed to increases in professional consulting services and software.
Software sales increased by $2,329,411 (19.8%) to $14,110,773 in 2023 from $11,781,362 in 2022. The increase is primarily attributable to an increase in our ERP software sales, especially for Acumatica and Sage Intacct.
Service revenue increased by $7,202,254 (21.7%) to $40,406,168 in 2023 from $33,203,914 in 2022. This increase is mainly attributed to the increase in professional services, especially for our Acumatica, Sage 100, and Sage Intacct products, as well as an increase in revenue in our hosting services. Recruiting in 2022 was a difficult challenge, but our efforts to increase our consulting staff with additional resources, as well as system improvements, has yielded a positive result in our financial performance. We have also utilized some outside contractors to assist in projects because of our growth.
Gross Profit
Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2023 increased $3,653,073 (20.3%) to $21,613,809, as compared to $17,960,736 for the year ended December 31, 2022. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the overall gross profit percentage was 39.6%, as compared to 39.9% for the year ended December 31, 2022.
The gross profit attributed to software sales increased $894,448 (19.0%) to $5,598,006 for 2023 from $4,703,558 in 2022, which is due mostly to the increased volume of software sold. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the gross profit percentage for software was 39.7%, as compared to 39.9 % for the year ended December 31, 2022. While revenues may decrease because of the shift to a subscription-based business model, our margins will, for the most part, not significantly change. The mix of products being sold by the Company changes from time to time, which can cause the overall gross margin percentage to vary.
The gross profit attributed to services increased $2,758,625 (20.8%) to $16,015,803 for 2023 from $13,257,178 in 2022. This increase is attributed to revenue increases in professional services and application hosting. For the year ended December 31, 2023 the gross profit percentage for services was 39.6% as compared to 39.9% for the year ended December 31, 2022. This change in gross profit percentage is mostly due to higher costs associated with increasing pay and benefits to employees to retain and recruit their services and to address inflationary pressures in the overall economy, plus the training of new employees, who were hired to accommodate our growth, and who are not as yet as billable as our more experienced team.
Operating Expenses
Selling and marketing expenses increased $1,107,474 (14.3%) to $8,852,739 for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to $7,745,265 for the year ended December 31, 2022. This increase is primarily due to increased salary increases, new personnel, higher commissions to employees as a result of the increased revenues, as well as increased travel expenses associated with attendance at trade shows and conferences.
General and administrative expenses increased $745,532 (7.9%) to $10,217,157 for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to $9,471,625 for the year ended December 31, 2022. This increase is a result of salary increases and increased accrued compensation, travel and entertainment, professional and license fees, offset partially by a decrease in credit card fees, lower rent and recruitment expenses.
Share-based compensation decreased $138,763 (77.0%) to $41,497 for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to $180,260 for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease is primarily due to the issuance of certain stock options in 2021 that were all expensed as these stock options were immediately vested.
Depreciation and amortization expense for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $828,157 as compared to $948,965 for the year ended December 31, 2022. This $120,808 (12.7%) increase is primarily due to the additional amortization of intangible assets related to the new acquisitions.
Income (Loss) from Operations
As a result of the above, the Company had net income from operations of $1,674,259 for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to a loss from operations of $385,379 for the year ended December 31, 2022.
Other Expense
For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company incurred other expense of $2,986,107 related to the termination of the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of September 29, 2022 (Notes 15 and Note 2). The Company charged to expense all previously deferred deal related expenses in the amount of $2,986,107. These expenses are recorded as Deal Costs in the accompanying statement of operations in Other Expense.
(Loss) Before Taxes
As a result of the above, the Company had a loss before taxes of $1,367,514 for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to a loss before taxes in the amount of $474,403 for the year ended December 31, 2022.
Income Taxes
For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company recorded tax benefit of $297,419, primarily as a result of the loss for the year.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company recorded a tax benefit of $192,184, primarily as a result of the loss for the year.
State provision requirements were calculated based on the estimated tax rate. The Federal effective rate is higher than the statutory rate primarily due to the non-cash share-based compensation related to the issuance of stock options which are not tax deductible.
Net (Loss) Income
As a result of the above, the Company generated a net loss of $1,070,095 for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to a net loss of $282,219 for the year ended December 31, 2022.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
The uncertainty on the economy continues to create uncertainty for the Company in the coming months and quarters. While our Company has not been significantly impacted because of this uncertainty, the potential negative impact on our business, in the future, is impossible to determine at this point, although it is likely that we could suffer negative consequences as many companies go out of business or decrease their technology spending. As such, we need to rely on our own limited resources to weather any economic downturn. Management will continue to monitor developments, explore various cost-cutting measures, and explore other sources of funding, but there is no guarantee we will be successful in doing so.
The Company currently has no line of credit or other credit facility with any lender.
We are currently seeking additional operating income opportunities through potential acquisitions or investments. Such acquisitions or investments may consume cash reserves or require additional cash or equity. Our working capital and additional funding requirements will depend upon numerous factors, including: (i) strategic acquisitions or investments; (ii) an increase in current company personnel; (iii) the level of resources that we devote to sales and marketing capabilities; (iv) technological advances; and (v) the activities of competitors.
In addition to developing new products, obtaining new customers and increasing sales to existing customers, management plans to increase its business and profitability by entering into collaboration agreements, buying assets, and acquiring companies in the business software and information technology consulting and other markets with solid revenue streams and established customer bases that generate positive cash flow. We continue to seek these opportunities.
At December 31, 2023, future payments of promissory notes are as follows over each of the next four fiscal years:
$ 701,749
600,403
393,863
Total
$ 1,696,015
The Company’s working capital was $273,762 at December 31, 2023 as compared to $2,946,349 at December 31, 2022 mostly due to lower deferred charges, lower prepaid expenses and other current assets and cash offset partially by the decrease in deferred revenues.
During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company had a net decrease in cash of $1,865,335. The Company’s principal sources and uses of funds were as follows:
Cash provided by operating activities:
The Company provided $583,805 in cash for operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to providing $2,038,392 of cash from operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2022. This decrease in cash provided by operations is primarily because of the increase in loss before taxes as a result of the deal costs and the decrease in deferred revenues offset partially by the increase in deferred charges.
Cash used in investing activities:
Investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 used cash of $399,416, as compared to using $188,742 of cash for the year ended December 31, 2022. This increase in cash used is due primarily to an increase in amounts required to acquire businesses or assets as well as higher purchases of property and equipment.
Cash used in financing activities:
For the year ended December 31, 2023 financing activities used cash of $2,049,724 as compared to using cash of $655,134 for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase in cash used is a result of the cash dividend paid to shareholders in August 2023 as well as increase in payments of long-term debt.
The Company believes that as a result of the growth in business, and the funds on hand, it has adequate liquidity to fund its operating plans for at least the next twelve months, provided, however, that the Company cannot currently quantify the recent economic uncertainty and its effects on the business in the coming quarters. The Company does not anticipate any major capital expenditures in the near future.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, inflation has impacted the Company’s profitability, as it has resulted in increased costs necessary to recruit and retain personnel. As the Company returns back to its pre-Covid marketing and trade show schedules, the higher costs of travel and meals will also have a negative impact on the Company’s profitability.
Critical Accounting Estimates
We prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, which require our management to make estimates that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the balance sheet dates, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. To the extent that there are material differences between these estimates and actual results, our financial condition or results of operations would be affected. We base our estimates on our own historical experience and other assumptions that we believe are reasonable after taking account of our circumstances and expectations for the future based on available information. We evaluate these estimates on an ongoing basis.
We consider an accounting estimate to be critical if: (i) the accounting estimate requires us to make assumptions about matters that were highly uncertain at the time the accounting estimate was made, and (ii) changes in the estimate that are reasonably likely to occur from period to period or use of different estimates that we reasonably could have used in the current period, would have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations. There are items within our financial statements that require estimation but are not deemed critical, as defined above.
For a detailed discussion of our significant accounting policies and related judgments, see Note 2 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this report.
Off Balance Sheet Arrangements
During fiscal 2023, we did not engage in any material off-balance sheet activities or have any relationships or arrangements with unconsolidated entities established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements or other contractually narrow or limited purposes. Further, we have not guaranteed any obligations of unconsolidated entities, nor do we have any commitment or intent to provide additional funding to any such entities.

---

ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
We do not hold any derivative instruments and do not engage in any hedging activities.

---

ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
Our consolidated financial statements are contained in pages through, which appear at the end of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

---

ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
There are no reportable events under this item for the year ended December 31, 2023.

---

ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
(a) Evaluation of Disclosure and Control Procedures
As of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Company’s management evaluated, with the participation of the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). Based upon that evaluation, the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the company in the reports that we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms and is accumulated and communicated to our management, including the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
(b) Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
The Company’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP and includes those policies and procedures that:
• Pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the Company’s assets;
• Provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that the Company’s receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of the Company’s management and directors; and
• Provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on our financial statements.
As of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Company’s management evaluated, with the participation of its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. This evaluation was conducted using the framework in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission 2013. Based upon that evaluation, the Company’s management concluded that its internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2023.
Pursuant to the rules of the SEC, the Company’s management’s report on internal control over financial reporting is furnished with this Annual Report on Form 10-K and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed to be incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
This Annual Report on Form 10-K does not include an attestation report of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm regarding the Company's internal control over financial reporting. The Company’s management’s report on internal control over financial reporting was not subject to attestation by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm pursuant to temporary rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission that permits the Company to provide only the Company’s management’s report on internal control over financial reporting in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(c) Changes to Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during our fourth quarter ended December 31, 2023, or in other factors that could significantly affect these controls, that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

---

ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 9B. Other Information
None.

---

ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
Directors and Executive Officers
The following table and biographical summaries set forth information, including principal occupation and business experience, about our directors and executive officers at March 13, 2024:
Name
Age
Position
Officer and/or Director Since
Mark Meller
Chairman, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Joseph Macaluso
Chief Financial Officer
Stanley Wunderlich
Director
Kenneth Edwards
Director
John Schachtel
Director
Board Diversity Matrix
The table below provides an enhanced disclosure regarding the diversity of the members of our Board of Directors. Each of the categories listed in the below table has the meaning as it is used in Nasdaq Rule 5605(f).
Board Diversity Matrix (As of March 13, 2024)
Board Size:
Total Number of Directors
Male
Female
Non-Binary
Gender Undisclosed
Part I: Gender Identity
Number of directors base on gender identity
Part II: Demographic Background
African American or Black
Asian
Hispanic or Latinx
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
White
Two or More Race or Ethnicities
LGBTQ+
Did not Disclose Demographic Background
The following sets forth certain information about each of our directors and executive officers:
Mark Meller, Chief Executive Officer, President, Director
Mr. Mark Meller has been the President and Director of the Company since September 15, 2003 and was further appointed Chief Executive Officer on September 1, 2004. He became Chairman of the Board on May 10, 2009. Mr. Meller is currently the President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors. From September 2003 through January 2015, he was Chief Financial Officer of the Company. From October 2004 until February 2007, Mr. Meller was the President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Deep Field Technologies, Inc. From December 15, 2004 until September 2009, Mr. Meller was the President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Director of MM2 Group, Inc. From August 29, 2005 until August 2006, Mr. Meller was the President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of iVoice Technology, Inc. From 1988 until 2003, Mr. Meller was Chief Executive Officer of Bristol Townsend and Co., Inc., a New Jersey based consulting firm providing merger and acquisition advisory services to middle market companies. From 1986 to 1988, Mr. Meller was Vice President of Corporate Finance and General Counsel of Crown Capital Group, Inc, a New Jersey based consulting firm providing advisory services for middle market leveraged buy-outs (LBO’s). Prior to 1986, Mr. Meller was a financial consultant and practiced law in New York City. He is a member of the New York State Bar.
Mr. Meller has a B.A. from the State University of New York at Binghamton and a J.D. from the Boston University School of Law.
In evaluating Mr. Meller’s specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills in connection with his appointment to our board, we took into account his experience in the industry and his knowledge of running and managing the Company.
Joseph Macaluso, Chief Financial Officer
Joseph Macaluso has over 30 years of experience in financial management. Mr. Macaluso has served as Chairman of the Audit Committee and a Director of the Company since 2015 before becoming its Chief Financial Officer on January 4, 2021. Mr. Macaluso has been the Principal Accounting Officer of Tel-Instrument Electronics Corp., a developer and manufacturer of avionics test equipment for both the commercial and military markets since 2002. Previously, he had been involved in companies in the medical device and technology industries holding positions including Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Controller.
Mr. Macaluso has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Fairfield University.
Stanley Wunderlich, Director
Mr. Stanley Wunderlich has over 40 years of experience on Wall Street as a business owner and consultant. Mr. Wunderlich is a founding partner and has been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Consulting for Strategic Growth 1, specializing in investor and media relations and the formation of capital for early-growth stage companies both domestic and international, from 2000 through the present. Since 1987, he has been the Chief Executive Officer of Consulting for Strategic Growth 1, Ltd.
Mr. Wunderlich has a bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College.
In evaluating Mr. Wunderlich’s experience, qualifications, attributes and skills in connection with his appointment to our Board, we took into account his experience in finance and investor relations.
Kenneth Edwards, Director
Mr. Edwards combines over 40 years of experience in the accounting and finance industry. Previously, he has been involved with a few certified public accounting firms as well as companies in various other industries holding positions including Partner, Managing Director, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice-President of Finance. Ken currently serves as Chief Financial Officer of Edison Learning, Inc., an Education Management Company. Ken joined Edison Learning, Inc. in September 2017. From July 2016 to September 2017, he was Managing Director for CFO Strategies, LLC, a company involved in outsourced CFO and Controller services. From July 1981 to July 1993 and from October 2000 to June 2016, he was with several public accounting firms (Coopers & Lybrand, BDO Seidman, Edwards & Company and Cohn Reznick) in various roles until his retirement from Cohn Reznick as an Audit Partner in June 2016. During the period from July 1993 to July 1997, he served as Senior Vice President of Finance for Home State Holdings, Inc., an insurance holding company that focused on property and casualty insurance, and from July 1997 to September 2000 as Chief Financial Officer for Menu Direct, Inc. a specialty food manufacturer. Ken is currently a member of the Advisory Board of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, located at Somerset New Jersey. He previously served as a Director and Treasurer for the Urban League of Morris Country and as a Director and Chairperson for the Hope Chest Scholarship Foundation. He has an undergraduate accounting degree from Goshen College.
The Board believes that Mr. Edwards’ extensive experience as a CPA makes him well-qualified to help guide the Audit Committee of the Board. The Board has determined that Mr. Edwards meets the current independence and experience requirements contained in the listing standards of The Nasdaq Capital Markets and is an audit committee financial expert as defined in Securities and Exchange Commission regulations.
John Schachtel, Director
On March 27, 2017, Mr. Schachtel was appointed to the Board. Since May 2017, Mr. Schachtel has been the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Regional Management Corp., one of the leading consumer finance installment loan companies in the United States. Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Schachtel was the Chief Operating Officer of OneMain Financial Holdings, Inc. and served 11 years as the Executive Vice President, Northeast & Midwest Division for OneMain Financial Holdings, Inc.
Mr. Schachtel has a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University and an MBA in Finance from New York University.
In evaluating Mr. Schachtel’s specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills in connection with his appointment to Board, we took into account his expertise in general management, finance, corporate governance and strategic planning, as well as his experience in operations and mergers and acquisitions.
Family Relationships
There are no family relationships among any of our directors or executive officers.
Board Composition and Director Independence
Our board of directors consists of four members: Mr. Mark Meller, Mr. Stanley Wunderlich, Mr. Kenneth Edwards, and Mr. John Schachtel. The directors will serve until our next annual meeting and until their successors are duly elected and qualified. The Company defines “independent” as that term is defined in Rule 5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq listing standards.
In making the determination of whether a member of the board is independent, our board considers, among other things, transactions and relationships between each director and his immediate family and the Company, including those reported under the caption “Certain Relationships and Related-Party Transactions”. The purpose of this review is to determine whether any such relationships or transactions are material and, therefore, inconsistent with a determination that the directors are independent. On the basis of such review and its understanding of such relationships and transactions, our board affirmatively determined that Mr. Wunderlich, Mr. Edwards, and Mr. Schachtel have qualified as independent and that they have no material relationship with us that might interfere with his or her exercise of independent judgment.
Board Committees
The Audit Committee was established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Currently, the Audit Committee consists of Mr. Kenneth Edwards, Mr. Stanley Wunderlich and Mr. John Schachtel. Mr. Edwards, Chairman of the Audit Committee, may be deemed a financial expert as defined in Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K.
The Audit Committee operates pursuant to a written charter (the “Audit Committee Charter”), a current copy of which is publicly available on the investor relations portion of the Company’s website at www.silversuntech.com.
Currently, the Compensation Committee consists of Mr. Stanley Wunderlich and Mr. John Schachtel. Mr. Schachtel serves as Chairman. The Compensation Committee operates pursuant to a written charter, a current copy of which is publicly available on the investor relations portion of our website.
Currently, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee consists of Mr. Kenneth Edwards, Mr. Stanley Wunderlich and Mr. John Schachtel. Mr. Wunderlich serves as Chairman. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee operates pursuant to a written charter, a current copy of which is publicly available on the investor relations portion of our website.
Compliance with Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires the Company’s directors, executive officers and persons who beneficially own 10% or more of a class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act to file reports of beneficial ownership and changes in beneficial ownership with the SEC. Directors, executive officers and greater than 10% stockholders are required by the rules and regulations of the SEC to furnish the Company with copies of all reports filed by them in compliance with Section 16(a).
Based solely upon a review of Forms 3 and 4 and amendments thereto furnished to the Company during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, including those reports that we have filed on behalf of our directors and Section 16 officers, no director, Section 16 officer, beneficial owner of more than 10% of the outstanding common stock, or any other person subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, failed to file with the SEC on a timely basis during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, except (i) as previously disclosed by the Company, (ii) Joseph Macaluso filed a Form 4 on December 13, 2023, which was delinquent, in connection with his cashless exercise of options, the earliest of which occurred on March 29, 2021, (iii) John Schachtel filed a Form 4 on December 13, 2023, which was delinquent, in connection with a stock option grant on October 14, 2021, (iv) Stanley Wunderlich filed a Form 4 on December 13, 2023, which was delinquent, in connection with a stock option grant on October 14, 2021, and (v) Stanley Wunderlich filed a Form 4 on December 29, 2023, which was delinquent, in connection with his cashless exercise of stock options on October 14, 2021.
Code of Ethics
The Company has adopted a Code of Ethics for adherence by its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Controller to ensure honest and ethical conduct; full, fair and proper disclosure of financial information in the Company’s periodic reports filed pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations. Any person may obtain a copy of our Code of Ethics by mailing a request to the Company at the address appearing on the front page of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings
To the best of our knowledge, none of our directors or executive officers has, during the past ten years:
●
been convicted in a criminal proceeding or been subject to a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and other minor offenses);
●
had any bankruptcy petition filed by or against the business or property of the person, or of any partnership, corporation or business association of which he was a general partner or executive officer, either at the time of the bankruptcy filing or within two years prior to that time;
●
been subject to any order, judgment, or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any court of competent jurisdiction or federal or state authority, permanently or temporarily enjoining, barring, suspending or otherwise limiting, his involvement in any type of business, securities, futures, commodities, investment, banking, savings and loan, or insurance activities, or to be associated with persons engaged in any such activity;
●
been found by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action or by the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to have violated a federal or state securities or commodities law, and the judgment has not been reversed, suspended, or vacated;
●
been the subject of, or a party to, any federal or state judicial or administrative order, judgment, decree, or finding, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated (not including any settlement of a civil proceeding among private litigants), relating to an alleged violation of any federal or state securities or commodities law or regulation, any law or regulation respecting financial institutions or insurance companies including, but not limited to, a temporary or permanent injunction, order of disgorgement or restitution, civil money penalty or temporary or permanent cease-and-desist order, or removal or prohibition order, or any law or regulation prohibiting mail or wire fraud or fraud in connection with any business entity; or
●
been the subject of, or a party to, any sanction or order, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any self-regulatory organization (as defined in Section 3(a)(26) of the Exchange Act), any registered entity (as defined in Section 1(a)(29) of the Commodity Exchange Act), or any equivalent exchange, association, entity or organization that has disciplinary authority over its members or persons associated with a member.
Except as set forth in our discussion below in “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions,” none of our directors or executive officers has been involved in any transactions with us or any of our directors, executive officers, affiliates or associates which are required to be disclosed pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Commission.

---

ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Item 11. Executive Compensation
The following summary compensation table sets forth all compensation awarded to, earned by, or paid to the named executive officers paid by us during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
Name and Position(s)
Year
Salary ($)
Bonus ($)
Stock
Awards ($)
Option
Awards ($)
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation ($)
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings ($)
All Other
Compensation ($)
Total
Compensation ($)
Mark Meller
$ 1,120,092
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ 1,120,092
President, Chief Executive Officer,
and Director
$ 1,026,650
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ 1,026,650
Joseph Macaluso,
$ 238,943
$ 55,628
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ 294,571
Chief Financial Officer
$ 228,516
$ 45,150
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ 273,666
Mark Meller, Chief Executive Officer
The Company’s Chief Executive Officer and President has had an Employment Agreement with the Company since September 15, 2003. On February 4, 2016 (the “Effective Date”), the Company entered into an amended and restated employment agreement (the “Meller Employment Agreement”) with Mark Meller, pursuant to which Mr. Meller will continue to serve as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
The Meller Employment Agreement was entered into by the Company and Mr. Meller primarily to extend the term of Mr. Meller’s employment. The term of the Meller Employment Agreement runs through September of 2023 (the “Term”) and shall automatically renew for additional periods of one year unless otherwise terminated in accordance with the employment agreement. The Company will pay Mr. Meller an annual salary of $565,000 per annum, with a ten percent (10%) increase on September 1 and every anniversary of such date for the duration of the Term beginning September 15, 2003. On November 11, 2021, the Company and Mark Meller executed an amendment to Mr. Meller’s employment agreement to extend his term of employment through September 14, 2028. Other than the foregoing extension, the terms of Mr. Meller’s employment agreement remain unchanged.
Concurrently with the execution of the Investment Agreement, SilverSun and Mark Meller entered into a letter agreement pursuant to which the Meller SilverSun Employment Agreement will be terminated and liquidated as of immediately prior to Closing, and Silver Sun will pay to Mr. Meller a lump sum termination payment equal to the lessor of (i) $3.0 million and (ii) 300% of the average annual amount paid by the Company or any parent or subsidiary thereof to Mr. Meller and included in his gross income for services rendered in each of the five calendar years immediately prior to closing, less $100, which is the amount that he is entitled to receive under the Meller SilverSun Agreement for certain terminations of his employment within three years following a change of control.
Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control
The Meller Employment Agreement provides for a severance payment to Mr. Meller of three hundred percent (300%), less $100,000 of his gross income for services rendered to the Company in each of the five prior calendar years should his employment be terminated following a change in control (as defined in the Meller Employment Agreement).
Grants of Plan-based Awards Table for Fiscal Year 2023
There were no stock option grants for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Outstanding Plan-based Awards at December 31, 2023
The Company had no outstanding equity awards to the executives named above at the end of the most recently completed fiscal year.
Options Exercised During Fiscal Year 2023
Name
# of Shares
Exercised
Exercise
Price
Value Realized
on Exercise
Joseph Macaluso
8,370
$ 6.53
$ 27,421
Joseph Macaluso
11,630
$ 5.90
$ 45,566
Clawback Policy
The Company has adopted a clawback policy that states that, in the event that the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement, it will recover incentive-based compensation received by any current or former executive officer that was based upon the attainment of a financial reporting measure that was erroneously awarded during the three-year period preceding the date that the restatement was required.
Director Compensation
The following Director Compensation Table sets forth the compensation of our directors for the fiscal year ending on December 31, 2023.
Name
Fees Earned
or Paid in Cash
($)
Stock
Awards
($)
Option
Awards
($)
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)
Non-Qualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
($)
All Other
Compensation
($)
Total
($)
Stanley Wunderlich
12,000
-
-
-
-
-
12,000
Kenneth Edwards
20,000
-
-
-
-
-
20,000
John Schachtel
18,000
-
-
-
-
-
18,000
We pay only our independent directors for their service on our board of directors. Mr. Wunderlich is paid $1,000 per month, payable quarterly for his service as a member of the board and as Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee. Mr. Edwards was paid $1,667 per month, payable quarterly for his service as a member of the board and as Chairman of the Audit Committee. Mr. Schachtel is paid $1,500 per month, payable quarterly for his service as a member of the board and as Chairman of the Compensation Committee.
Director Agreements
On July 26, 2011, we entered into a director agreement with Stanley Wunderlich, pursuant to which Mr. Wunderlich was appointed to the Board effective July 26, 2011. On August 3, 2011 the Company entered into an amended and restated director agreement (the “Amended Agreement”). The term of the Amended Agreement is one year from August 3, 2011. The Amended Agreement may, at the option of the Board, be automatically renewed on such date that Mr. Wunderlich is re-elected to the Board. In connection with a recapitalization of the Company in 2012, Mr. Wunderlich and the Company agreed to amend the Amended Director Agreement to (i) change the Stipend to $1,000 per month, payable quarterly; (ii) to forego the issuance of any warrants due to Wunderlich under the Amended Agreement; and (iii) to cancel the future issuance of any warrants due to Mr. Wunderlich under the Amended Agreement. To date no warrants have been issued pursuant to this agreement.
On March 27, 2017, we entered into a director agreement (“Schachtel Director Agreement”) with John Schachtel, pursuant to which Mr. Schachtel was appointed to the Board effective March 27, 2017 (the “Effective Date”). The Schachtel Director Agreement may, at the option of the Board, be automatically renewed on such date that Mr. Schachtel is re-elected to the Board. Under the Schachtel Director Agreement, Mr. Schachtel is to be paid a stipend of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) (the “Stipend”) per month, payable quarterly. Additionally, Mr. Schachtel shall receive warrants (the “Warrants”) to purchase such number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock, as shall equal (the “Formula”) (A) $20,000 divided by (B) the closing price of the Common Stock on the date of grant of the Warrant. The exercise price of the Warrant shall be the closing price on the date of the grant of such Warrant (the “Grant Date”) plus $0.01. The Warrant shall be fully vested upon receipt thereof (the “Vesting Date”). The warrants have expired and no warrants had been issued.
On January 4, 2021, we entered into a director agreement (“Edwards Director Agreement”) with Kenneth Edwards, pursuant to which Mr. Edwards was appointed to the Board effective January 4, 2021 (the “Effective Date”). The Edwards Director Agreement may, at the option of the Board, be automatically renewed on such date that Mr. Edwards is re-elected to the Board. Under the Edwards Director Agreement, Mr. Edwards is to be paid a stipend of $1,667 per month (the “Stipend”).
Pay versus Performance Table
The following table shows the total compensation for the named executive officers as set forth in the Summary Compensation Table, the compensation “actually paid” (“CAP”) to the NEOs, the Company’s total shareholder return (“TSR”), and our net income (loss) for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
2023 Pay vs. Performance Table
Fiscal Year
Summary
			compensation
			table total for
			PEO(1)
Compensation
			actually paid
			to PEO(1)(3)
Average
			summary
			compensation
			table total for
			non-PEO
			NEOs(2)
Average
			compensation
			actually paid
			to non-PEO
			NEOs(2)(4)
Value of
			initial fixed
			$100
			investment
			based on
			total
			shareholder
			return(3)(5)
Net loss
$ 1,120,092
1,120,092
294,571
294,571
$ (1,070,095 )
$ 1,026,650
$ 1,026,650
$ 273,666
$ 273,666
$
$ (282,219 )
(1)
In the table above, our PEO is Mark Meller.
(2)
In the table above, our only non-PEO NEO is Joseph Macaluso.
(3)
Cumulative TSR is calculated by dividing the sum of the cumulative amount of dividends for the measurement period, assuming dividend reinvestment, and the difference between the Company’s share price at the end and the beginning of the measurement period by the Company’s share price at the beginning of the measurement period.
(4)
The SEC rules require that certain adjustments be made to the Summary Compensation Table (“SCT”) totals to determine CAP, as reported in the Pay versus Performance table above. The following table details the applicable adjustments that were made to determine CAP:
(5)
Cumulative TSR is calculated based on the value of an initial fixed investment of $100 in our common stock as of December 31, 2020.
Executives
SCT
total
			($)
Deduct grant
			date fair
			value of
stock
			awards &
option awards
($)
Add year-end
fair value of
uninvested
equity granted
in the year
($)
Add year-
over-year
change in fair
value of
outstanding and
unvested equity
granted in
prior years
			($)
Add fair value
as of vesting
date of equity
awards granted
and vested
in the year
($)
Add year-
			over-year change
in fair value
of equity awards
granted in prior
years that
vested in the year
			($)
Deduct fair
value at the
end of the
prior year
of equity awards
that failed
to meet vesting
conditions
in the year
($)
PEO
1,120,092
-
-
-
-
-
-
Non-PEO NEOs
(average)
294,571
-
-
-
-
-
-
PEO
1,026,650
-
-
-
-
-
-
Non-PEO NEOs (average)
273,666
-
-
-
-
-
-
Relationship Between Compensation Actually Paid and Performance Measures
CAP for the PEO and NEO’s is primarily wage-based, and changes in the value of the unvested and vested material are not significant. The compensation is based upon contractual requirements as well as industry standards. While the Company reviews performance measures in order to align executive compensation with Company performance, all of those Company measures are not presented in the Pay Versus Performance table above. Moreover, the Company generally seeks to incentivize long-term performance, and therefore does not specifically align the Company’s performance measures with compensation actually paid (which, for all purposes hereof, shall be as computed in accordance with SEC rules) for a particular year.
The increase in the Company’s TSR reflects management’s efforts to increase shareholder value, however, the Company’s stock price is very volatile and may not be an indicator of future performance. The increase in the Company’s TSR reflects management’s efforts to increase shareholder value, however, the higher stock price at December 31, 2023 is a result of the announcement on December 3, 2023, that the Company. entered into the Investment Agreement with JPE and the other investors party thereto (collectively with JPE, the “Investors”), providing for an aggregate investment by the Investors of $1,000,000,000 in cash in the Company (collectively, the “Equity Investment”). Following the closing of the Equity Investment, JPE will be the controlling stockholder of the Company and Mr. Brad Jacobs, who controls JPE, will become Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company (see Form 8-K filed with Securities and Exchange Commission on December 4, 2023.

---

ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of our Common Stock as of March 13, 2024 by (a) each stockholder who is known to us to own beneficially 5% or more of our outstanding Common Stock; (b) all directors; (c) our executive officers, and (d) all executive officers and directors as a group. Except as otherwise indicated, all persons listed below have (i) sole voting power and investment power with respect to their shares of Common Stock, except to the extent that authority is shared by spouses under applicable law, and (ii) record and beneficial ownership with respect to their shares of Common Stock.
For purposes of this table, a person or group of persons is deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of any shares of Common Stock that such person has the right to acquire within 60 days of March 13, 2024. For purposes of computing the percentage of outstanding shares of our Common Stock held by each person or group of persons named above, any shares that such person or persons has the right to acquire within 60 days of March 13, 2024 is deemed to be outstanding, but is not deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. The inclusion herein of any shares listed as beneficially owned does not constitute an admission of beneficial ownership. Unless otherwise identified, the address of our directors and officers is c/o SilverSun Technologies, Inc. at 120 Eagle Rock Ave, Suite 330, East Hanover, NJ 07936.
Number of Shares of
Common Stock
Beneficially Owned
Percentage of Ownership
of Common Stock (1)
Officers and Directors
Mark Meller
Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman
2,006,534 (2)
37.75 %
Stanley Wunderlich
Director
1,500
*
Officers and Directors as a Group
2,008,034 (7)
37.78 %
* denotes less than 1%
(1)
Based on 5,315,581 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of March 13, 2024. Shares of Common Stock subject to options or warrants currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days, are deemed outstanding for purposes of computing the percentage of the person holding such options or warrants but are not deemed outstanding for purposes of computing the percentage of any other person.
(2)
Includes 800,000 shares owned by Sharieve Meller Family Trust, Sharieve is Mr. Meller’s wife. Mr. Meller disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares. Also includes 800,000 shares owned by the Mark M. Meller Family Trust. Mr. Meller beneficially owns 406,534 shares.
Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
The following table sets forth information as of December 31, 2023 with respect to compensation plans (including individual compensation arrangements) under which our common shares are authorized for issuance, aggregated as follows:
All compensation plans previously approved by security holders; and
All compensation plans not previously approved by security holders
Plan category
Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights
Weighted average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights
Number of securities remaining available for future issuance
(a)
(b)
(c)
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders
-
$ -
1,056,670
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders.
-
$ -
-
Total
-
$ -
1,056,670
2019 Equity and Incentive Plan
The Company adopted the 2019 Equity and Incentive Plan (the “2019 Plan”) to order provide long-term incentives for employees and non-employees to contribute to the growth of the Company and attain specific performance goals. The 1,236,700 shares available under the 2019 Plan represent approximately 23% of the Company’s 5,315,581 currently outstanding shares (the “Share Reserve”). The Share Reserve will automatically increase on January 1st of each year, for a period of not more than ten years, commencing on January 1, 2020 and ending on (and including) January 1, 2029, in an amount equal to 180,030 shares (which is the equivalent of 4.0% of the 4,500,755 shares of common stock outstanding as of September 30, 2019). As of March 13, 2024, the Company has issued 158,420 options. In December 2023, the option holders received 59,404 shares of common stock and surrendered 158,420 shares of common stock underlying the option in a cashless exercise of the outstanding stock options in payment of the exercise price. The cashless exercise was based on the market price of the average of the closing trading price of the Issuer's common stock on the 5 trading days ending prior to the date of exercise. (see Note 10 to Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements).

---

ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
At December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, certain long-term debt is considered a related party liability as holders, including Prairie Tech, are current employees of the Company. As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the outstanding balances of this debt were $-0- and $103,333 respectively. Please see “Board Composition and Director Independence” under “Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance,” for information regarding director independence.

---

ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services
The following table sets forth fees billed to the Company by the Company’s independent auditors for (i) services rendered for the audit of the Company’s annual financial statements and the review of the Company’s quarterly financial statements, (ii) services rendered that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the Company’s financial statements that are not reported as Audit Fees, and (iii) services rendered in connection with tax preparation, compliance, advice and assistance.
Services
Audit Fees
$ 179,551
$ 213,988
Audit - Related Fees
66,703
61,773
Tax fees
76,958
40,867
All Other Fees
-
-
Total
$ 323,212
$ 316,628
Prior to engaging our accountants to perform a particular service, our Audit Committee obtains an estimate for the service to be performed. All the services described above were approved by the Audit Committee in accordance with its procedures.
PART IV

---

ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
Item 15. Exhibits
(a)
Exhibit No.
Description
2.1
Asset Purchase Agreement, dated March 11, 2015, by and among SWK Technologies, Inc., 2000Soft, Inc. d/b/a Accounting Technology Resources and Karen Espinoza McGarrigle (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 on the Company’s current report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 17, 2015).
2.2
Form of Asset Purchase Agreement, dated July 6, 2015, by and among SWK Technologies, Inc., ProductiveTech, Inc. a New Jersey corporation John McPoyle and Kevin Snyder (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2.1 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on July 10, 2015).
2.2
Form of Asset Purchase Agreement, dated May 18, 2018, by and among SWK Technologies, Inc., InfoSys Management, Inc. and three individuals (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2.1 on the Company’s Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 24, 2018).
2.3
Form of Asset Purchase Agreement, dated May 18, 2018, by and among Secure Cloud Services, Inc., SilverSun Technologies, Inc., Nellnube, Inc. and Info Sys Management, Inc. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2.2 on the Company’s Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 24, 2018).
2.4
Asset Purchase Agreement, dated August 26, 2019, by and among SilverSun Technologies, Inc. SWK Technologies, Inc., and SPS Commerce, Inc. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on August 27, 2019).
2.5
Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated September 29, 2022, by and among SilverSun Technologies, Inc., SilverSun Acquisition Corp., SilverSun Acquisition LLC and Rhodium Enterprises, Inc.** (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2.1 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on October 3, 2022).
3.1
Second Amended Certificate of incorporation of SilverSun Technologies, Inc., filed September 5, 2003 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the registration statement on Form SB-2, filed with the SEC on November 25, 2003).
3.2
By-laws of iVoice, Inc., a New Jersey corporation (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of the Registrant’s Form 10-QSB for the period ended March 31, 2003).
3.3
Fourth Amended and Restated Certificate of incorporation of SilverSun Technologies, Inc., (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 on Form 8-K, dated June 27, 2011, filed with the SEC on June 30, 2011).
3.4
Amendment to the Bylaws of the Company (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 on Form 8-K, dated June 27, 2011, filed with the SEC on June 30, 2011).
3.5
Certificate of Elimination of Series B Preferred Stock (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 on Form 8-K, dated September 13, 2019).
4.1
iVoice Acquisition 1, Inc. 5% Convertible Debenture due March 20, 2005 issued to Elma S. Foin (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the registration statement on Form SB-2, filed with the SEC on December 22, 2003).
4.2
iVoice Acquisition 1, Inc. 5% Convertible Debenture due March 20, 2005 issued to Darryl A. Moy (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 of the registration statement on Form SB-2, filed with the SEC on December 22, 2003).
4.3
iVoice Acquisition 1, Inc. 5% Convertible Debenture due March 20, 2005 issued to Henry Tyler (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.4 of the registration statement on Form SB-2, filed with the SEC on December 22, 2003).
4.4
SilverSun Technologies, Inc. 7.5% Secured Convertible Debenture, for a value of $600,000, due December 30, 2007 to YA Global (f/k/a/ Cornell Capital Partners, LP).
4.5
SilverSun Technologies, Inc. 7.5% Secured Convertible Debenture, for a value of $1,159,047, due December 30, 2007 to YA Global (f/k/a/ Cornell Capital Partners, LP).
4.6
Certificate of Designation of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 on Form 8-K, dated May 4, 2011, filed with the SEC on May 12, 2011).
4.7
Certificate of Designation of Series B Preferred Stock (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 on Form 8-K, dated September 23, 2011, filed with the SEC on September 27, 2011).
4.8
$835,000 January 1, 2022 Promissory Note of SWK Technologies, Inc. issued to Dynamic Tech Services, Inc. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on January 5, 2022).
4.9*
Description of Securities
10.1
Employment Agreement, dated January 1, 2003, between iVoice Acquisition 1, Inc. and Jerome Mahoney (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.8 of the Registration Statement on Form SB-2 filed on November 25, 2003).
10.2
Employment Agreement, dated September 15, 2003, between SilverSun Technologies, Inc. and Mark Meller (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.9 of the Registration Statement on Form SB-2 filed on November 25, 2003).
10.3
Equity Line of Credit Agreement dated January 24, 2003 between Cornell Capital Partners, LP, and iVoice Acquisition 1, Inc. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2003, filed with the SEC on May 12, 2003).
10.4
Registration Rights Agreement dated January 24, 2003 between Cornell Capital Partners, LP, and iVoice Acquisition 1, Inc. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2003, filed with the SEC on May 12, 2003).
10.5
Stock Purchase Agreement dated January 24, 2003 between iVoice Acquisition 1, Inc. and listed Buyers (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2003, filed with the SEC on May 12, 2003).
10.6
Placement Agreement dated January 24, 2003 between iVoice Acquisition 1, Inc. and Cornell Capital Partners LP. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.5 of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2003, filed with the SEC on May 12, 2003).
10.7
Termination Agreement dated December 30, 2005 between YA Global (f/k/a/ Cornell Capital Partners, LP). and SilverSun Technologies, Inc.
10.8
Escrow Agreement dated December 30, 2005 between David Gonzalez, Esq. And SilverSun Technologies, Inc.
10.9
Securities Purchase Agreement dated December 30, 2005 between YA Global (f/k/a/ Cornell Capital Partners, LP). and SilverSun Technologies, Inc.
10.10
Investor Rights Agreement dated December 30, 2005 between YA Global (f/k/a/ Cornell Capital Partners, LP). and SilverSun Technologies, Inc.
10.11
Amended and Restated Security Agreement dated December 30, 2005 between YA Global (f/k/a/ Cornell Capital Partners, LP). and SilverSun Technologies, Inc.
10.12
Securities Purchase Agreement dated May 6, 2009 by and among SilverSun Technologies, SWK Technologies, Inc., Jeffrey D. Roth and Jerome R. Mahoney (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 on Form 10-K, dated May 9, 2009, filed with the SEC on May 26, 2009).
10.13
Termination Settlement Agreement dated May 6, 2009 by and among SilverSun Technologies, SWK Technologies, Inc., Jeffrey D. Roth and Jerome R. Mahoney (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 on Form 10-K, dated May 9, 2009, filed with the SEC on May 26, 2009).
10.14
Promissory notes, dated April 11, 2011 among SilverSun Technologies, Inc and accredited investors (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 on Form 8-K, dated April 11, 2011, filed with the SEC on April 15, 2011).
10.15
Form of Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 on the Company’s current report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 12, 2011).
10.16
Amended Agreement by and between the Company and Mr. Stanley Wunderlich (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s current report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 3, 2011).
10.17
Form of Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s current report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 3, 2011).
10.18
Loan and Security Agreement by and between the Company, its subsidiary SWK Technologies, Inc and a commercial lender (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.18 of the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2011, filed with the SEC on March 29, 2012).
10.19
Audit Committee Charter (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.19 of the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2011, filed with the SEC on March 29, 2012).
10.20
Form of Purchase Agreement, dated June 14, 2012, by and among SWK Technologies, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Neil Wolf, Esq., not individually, but solely in his capacity as Trustee-Assignee of the Trust Agreement and Assignment for the Benefit of the Creditors of Hightower, Inc., Hightower, Inc., and the Stockholders of Hightower, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 on the Company’s current report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 20, 2012).
10.21
Promissory Note, dated March 11, 2015, issued in favor of 2000Soft, Inc. d/b/a Accounting Technology Resources, a California corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 on the Company’s current report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 17, 2015).
10.22
Form of Promissory Note, dated July 6, 2015, issued in favor of ProductiveTech, Inc., a New Jersey corporation (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on July 10, 2015)
10.23
Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated February 4, 2016, between Mark Meller and Silversun Technologies, Inc. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on February 5, 2016).
10.24
Form of $1,000,000 Convertible Promissory Note, dated May 18, 2018, issued in favor of Info Sys Management, Inc. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 24, 2018).
10.25
Form of $400,000 Convertible Promissory Note, May 18, 2018, issued in favor of Info Sys Management, Inc. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 24, 2018).
10.26
Form of Employment Agreement, dated May 18, 2018 by and between SWK Technologies, Inc. and Brian James O’Reilly (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 24, 2018).
10.27
Form of Escrow Agreement, dated August 26, 2019, by and among SWK Technologies, Inc., SPS Commerce, Inc. and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on August 27, 2019)
10.28
Asset Purchase Agreement, dated January 1, 2022 by and between SWK Technologies, Inc., and Dynamic Tech Services, Inc. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on January 5, 2022).
10.29
Consulting Agreement, dated January 1, 2022 by and between SWK Technologies, Inc., and Dynamic Tech Services, Inc. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on January 5, 2022).
10.30
Form of Separation and Distribution Agreement by and among SilverSun Technologies, Inc. and SWK Technologies Holdings, Inc. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on October 3, 2022).
10.31
Voting and Support Agreement of SilverSun Technologies, Inc. dated September 29, 2022 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on October 3, 2022).
10.32
Voting and Support Agreement of Rhodium Enterprises, Inc. dated September 29, 2022 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on October 3, 2022).
10.33
Asset Purchase Agreement, dated November 13, 2023 by and between SWK Technologies, Inc., and JCS Computer Resource Corporation (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on November 15, 2023).
10.34
Form of $1,025,000 Promissory Note, dated November 13, 2023, issued in favor of JCS Computer Resource Corporation, (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on November 15, 2023).
10.35
Investment Agreement (including all Exhibits thereto), dated December 3, 2023, by and among SilverSun Technologies, Inc. Jacobs Private equity II, LLC and the other Investors party thereto (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2.1 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on December 4, 2023 and the Definitive Proxy Statement filed with the SEC on February 13, 2024).
10.36
Voting and Support Agreement, dated December 3, 2023, by and between Jacobs Private Equity II, LLC, Mark Meller, Sharieve Meller family Trust and Mark Meller Family Trust (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on December 4, 2023).
10.37
Certificate of Elimination for Series A Preferred Stock filed with Delaware Secretary of State on December 1, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on December 4, 2023).
10.38
Meller Letter Agreement, dated December 3, 2023, by and between SilverSun Technologies, Inc. and Mark Meller (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on December 4, 2023).
14.1
Code of Ethics (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 14.1 filed with the Registrant’s Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003).
21.1 *
List of Subsidiaries
23.1 *
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
31.1 *
Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 filed herein.
31.2 *
Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 filed herein.
32.1 *
Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 filed herein.
32.2 *
Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 filed herein.
97.1*
SilverSun Technologies, Inc. Compensation Recovery Policy
101.INS *
Inline XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH *
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema
101.CAL *
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase
101.DEF *
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase
101.LAB *
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase
101.PRE *
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase
Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)
* Filed herewith