In a special Walla and CofaceBDi panel, three business leaders discussed what helps Israeli companies stay strong over time amid economic, regulatory, security and technological instability. The participants were CPA Tzahi Mena, owner and CEO of Mena Accounting; attorney Avichai Verdi, owner of Avichai Verdi Law Office; and Ayelet Yefet Keshi, CEO of Development at Tzav 3. Their shared conclusion was that lasting companies are built on structure, people, vision, data, contracts and the ability to make decisions as conditions change.
Mena argued that modern companies need an organizational backbone, not just a good product or sales growth. He said accountants must now work in real time, proactively, instead of only reporting what happened after the fact. According to him, business decisions, whether opening or closing markets, merging operations or making smaller choices, should be based on numbers, and if managers do not see the data before deciding, it is “a huge gamble.”
Verdi stressed the legal side, saying companies must set up shareholder, partnership and corporate agreements in advance so they can handle disputes, ownership imbalances, dilution issues and decision rules if problems arise. He said the legal structure should not appear only during a crisis. He also noted that early warning signs matter, and if an accountant flags trouble six months before collapse, a company may still be saved, but if the warning comes two weeks before, it may be too late.
Keshi added that financial and legal systems help a company avoid failure, but lasting success also requires “soul,” meaning culture and meaning for employees. She said Tzav 3, which has more than 6,500 employees nationwide, built a strong organizational DNA 36 years ago by valuing workers and creating a sense of purpose. She advised small business owners to build data, financial and legal infrastructure from day one, while Verdi and Mena said vision, strong roots and the right people are essential. The panel also said BDi ranking serves as an external sign of trust, stability and professionalism built over time.
