This post is part of a series on common misconceptions about acquisitions I’ve encountered over the years as an advisor. Read parts one and two. Misconception #3: Only the CEO and CFO Should Be Involved Because of the confidential nature of acquisitions, naturally most company owners do not disclose their acquisition plans to the entire …
Tag: Acquisition Team
How to Bring the Right Team to the Negotiation Table
When negotiating for an acquisition, we always recommend you, as the buyer, try to match the seller’s negotiation team. Many owners are selling their company for the first time and in most cases their company will be smaller than yours. Arriving to the negotiation table with a swarm of lawyers can be overwhelming and may …
5 Ways to Rethink Strategic Growth – #4 Get Input from Your Team
Developing and implementing a strategy requires multiple skills and successful growth requires multiple perspectives. Other people in the company have a different level of skillset or expertise that can be beneficial. A leader’s team should be a brain trust or a mastermind forum for decision making that develops a collective understanding of the strategic plan. …
How to Avoid Irrational Decision-Making in M&A
Most people tend to go with their “gut” when making decisions rather than relying on the accurate data. You might think you’re the exception, but studies conducted by psychologists Daniel Kahnerman and Amos Tversky show that “when it comes to decision-making, humans are predisposed to irrationality.” No one likes to think of themselves in this …
Why Disagreeing With Your M&A Team Is Good
You may be surprised I’m saying this, but vigorous arguments in your acquisition team can be a good thing. In fact, I would be alarmed if there was never any disagreement over a prospective purchase. Either someone is lying or afraid to speak up, unless your entire team is quite exceptionally in sync. Dissent can …
Who is Your M&A Champion?
Q: Who is the internal champion on the M&A team? What is their role? A: The internal champion is an important member of your M&A team. Your acquisition team should include people from your own company such as the CEO, CFO, the internal champion, and functional leaders, and external experts such as lawyers, accountants, valuation experts, due diligence experts …
How Much Should You Budget for Mergers and Acquisitions?
This is a difficult question to answer. Of course your budget (in both human resources and dollars) will vary depending on your capabilities and the size of the transaction. Acquisition is a substantial task to take on so ideally you would have at least one person that is 100% dedicated to running the M&A project …
Six Ways to Reduce Stress During Due Diligence
Pursuing M&A is a passionate process. Emotions run the gambit from excitement in finding a new deal to anxiety about risks uncovered during the acquisition. I’ve found due diligence and negotiations to be among the most stressful times during mergers and acquisitions. Here are six ways to help everyone keep their cool during these critical …
Staying Connected: 4 Ideas for Meeting with Your Acquisition Team
Team meetings are important in order to move forward confidently when it comes to due diligence. Ideally I would want everyone on your team to be physically together, but I understand in today’s environment that may be difficult to schedule, and you’ll have to be creative to maintain team cohesion. Here are a few suggestions …
The Acquisition Librarian – Organizing Your Data
“Keep your pipeline full,” I often tell clients when speaking about their acquisition prospects. By this I mean that in pursuing M&A you should research 75 to 100 companies. That’s a lot of companies and research, which of course you must record in an appropriate manner. How can you keep track of all your data? …
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