Intangibles such as culture, chemistry and follow-through play a significant role in M&A success. Business owners and CEOs are rightfully cautious and need transparency and hard evidence before selling equity in a company they built themselves. For that reason, we offer peer conversations with fellow CEOs who have already gone through the process and become leaders in the parent organization. This step is valuable not only to confirm the steps taken in previous integrations, but to provide CEOs with assurances that their company will be able to operate much as before.
This was exactly the type of reassurance that one company was seeking. As the normal due diligence process continued, the principal owner was provided with the opportunity to discuss the potential sale of one business unit with former owners that had completed the same process just months prior. This open dialogue provided confirmation that the acquisition would go as planned and gave valuable insight into the many intangibles that contribute to a positive culture following integration. As a result, this particular owner decided to sell two business units instead of one.
Source: Best Practices For Successfully Integrating Acquisitions
Original Publication: Chief Executive
Subject: Mergers & Acquisitions
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