Mergers & Acquisitions

M&A Talk Podcast

M&A Talk is the #1 podcast on mergers & acquisitions. At M&A Talk we bring you exclusive interviews with experts in business sales, valuations, mergers and acquisitions, and more. We talk to the most experienced professionals in the industry to uncover their secrets.

Home Podcast After the Sale – Planning a Smooth Integration with the Buyer

After the Sale – Planning a Smooth Integration with the Buyer

After the Sale – Planning a Smooth Integration with the Buyer

Jonathan Wilson

M&A Integration and Strategy

Listen as we discuss the relationship between change management and integration, the role of the M&A Playbook, what you can do to prepare your business for sale, and how to assess a company’s culture before an acquisition. We discuss change management, ensuring a smooth transition and integration after acquisition, and how the process differs depending on the size and type of business. Learn what an M&A Playbook is and the importance of aligning M&A strategy with corporate strategy. We wrap up discussing how to assess a company’s culture and ensure the transition goes as smoothly as possible.

Guest Profile

Jonathan Wilson is a dynamic Value Creation professional focused on organic and inorganic value creation for start-ups, fintech, and more traditional organizations. With an MBA concentration in general management and international strategy, he has spent the majority of his career focused on working directly for Fortune 500 companies and partnering with division-level and corporate-level client executives within trailblazing organizations. In 2017, Jonathan founded Dubb Value Creation, a boutique consulting firm of three people based in West Hollywood, CA, where he serves as the President & Chief Value Creator. For almost 20 years, Jonathan worked exclusively with Fortune 500 companies developing and executing both inorganic growth initiatives (M&A – acquisitions and divestitures) and organic growth initiatives to enhance profitability through increased revenue and realized cost savings. Over the past few years, Jonathan has pivoted to partnering with organizations where annual revenues are below $1 billion as well as select projects for Fortune 500 corporations.

Topics Covered

  • What are the major differences between management consulting and M&A? [4:45]
  • What is change management, and how is it relevant to M&A? [6:45]
  • How are change management and integration related? What factors should be considered when integrating two companies after an acquisition? [8:55]
  • Which culture ends up becoming the dominant culture after an acquisition? [9:25]
  • What integration is required for businesses that continue to be operated independently of the parent company post-acquisition? [10:25]
  • How do you define the middle market in terms of annual revenue? [13:45]
  • What are the differences between private and public companies? [14:45]
  • What is an M&A Playbook? [15:25]
  • How often is the seller privy to the buyer’s true reason for the acquisition? [17:40]
  • Why does the buyer keep their reason for the acquisition a secret? [18:10]
  • What are the most important things a seller can do to prepare their business for sale? [18:55]
  • What do sellers need to understand about the buyer’s position during negotiations? [21:25]
  • What are the most common reasons buyers acquire companies? [25:05]
  • What does a sourcing strategy look like for finding acquisitions? [27:15]
  • What drives due diligence on the buy side? [35:55]
  • How does due diligence relate to integration? [36:55]
  • How do you perform people or cultural due diligence [38:15]?
  • How can you assess the culture based on an organization chart? [38:45]
  • Is there a framework for assessing the culture? [41:25]
  • Is there a right and a wrong strategy? [44:55]
  • What’s it like going through a divestiture? [45:55]

Learn More

Acquired

Acquired

The Art of Selling a Business With $10 Million to $100 Million in Revenue

Written by Jacob Orosz, President of Morgan & Westfield

For a business to sell for what it’s really worth – or even more – you need to properly prepare. But too many entrepreneurs put off planning the sale of their business until the last moment. Acquired – The Art of Selling a Business With $10 Million to $100 Million in Revenue will help you prepare your business for sale and walk you through the sales process, dodging the pitfalls along the way. With a significant amount of your wealth tied up in your business, planning your exit is one of the most critical initiatives you’ll undertake.

Read more