M&A Transition: The Immediate Steps
When closing an M&A deal, you probably expect to make some changes to the acquired company. Some tasks are more urgent than others. You should settle the following tasks and process prior to closing. The [more…]
M&A Transition: Secondary Steps
Upon closing an M&A transaction, you probably have some ideas, if not a plan, for making changes to the acquired company. But before you actually make those changes, you need to make sure the newly acquired [more…]
M&A Transition: How to Cull Products and Services
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all guide for combining or culling products and services after an M&A deal. Buyers go through countless considerations when deciding whether and what to combine, cut, or keep [more…]
M&A Transition: How to Combine Operations, Administration, and Finance
As with a company’s products and services, the level of integration with operations between acquired company and parent company after an M&A deal largely depends on how much autonomy you as a Buyer grant [more…]
M&A Culture Transition: Size and Power Difference
Following an M&A deal, you may find that the power structure of the acquired company is very different from the power structure of your own company.
Geert Hofstede is a Dutch researcher who uses the term [more…]
M&A Transition: How to Fire People
Firing is an unfortunate side effect of business that is sometimes necessary after an M&A deal. Although you should give people chances to perform and show they’re part of the team, sometimes employees [more…]
Environmental Information Needed for M&A Due Diligence
If you are a selling your business in an M&A deal and are close to signing a letter of intent (LOI), it’s time to get your company documentation in order. The buyer in your deal will need access to information [more…]
Supply Chain Information Needed for M&A Due Diligence
A buyer will need information about the company’s supply chain in order to conduct her M&A due diligence. And a seller needs to be prepared to provide that information [more…]
Litigation and Contingent Claims History Needed for M&A Due Diligence
Understanding Seller’s history with lawsuits, both as a defendant and plaintiff, is another must-know M&A due diligence area for any Buyer. The following list lays out some important litigation info: [more…]
M&A Culture Transition: Degree of Urgency
For most M&A deals, culture is the biggest issue. No two companies have the same business culture, and geographic differences can exacerbate those cultural discrepancies. A common cultural difference that [more…]
M&A Transition: How to Resolve Conflict
Conflict between the new owner and the acquired company’s employees after the announcement of the M&A deal is an occasional and unfortunate disease that can pop up rather quickly. [more…]
M&A Transition: High Standards and Well-Chosen Battles
Starting on the right foot after an M&A deal is important, obviously. You want to win over the new employees as soon as possible, but if you’ve been unable to do that, you may encounter conflicts that [more…]
M&A Transition: Act like a Leader
Getting off on the right foot is important for building any successful relationship, and this is especially true after an M&A deal for a new owner meeting the employees for the first time. [more…]
M&A Transition: How to Get Along
After completing an M&A deal, you should be ready to be a part of the culture of the acquired company. Be willing to partake in local customs, and be sensitive to special events and occurrences in the [more…]
M&A Transition: How to Institute Accountability
A new owner often has a challenge with increasing the accountability of the acquired staff after an M&A deal is completed. Many companies face a large shock when they go from being owned by a single owner [more…]
How to Crowdsource in Your Online Community
Online community managers have access to a great resource in their communities. Have you ever gotten on Twitter to ask for answers to a question or used a forum to help brainstorm ideas? If so, you were [more…]
M&A Seller: How to Create Target Lists
The target list for a Seller in an M&A deal is a bit different than Buyer’s target list due to one key aspect: Seller’s main concern is Buyer’s ability to close a deal. In other words, does Buyer have [more…]
Inventory Carrying Valuation Methods
You may be thinking that valuing ending inventory is a no-brainer — you just value inventory at whatever the original cost happened to be for whatever is left in inventory at the end of the financial period [more…]
Three Things Investors Look for in Online Start-Ups
When screening new online business start-up ideas, investors generally make a call whether or not to invite you in based on these three key factors: [more…]
The Reasons for Mergers and Acquisitions
Mergers and acquisitions take place for many strategic business reasons, but the most common reasons for any business combination are economic at their core. Following are some of the various economic [more…]
Ten Tips for Asking Good Questions
No one says everything you want to hear in the exact order, depth, and detail that you prefer. That's why the chief tool of a good listener is a good question. Well-crafted questions can stimulate, draw [more…]
Managing Conflict When the Deal Won't Close
The potential for conflict is ever-present when negotiating. Disagreement can manifest as differences of views, opinions, personality, and interests. If not managed, these differences can lead to hostility [more…]
Understanding Contract Law when Negotiating Business Deals
Negotiating deals in the business world requires a fundamental understanding of contract law. For starters, in the United States, unless you have a specific arrangement to the contrary, no deal is closed [more…]
Ten Personality Traits of Top Negotiators
A handful of personal characteristics and social attributes contribute to successful negotiations. Nobody has all the traits of a world-class negotiator, but these skills are worth developing if you hope [more…]
Phrases You Should Never Use during a Negotiation
Certain phrases always manage to clank against the ear. The following list covers some expressions that have little place in life, let alone a negotiation. [more…]
