Buy Side Preparation
Preparing a business for rapid scaling via M&A and thorough integration
Most businesses that "Fail at M&A" are probably Failing at Integration
Issues are inevitable if an acquirer isn't built to absorb another business - yet. It could be operational, technical, cultural inability to scale, or a combination of the three. Buy Side Preparation is where we find any gaps and close them, before it costs you the next acquisition.
What Buy Side Preparation Involves
Integration Readiness Assessment
We look at how your business actually operates today, and identify where that will break under the weight of an acquisition. This covers your playbook, your tools, your past integration history, and how your teams work together across locations.
Identifying Risks and Dependencies
Every acquirer has blind spots going into a deal, with issues that don't show up until integration is already underway. We Plan the operational, technology, and cultural dependencies that need to be addressed, so they're on your radar before Day 1, not during Week 3.
Building Repeatable Capability
Creating Change within your business. We help you turn one-off integration effort into a standing capability with playbooks, templates, and a program management approach that means your third acquisition isn't harder than your first.
Who is this for?
PE sponsors and platform companies planning multiple add-on acquisitions
Operating companies about to make their first acquisition and don't want to learn readiness the hard way
Acquirers who have experienced overly-turbulent, or under-delivery of integrations and don't want a repeat
Deliverables
- A clear picture of where your business is and isn't ready to integrate, looking back at past integrations and corrective actions
- A prioritized list of the scalability gaps that will be tested when a large number of employees suddenly join your business
- The start of a playbook you'll use on the next integration
- Org chart and HR assessment, including working styles and communication mechanisms
You’re about to acquire a business. After the deal is complete, are you ready to take on the integration?
If you're planning more than one acquisition, your ability to integrate must become a repeatable capability, not something that is rebuilt from scratch each time you acquire.
How Realistic is your Integration Plan?
- Can you deliver acquisition value?
- Is your business able to grow after acquiring?
- Will the business be able to perform as expected, within your timeline?
- Have you taken into consideration the complexities of launching an integration considering the acquired employees?
Ensure your processes and templates to merge employees, technologies, operations, processes and business cultures are on the right track
Scalability is crucial for businesses aiming to successfully acquire other companies. A scalable business model allows a company to efficiently manage increased workloads and expand operations without compromising performance or quality. When you acquire new assets, processes, and teams, a scalable business is more agile at handling changes.
A platform business is necessary to integrate additional business acquisitions (add-ons), and it must be prepared and able to absorb future acquisitions. Whether this platform is your current business or the first in a series of acquisitions, it must be scalable, not only in business operations and technology, but also in personnel, governance and business culture mindset.
Scalability often involves leveraging technology and streamlined processes to enhance operational efficiency and to reduce costs, making the acquisition process more manageable and less risky. By being ready to effortlessly integrate, platform businesses not only facilitate successful acquisitions but also ensure that their company remains resilient and capable of thriving in an ever-evolving marketplace.
Platform Readiness is an insurance policy that your business is prepared and able to deliver the ROI for your future acquisitions
Preparedness
- How do you know if you are capable to keep business-as-usual while integrating?
- How do you know whether your planning is comprehensive?
- Have you focused and prioritized the correct areas, which match the original reasons for acquiring?
The assessment validates your preparedness for bringing the businesses together
To learn more about our Readiness process for assessing, planning, and creating a scalable business, click here.
