Merger/Acquisition

How I help:

I help bring leadership teams together to shape a shared strategic direction that maximizes the success of the combination.

I support acquiring leaders in clarifying what they need from a target company, defining evaluation criteria, and assessing potential acquisition opportunities.

I also work with the new combined team to guide the conversations that shape a new strategic path. My approach ensures:

• the leader owns the strategy,
• the strategy provides clear and actionable direction,
• the team buys-in to the plan, and
• the strategy becomes embedded in day-to-day operations.

My approach also helps build trust in the new leadership and helps new teammates to come together — getting to know and trust each other.

How faith factors in:

In business, as in all of life, anything not done for the Lord and relying upon the Lord is vanity. Working through a merger or acquisition often includes times of uncertainty and fear and often involves making hard decisions. Look to God for help and assurance, knowing that He is sovereign and what He desires will happen (although we might be tested and sanctified along the way). Here are a few guiding principles:

• Remember, God owns it all, we are just stewards.
• God's greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind,
• The second commandment is like it, to love your neighbor as yourself.
• We should always go to Him in prayer, asking for help, wisdom, and grace.
• We must spend time in His Word to know His will, His priorities, and His ways.
• We should proceed with humility and flexibility and patience, working hard but seeking God's glory as He works in His way and in His timing.

My relevant experience:

God has blessed me with many opportunities to participate in mergers and acquisitions, on both the buying and selling sides. Through these experiences I have learned much about the strategic decisions that can lead to the greatest success. Here are a few highlights from my career:

• My co-founders and I sold our first startup to a Fortune 500 company and successfully integrated our business.
• As a big company executive, I led the strategic planning that identified acquisition and divestiture opportunities.
• I helped big companies identify potential targets, perform due diligence, and integrate many acquisitions.
• As an advisor, I have helped investor clients clarify investment/acquisition goals, evaluate potential targets, and identify the most important strategic decisions post-transaction.
• I earned the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) designation, recognizing my understanding of the decisions and processes involved in selling a business.