With most M&A deals failing to generate the anticipated ROI or value, growth-oriented businesses need a well-prepared acquisition strategy to beat the odds.
Consero’s Chris Hartenstein and Michael Foley were joined by Trey Chambers, CFO of IDERA, and Keith Collins, Managing Director of Seaside Equity, to discuss the nuances, challenges, and strategies surrounding successful M&A integration and execution.
Drawing from hands-on experiences, the speakers shared insights into deal sourcing, operational integration, market conditions, and playbook-driven execution.
| Speaker | Role & Background | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Hartenstein | VP Client Solutions, Consero (10+ years) | Developed Consero’s 496-step integration checklist & playbook |
| Michael Foley | Former exec at Therapy Brands & Experlogix; VP of Finance, Consero | Has lived through 17 deals in 3 years + international integrations |
| Trey Chambers | CFO, IDERA (backed by TA Associates) | 40 deals career-wide (28 at Idera); three dividend recaps; deep M&A muscle |
| Keith Collins | Managing Director, Seaside Equity (ex-GI Partners) | Lower-middle-market tech-services investor; macro-view on deal flow |
M&A Trends
IDERA’s Growth Philosophy and Acquisition Strategy
IDERA’s Trey Chambers shared insights from extensive acquisition experience, emphasizing a balanced approach between strategic growth and opportunistic acquisitions.
“We’ve done 28 deals ranging in all sizes and three dividend recaps along the way…the M&A engine is really where we’ve run a lot of value,” says Chambers.
How Consero Supports Successful Integrations
Chris and Trey credit Consero for their pivotal role in accelerating and managing integration, particularly in complex multi-acquisition environments.
Key Takeaways
- Consero provides a dedicated team for migrating companies to new tech stacks.
- Facilitated integrations even with four acquisitions running simultaneously.
- Emphasized the importance of quick execution: “Rip the Band-Aid off” strategy.
“We get each deal in our financial systems in less than 90 days—generally 60—and we complete all the synergies… in 90 to 120 days,” says Hartenstein.
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Schedule ConsultationM&A Environment Outlook
Seaside Equity’s Keith Collins discussed the slowdown in deal volumes due to macroeconomic factors but sees a resurgence ahead.
He shared data-driven insights about the recent M&A landscape and the optimistic projections for 2024.
“I think the general sentiment is right that we’ll see a pretty nice uptick next year in deals.”
According to Collins, “(The bank) actually planned to launch more sell-side processes in Q1 of 2024 than they did in the entirety of 2023.”
Keys to Successful Acquisitions
Trey and Keith offered pragmatic advice to ensure successful acquisitions and avoid common pitfalls.
“Your gut’s going to be right on this stuff…if something doesn’t smell right, it’s usually worse than you think.”
Building Effective Integration Playbooks
Chambers and Consero’s Chris Hartenstein also emphasized the importance of detailed integration planning and execution.
Detailed Integration Playbooks
Comprehensive integration playbooks are essential for managing acquisitions effectively and achieving desired outcomes.
Structured Integration Processes
Consistent, well-structured processes ensure rapid and successful integration of acquired companies.
Regular Communication and Tracking
Ongoing communication and progress tracking help mitigate integration risks and ensure targeted synergies are achieved.
Custom Integration Checklists
Tailored checklists help address unique deal circumstances and specific requirements of each acquisition.
Weekly Status Updates
Regular status updates and orchestration improve post-deal outcomes and ensure the integration process stays on track.
“Fast integration is absolutely critical…have a playbook in place and measure to that plan.”
Sourcing and Pipeline Management
Chambers and Collins discussed effective sourcing strategies for acquisition opportunities without heavily relying on investment bankers.
“Our best acquisition ever was a company…that took us almost a year to talk into selling to us. Once they decided, the deal got done really quickly.”
Keys to Making an Acquisition Work
Practical Acquisition Tips
- Small tuck-ins ≠ easy. Often messier than big deals (missing processes, weak data).
- Force the data—even if the seller can’t “get that report.” Waiting beats a post-close surprise.
- “Value” deals: Bottom-line margin can improve 20-30 % in six months with an outsource-heavy model.
- If you’re a lower-middle-market buyer, build the tracking infrastructure early; the first deal is when you’ll wish you had it (Collins).
Turn Your Next Deal into Value Realized with Consero
While M&A activities experienced recent slowdowns, the outlook for 2024 appears promising. Strategic acquisition practices, disciplined diligence, efficient integration, and proactive deal sourcing are fundamental to acquisition success.
Across the panel, every executive hit the same pain points:
- Bid-ask spread & deal-fever traps can destroy returns before Day 0.
- Messy data and manual systems in smaller tuck-ins slow diligence and hide risk.
- Post-close drift: Loose synergy tracking, creeping headcount, or drawn-out system cut-overs erode value.
The solutions they championed were just as consistent:
- Disciplined price gates and “force-data” diligence checklists.
- A written, rehearsed playbook that rips the Band-Aid and lands the new entity on a common tech stack inside 90 days.
- Relentless KPI visibility so cost and revenue synergies don’t slip through the cracks.
- Trusted external partners who bring repeatable muscle memory for finance ops, tax, legal and debt.
That prescription is exactly what Consero delivers. Our 496-step M&A integration playbook, dedicated Client Solutions team, and Finance as a Service (FaaS) model give you:
- Speed you can schedule: ERP migration in 30-60 days, full close cadence inside one quarter.
- Data you can trust: Standardized, audit-ready reporting from Day 1, powered by our SIMPL cloud tech stack.
- Margin you can bank on: Outsourced accounting and FP&A talent that lifts EBITDA without adding headcount.
- Transparency you can track: Dashboards that measure every synergy line-item from Day 0 through Day 120.
If your next acquisition needs to move fast, stay clean, and hit its ROI targets, let’s talk.
