Questions to Ask before you Consider an M&A initiative

<p><strong>Will I hit my revenue and profit goals with organic growth alone?</strong></p><p>M&A is the fastest path to growth</p><p> </p><p><strong>What is my strategy in acquiring another firm?</strong></p><p>Will this expand revenue, add new services, bring new people, or add a geography?  How will this impact channel relationships?   What are the potential benefits of an acquisition for my company’s growth and success?</p><p> </p><p><strong>Do I have the right team in place and is it’s culture defined?</strong></p><p>Will my leadership team be able to lead a new group? What type of firm do we need to find so our cultures can blend?</p><p> </p><p><strong>Do I have the financial capability of doing a deal? </strong>How can I ensure that I have sufficient capital (cash, debt, equity) available to finance the acquisition without putting my company in a vulnerable position</p><p> </p><p><strong>How can I mitigate the risk of a deal?</strong></p><p>What type of due diligence will we have which decreases risk while still moving forward in a deal?</p><p> </p><p><strong>What outside team do I need to ensure a deal is done that’s win-win for all.</strong></p><p>M&A advisor for sourcing, deal making, negotiation, due-diligence and being the bad guy on tough conversations. Lawyer for contracts.  </p>