Successful Acquisitions

Acquisition

Here we arrive at the centerpiece of external growth and the topic that consumes the remainder of this book. In the next chapter, we assume that you have elected to buy a company outright, and we begin formulating an acquisition strategy.

My hope is that by this point you have thoroughly considered all the alternatives to acquisition—not because there is anything inherently negative about buying companies. On the contrary, it can often be the single most exciting path to expansion. My point is that every acquisition should be made in the context of a strategic plan that has carefully weighed all possibilities.

If you have followed the process outlined so far, you will have conducted a thorough internal review of your strengths, weaknesses, ...