24 | 🚨 The Ugly Truth About M&A: Why Most Acquisitions Are Doomed 💀 with Michael Frankel (Trajectory Capital, Deloitte)

Michael Frankel, the founder and managing partner of Trajectory Capital, shares his extensive experience in handling over a hundred M&A deals across firms like Deloitte, Redbooks, & LexisNexis. In this episode of Good Revenue, host Neeta Bidwai and Michael discuss:The importance of preparation, having a clear strategy, and being proactive in sourcing opportunities.Complexities of M&A transactions, emphasizing the necessity of detailed planning and having a ‘playbook’ for both sourcing and integration.The significance of understanding both your own and your counterparty’s value drivers, advocating for honest self-assessment and open communication.Advice for companies in uncertain markets, emphasizing the benefits of prepping for sale and maintaining agility in business practices.Common pitfalls, especially for founder-owned businesses, and underscores the importance of having a successor ready.Strategies for corporate sellers, focusing on being clear about what you value in a sale and managing legal liabilities.Throughout, Michael stresses the need for alignment between corporate development and strategy to ensure successful execution of synergies.The discussion concludes with insights on creating added value through M&A transactions and recommendations for both sellers and buyers in achieving successful outcomes._Where to find Michael:https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankelmichael/Where to find Neeta:https://www.linkedin.com/in/neetabidwai/Where to find Good Revenue:https://goodrevenue.io/goodrevenuehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHrhuWbpYnUwrR75H2Ip4yQ_Highlights:00:00 Introduction to Michael Frankel and Trajectory Capital00:23 The Importance of Preparation in M&A02:37 Active Sourcing Strategies02:57 Building Relationships for Successful Deals04:15 Diligence and Integration Planning05:25 Understanding Value Drivers in M&A09:29 Challenges in the Current Market Environment14:14 Strategies for Sellers in a Down Market15:34 Optimizing Your Business for Sale21:51 The Role of Business Models and Pricing23:57 Strategic Discounting for Anchor Clients24:34 The Misconception of Ignoring Pricing Models25:52 Understanding Customer Value for Pricing26:54 The Importance of Customer Insights28:22 Challenges in Pricing and Market Research29:03 Valuation and Market Dynamics35:16 Corporate Strategy and Divestment43:01 Final Thoughts on M&A and Corporate Development_Referenced:• Deloite: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en.html • Trajectory Capital: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trajectory-capital/ • LexisNexis: https://www.lexisnexis.com/ FOLLOW GOOD REVENUE ON YOUTUBE! Or wherever you get your podcasts:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHrhuWbpYnUwrR75H2Ip4yQ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/44me6PABSQ0k0GfphM70auApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-revenue/id1707461473 Web: https://goodrevenue.io/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.