Master Your Merger Podcast

Most integration plans fail in the same place: they assume the organization will behave rationally after close. But once you combine teams, reporting lines, and decision-making, the real operating patterns show up fast, and the deal thesis gets tested in the messy middle.In this episode, Klint Kendrick is joined by Miles Overholt, Founder and CEO of Strategia Analytics, who has spent decades working at the intersection of organizational change, strategy execution, and M&A. Miles shares how leaders can diagnose “organizational DNA” and make more intentional integration decisions when alignment, time, and certainty are in short supply.In this episode, you’ll learn:How deal teams confuse “what looks good on paper” with how companies actually operate post-closeThree diligence questions that uncover execution reality, not just intentWhy highly aligned companies can be harder to integrate, not easierWhat a more surgical integration approach looks like when you are trying to protect valueListen now, and follow Master Your Merger for more practical, people-first integration lessonsMiles Overholt / Strategia Analytics:🌐 Website: strategicanalytics.com✉️ Email: [email protected]🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milesoverholt/ 

Mergers succeed or fail based on more than strategy and financial engineering. The people capabilities inside an organization often determine whether integration creates momentum or friction.In this episode, Klint Kendrick speaks with Maureen Berkner-Boyt, Founder and CEO of C2IQ, about the human capabilities that shape how organizations navigate change. Mo has spent more than 30 years helping organizations unlock human potential and build stronger cultures that support performance and transformation.Together, they explore how skills like change resilience, human connection, and adaptability influence the success of integrations; why organizations often miss critical capability gaps; and how leaders can gather better people data to guide integration decisions.What you will learn in this episode• Why the pace of organizational change has increased dramatically in recent years• How to change resilience function as a measurable skill set rather than a personality trait• Why missing human capability skills can quietly derail an integration• The role neuroscience plays in how people experience change and uncertainty• Why culture mapping alone is not enough to understand integration risk• How skills gaps in resilience and connection show up in real organizations• Why frontline managers are critical to successful integrations• The difference between rear-view mirror data and forward-looking “windshield” data• How organizations can identify capability strengths they can leverage during change• Practical steps leaders can take to better support teams during integrationConnect with the guestMaureen Berkner-Boyt (LinkedIn)https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureenberknerboyt/Make or Break powered by C2IQhttps://www.youtube.com/@C2IQMakeorBreak #MasterYourMerger #HRMergersAndAcquisitions #PostMergerIntegration #ChangeLeadership #OrganizationalChange #FutureOfWork #Leadership

Many companies treat M&A as an occasional event. For companies that acquire frequently, it quickly becomes a capability.In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick speaks with Anna Wilson, a senior HR leader at Uber who focuses on mergers and acquisitions and leads the HR business partner team for the delivery organization.Anna shares how her experience leading the Postmates integration helped spark the creation of a dedicated HR M&A function at Uber. She explains how the company moved away from “HR on the side of the desk” and toward a purpose-built model designed to support repeat acquisitions and complex integrations.The conversation explores how HR teams can partner more effectively with corporate development, technology, and business leaders while balancing strategy, operations, and the realities of integrating real people into a fast-moving organization.What you will learn in this episode• How the Postmates acquisition led Uber to build a dedicated HR M&A capability • Why HR M&A teams often need to think like a CHRO across the full people lifecycle • How Uber structured a “two in a box” model pairing HR M&A leaders with integration program managers • Why HR sometimes moves ahead of the business strategy and how to avoid that trap • How integration decisions can disrupt marketplace dynamics if timing is wrong • Why serial acquirers benefit from dedicated M&A expertise instead of ad hoc HR support • How Uber balances business HR partners with dedicated M&A specialists • Why simplifying processes is essential in complex integrations • How breaking down functional silos improves integration outcomes • Why HR leaders must understand the business model behind the deal before designing a people strategyConnect with the guestAnna Wilson https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjushawilson/ Search: Anna Wilson, Uber#MasterYourMerger #PeopleFirstMNA #PostMergerIntegration #HRLeadership #MergersAndAcquisitions #Uber

Most deal teams can model the financials. Far fewer can explain—early and credibly—whether the leadership team can actually deliver the value creation plan.In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick sits down with Dr. Marc Prine of MIP Consulting, an industrial-organizational psychologist known for talent and leadership assessment work in the private equity space. Marc shares how investors and portfolio companies can connect leadership assessment to real value creation outcomes—before and after close.They unpack what strong PE-backed leadership looks like, the most common red flags that derail growth, why “culture fit” should be treated as measurable behavior, and how assessment should evolve into action plans, performance management, and 360 feedback—not stop at diligence.What you will learn in this episodeThe baseline leadership capabilities Marc looks for in PE-backed environmentsWhy assessment should be built from the value creation plan, not a generic modelCommon red flags: inability to delegate, founder-stage skills mismatch, and resistanceGreen flags: self-awareness, humility, resilience, and building high-performing teamsHow to balance speed vs depth in short PE diligence timelinesWhy leadership assessment must extend into the first 100 days and beyondHow to evaluate the leadership team as a system—not just the CEOTurning “culture fit” into measurable behavioral competenciesPractical ways to assess the “next clicks down” below the C-suiteRetention realities after announcement: “headhunters are sharks and announcement is blood in the water”Resources mentionedAdam Coffey, The Private Equity Playbook (recommended by Marc)Connect with the guestDr. Marc Prine (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcprine/ Email: [email protected]: mipconsultingllc.com#MasterYourMerger #PeopleFirstMNA #PrivateEquity #LeadershipAssessment #ValueCreation #PostMergerIntegration

Most integration teams can explain synergies, savings, and EBITDA targets on paper. Far fewer can quantify what is actually happening on the people side of the business after close.In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick sits down with Tom Bradbury, Founder and CEO of Broad-Gauge, to explore how workforce data can move beyond reporting and become a true driver of integration success and long-term value creation.Tom shares how private equity firms and operating leaders can use decision-ready workforce metrics to uncover hidden risk, reduce attrition, and manage integration debt before it shows up in performance or valuation. Drawing on real client examples, he explains how culture, leadership, engagement, and operational effectiveness can be measured in ways business leaders actually trust and act on.What you will learn in this episodeWhy people are often the largest and least understood investment in a PE portfolioThe difference between reporting workforce data and managing value with itHow attrition, leadership, and operational effectiveness act as early warning signalsHow to quantify culture by focusing on behaviors, not just valuesWhy ENPS is most powerful when paired with segmentation and actionHow workforce measurement helps surface and manage integration debt earlyWhat HR leaders can do today using existing HRIS data to increase credibility with executivesConnect with the guestTom Bradbury LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaspbradbury/Email: [email protected]#MasterYourMerger #PeopleFirstMNA #PostMergerIntegration #WorkforceAnalytics #PrivateEquity #HRM&A #IntegrationDebt

Most leaders know change is hard.Very few know why people resist, when to communicate, or how to move teams forward without burning trust.In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick is joined by Liz Lance and Suzanne Rudnitzki, co-authors of The Change Cheat Code.Together, they unpack a simple, practical framework for leading people through change: Hear, Fear, Near, and Cheer. This model helps leaders understand what employees actually need at each stage of disruption, whether that change comes from M&A, restructuring, AI adoption, or life itself.Rather than treating change as a rational checklist, Liz and Suzanne show why change is emotional, repeatable, and manageable when leaders meet people where they are.What you will learn in this episodeWhy people stop listening during announcements and what leaders should say insteadHow the Hear stage requires repetition, clarity, and restraintWhy fear is unavoidable and how to use it productively instead of suppressing itHow Near becomes the moment where learning and adoption finally workWhy training too early actually slows changeHow celebration creates closure, trust, and momentum for what comes nextThe most common leadership mistakes that deepen resistance during M&AHow this framework applies to AI, organizational redesign, and personal changeConnect with the guestsLiz Lance LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlizlance/Suzanne Rudnitzki LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanne-rudnitzki/Book website: https://thechangecheatcode.com

In post-merger integration, most teams can run the checklist. The hard part is getting people aligned, working together, and executing the strategy fast enough to capture value.In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick talks with Alex Amsden and Tom Gaunt from BTS about how simulations can accelerate integration, reduce misalignment, and turn culture from an abstract idea into practical ways of working.Alex Amsden is Vice President and Head of Growth, Strategy and Culture Transformation for BTS USA. Tom Gaunt is Vice President and Head of Change and Transformation for BTS Europe. Together, they share how BTS uses simulations to help leaders practice the future before they have to live it.What you will learn in this episodeWhy starting with the human conversation can unlock faster strategy decisionsThree principles that speed integration: practical vision, authorship creates ownership, and culture linked to strategyCommon pitfalls that slow transformation, including assuming buy-in and treating culture as an afterthoughtWhat simulations are and how they differ from training, comms, and traditional workshopsWhen simulations work best, including executive alignment, newco launch, and critical team integrationHow simulations surface hidden assumptions and legacy misalignment from past acquisitionsHow AI and digital twins may change simulation design and speedConnect with the guestsAlex Amsden LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-amsden-35732b23Tom Gaunt LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tom-gaunt-12570819Taryn Davino email: [email protected] email: [email protected] #MasterYourMerger #PeopleFirstMNA #PostMergerIntegration #Culture #ChangeManagement #StrategyExecution

In M&A, few mistakes damage trust faster than payroll problems.In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick talks with Melissa Madi, a seasoned HR and payroll leader who has supported hundreds of transactions over the past decade. Melissa spent more than eight years at AssuredPartners, most recently as Director of Employee M&A, and now serves as Director of Payroll and Benefits at Kustom US.Melissa shares what employees actually need during a transaction, why payroll diligence is often overlooked, and how leaders can show up with calm, clarity, and grace during some of the most stressful moments in a deal.What you will learn in this episodeWhy communication must be clear, honest, and repeatedHow payroll diligence prevents downstream chaosWhat to plan for when pay cycles and benefits changeWhy backup plans matter more than perfect executionHow to show up with grace when employees are overwhelmedConnect with Melissa MadiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-madi-cpp-shrm-cp-b72807128/

Roll-ups do not fail because the spreadsheet is wrong. They fail when seller psychology, team readiness, and platform gaps turn integration into a slow bleed.In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick talks with Eiron Roffey, an M&A integration leader based in Canada who has led the integration of more than 80 founder-led businesses across healthcare, technology, and professional services. Eiron shares the founder personas he sees most often, how to build trust without losing integration momentum, and why delaying integration without purpose creates integration debt.What you will learn in this episode:The founder personas Eiron sees most often and what each one needs to trust the buyerHow to lead with empathy while still keeping integration movingWhy fear of the unknown drives resistance more than the change itselfHow to earn trust in stages without breaking the founder’s legacyWhat deal teams should stop saying, and what they should say insteadHow platform readiness, unclear end states, and repeated delays create integration debtWhy ripping off the band-aid once can be easier than dragging change out repeatedlyHow integration leaders can help Corp Dev teams focus on the people behind the value🎧 Subscribe and listen now. #MasterYourMerger #PeopleFirstMNA #Integration #RollUp #MNA #ChangeManagement

What happens when HR is asked to integrate a global acquisition without complete data?In this episode of the Master Your Merger Podcast, Klint Kendrick speaks with Naveen Nagpal, a global HR M&A strategist with more than 25 years of experience supporting cross-border transactions.Naveen shares lessons from more than 40 global deals and walks through a real example where missing benefits data almost led to a multi-million-dollar mistake. He explains why HR instincts, escalation, and persistence matter, especially when data is incomplete and pressure to move fast is high.Listeners will learn how HR leaders can:Get involved early in diligence to surface people riskChallenge assumptions when data is missing or unclearManage country-by-country integration complexityIdentify culture risk before it shows up as attrition or disengagementTrack the people metrics that signal whether integration is working🎧 Subscribe and listen now.#MasterYourMerger #PeopleFirstMNA #GlobalMNA #IntegrationLeadership #HRMNA

What separates the 10 percent of deals that deliver real value from the 90 percent that don’t?In this Season 2 premiere, Master Your Merger Podcast host Klint Kendrick talks with Al Ansari, founder of M&A Alliance and author of Unraveling the Mystery of M&A Integration and Divestiture Success.With more than 100 deals and $25 billion in value under his belt, Al explains how to: • Apply the seven pillars of integration success • Align deal strategy with execution before close • Connect incentives to integration outcomes • Build a culture that supports synergy and speed🎧 Subscribe and listen now.#MasterYourMerger #PeopleFirstMNA #IntegrationLeadership #MNA #Strategy

AI is reshaping M&A—but technology alone doesn’t create deal value. People, leadership, and integration discipline do.In this HR M&A Roundtable session, host Klint Kendrick, PhD, SPHR convenes senior practitioners to explore how AI is being applied responsibly and effectively across M&A—particularly in HR due diligence, post-merger integration, culture, communication, and retention.This is a practitioner-led conversation for HR, Corporate Development, Private Equity, and Integration leaders who are navigating active deals and want to understand where AI strengthens execution—and where it introduces risk if applied without discipline.Panelists• Kim LeGue – People M&A Leader, eBay• Pierce Plumly – Turnberry Solutions• Beth White – Founder & CEO, MeBeBotKey topics include:• The evolving role of HR in M&A and post-merger integration• Where AI is already improving diligence, culture insight, and communications• Why productivity gains don’t automatically translate into deal value• How to prioritize AI investments using a value-driven framework• Culture, retention, and leadership alignment as value-creation levers• Governance, data quality, and trust in people-first AI adoptionRather than focusing on hype or tools, this session centers on execution—how HR and integration leaders can use AI to improve outcomes without compromising employee trust, culture, or long-term value creation.This conversation is especially relevant for leaders responsible for:• HR and People strategy in M&A• Post-merger integration and transformation• Culture, engagement, and retention during deals• Corporate Development and PE operating modelsAbout the HR M&A RoundtableThe HR M&A Roundtable is a long-running practitioner community focused on people-first M&A. Sessions bring together experienced deal leaders to share practical insights, emerging trends, and proven integration practices.👉 Learn more and view upcoming sessions:masteryourmerger.com/events👉 Explore people-first M&A resources from Master Your Merger:masteryourmerger.com#HRMA #MergersAndAcquisitions #PostMergerIntegration#PeopleFirstMNA #DealExecution #IntegrationLeadership#CorporateDevelopment #PrivateEquity #PeopleStrategy#LeadershipAlignment #CultureAndRetention