Mergers & Acquisitions Consulting
We help business owners navigate the M&A process with both buy-side and sell-side services. Our M&A consultants have years of experience advising on strategic growth and succession plans.
We can help you with:
Develop Targeting Criteria: Crafting Your M&A Vision
Developing criteria is the cornerstone of a successful mergers and acquisitions strategy. Giersch Group’s experienced consultants work closely with you to define the ideal characteristics of potential acquisition targets. We consider factors such as industry alignment, market position, financial performance and strategic fit with your company's long-term goals. This focused approach ensures your M&A efforts are directed toward opportunities offering the highest potential for value creation and synergy.
Use SMART Criteria:
If you know your goals, you are more likely to meet them. Using SMART criteria is a great way to ensure all your goals will be thoroughly outlined.
SMART stands for:
Specific: Clearly describe what you want to attain from the acquisition.
Measurable: Track your progress through financial, operational or strategic metrics.
Achievable: Guarantee your goals are realistic with your given resources, capabilities and market conditions.
Relevant: Align your goals with the priorities of the organization.
Time-Bound: Set milestones for goals to help you understand when you should expect results.
We'll help you create value from your transaction.
Goal-Driven Transactions: Aligning M&A with Your Business Objectives
Every successful merger or acquisition starts with clearly defined objectives. Our team collaborates with you to articulate specific, measurable goals for your transaction. Our goal-oriented approach guides decision-making throughout the M&A process, ensuring each step aligns with your overarching business strategy.
What Goals Should You Set?
Your goals should create the results you want to see. Whether you're aiming to expand market share, enter new territories, acquire innovative technologies, or achieve economies of scale, we help you establish a clear roadmap.
Acquisition Readiness Assessment: Preparing for M&A Success
Before embarking on an M&A journey, it's crucial to evaluate your organization's readiness. Our consultants conduct a comprehensive assessment of your financial capacity, management capabilities and operational infrastructure. We identify potential gaps and provide actionable recommendations to enhance your readiness. Our proactive approach minimizes risks and positions your company for a smooth, successful transaction.
What is on the Acquisition Readiness Assessment?
The Acquisition Readiness Assessment is a checklist for your future endeavors. To make the acquisition successful, your company must check the following:
- Your company is financially able to make the purchase.
- The purchase fits with your company’s long-term plans.
- Your company can manage the new business processes.
- Technology and IT systems work together.
- Risks are managed.
- Communication is clear.
- You have a plan to smoothly combine companies.
Comprehensive Due Diligence: Uncovering Value and Mitigating Risks
Our rigorous due diligence process leaves no stone unturned. We deploy cross-functional teams to conduct thorough financial, legal, operational and cultural assessments of target companies. This meticulous approach validates the target's value proposition, identifies potential synergies, and uncovers any hidden risks. Our insights empower you to make informed decisions and negotiate from a position of strength.
What Risks Could There Be?
When working through an M&A, there are several risks that your business could experience. Giersch Group has expertise in mitigating these risks to help your company meet your long-term goals. The risks we mitigate are:
- Financial Risks
- Market and Industry Changes
- Integration Challenges
- Technology Integration
- Legal Issues
Create a Post-Integration Roadmap
The true value of an M&A transaction is realized during integration. Our consultants work with you to create a detailed post-integration roadmap outlining how to combine operations, systems, cultures and personnel effectively. We help you identify key milestones, set realistic timelines and assign responsibilities for each integration activity. This comprehensive planning minimizes disruptions and accelerates the realization of synergies.
Manage Organizational Changes: The Human Side of M&As
Mergers and acquisitions often involve significant organizational changes impacting employees, customers and stakeholders. Our change management experts guide you through this complex process, ensuring clear communication, addressing cultural differences and managing talent retention. We help you align leadership structures and foster a unified culture, reducing uncertainty and resistance to create a smoother transition to the new organizational structure.
Why Should You Hire an M&A Consultant?
Giersch Group paves the way to reach your goals efficiently. Working with consultants reduces common risks associated with M&A transactions. We are experts trained in risk management, negotiation and integration planning. Our knowledgeable staff will assist your business in having a smooth M&A transaction. We want you to meet your long-term business goals.
M&A advisory services in Nationwide
Our M&A advisors will help you create a transaction meeting your most important goals. Contact us online or call us in Milwaukee, Brookfield, or Madison for a free 30-minute consultation to learn more. While many of our clients are in Wisconsin, our services are 100% virtual and available to businesses nationwide.
Additional insights:
- Franchise mergers & acquisitions
- How to lure a giant like Facebook into buying your company
- Which is better, a financial buyer or a strategic buyer?
- The build vs. buy equation
Purchase accounting
Giersch Group has worked with companies acquiring other companies and also companies being acquired. It is important to get your financial affairs in order ahead of time to prevent any legal consequences. Give us a call if you have an
y questions about your business accounting and we can help guide you along.
When to sell your company?
If you are concerned about the future of your company, taxes, or just do not enjoy your business anymore, it may be time for you to consider selling your company. The financially logical time for you to sell is when someone else is more willing to take the risk on your business investment than you are. If you aren’t willing to take risks to turn your 1 million investment into 10 million, but some eager entrepreneur is, then maybe it is time to sell. Before you take any more steps, check in with your Wisconsin accountants at Giersch Group and we will make sure you get the most for your money.
M&A case studies
Caitlin Carmody Stables
Caitlin came to the Giersch Group with a desire to have better financial statements and to better understand them. Additionally, CCS is a partnership and Caitlin was looking for help with the Giersch Group's M&A services to begin planning a restructure of the partnership.
Jim Wirtz's Woodworks
During the recession, most contractors and subcontractors in the building and remodeling industry suffered cash flow issues, and Wirtz was no exception. Although they were able to climb out of the recession, a long list of vendor bills threatened the business’s viability. Find out how help from the Giersh Group resolved the issue and structured the sale of the business to a large competitor.
