Tag: Markets First Approach

The Wrong Place to Start an Acquisition Process

 Many people begin by listing possible companies to buy. But there’s a far better approach when you’re planning an acquisition. You start getting excited about a target company that has fantastic financials and is growing exponentially. You imagine the synergies the deal will generate. Success is so close you can almost taste it…but after digging …

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Facebook Finds the Next “Big Thing” with Oculus Acquisition

Facebook acquired Oculus VR, Inc, a maker of virtual-reality glasses for $2 billion. This is Facebook’s second big acquisition in 2014 – it recently purchased WhatsApp for $19 billion. With these two acquisitions Facebook is expanding beyond its current social network platform by adding new capabilities and products. According to Facebook, wearable technology is the …

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Lessons From the Suntory – Beam Acquisition

Japan’s Suntory is making a big investment in buying the makers of Jim Beam for $13.6 billion. Jim Beam is a highly branded U.S. company and this deal is second largest acquisition of a U.S. company by a Japanese buyer.  The underlying concept is the folks in Japan have recognized their domestic markets are not …

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Committing to Research: Primary vs. Secondary Research

Research is essential to the success of any business plan, including acquisition. The demand-driven, “markets first” acquisition process that I advocate requires thorough research. Only thorough research uncovers the most appropriate markets, helps you identify the best prospects, and sets you apart from other potential buyers. There are two levels of research to consider: primary …

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Markets First

I always emphasize to my clients the critical value of painstaking market research and selection before considering individual prospects. Simply by conducting thorough research, you immediately separate yourself from the majority of company buyers and place yourself at an important competitive advantage. Choosing Market Criteria Choosing the correct market criteria may be tricky. Here are …

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