- What is the most important piece in determining the success of a merge [it’s not what you think]
- The timeline for a merger from discussion to completion
- What to EXPECT when you first merge
He recommends: if you’re a CPA firm owner, get involved in your local society so you can reap the same benefits.While doing peer reviews, he regularly worked with another firm owner on a regular basis. Being the entrepreneur and quick-thinker, he asked for a lunch meeting to discuss the opportunities.In the meantime, Rob put together an acquisition plan for other smaller firms in the area and sent out direct mailers. With an astounding 25% response rate, he had many lunch meetings set up with smaller firms. In the end, it came down to three firms and one was acquired.This helped even-out workload and grow the firm to make it more attractive.It was then, he had his meeting with his peer review partner at the CPA society. They both agreed.Merging could be a massive opportunity for both of them. They were 60 miles away from each other, but could extend the reach of the firm plus have additional resources at their fingertips (on both sides).The Important Piece to Determine a Mergers Success:Rewinding back a period, since Rob was a regular peer reviewer of CPA firms around the state, he saw what it took to successfully complete a great merger. Some firms merged to grow, some merged for resources, and others out of necessity.He says there’s only one thing that determines the success of a healthy firm merger: - The Right Culture.Rob’s own firm is very tech-y (they are Jetpack Workflow users) and laid back. They’ve built a culture where employees can enjoy themselves, their work, where they can laugh.Others, Rob says, are much different. Some will be very “Suit & Tie”, head-down, no talking,”pencil to paper”, just work, work, work.
“Some firms will have members “occasionally” pick up a computer to do a spreadsheet”If there’s such a major disconnect between culture and practices, the merger can fall apart right away such that the firms split up again.Rob made sure he went through the proper due diligence to merge with a firm who shared his culture and practices.Timeline You Can Expect For a Merger And The First Months:Ready To Start Implementing A Workflow Process That Will Actually Save You Time? At Jetpack Workflow, we have created a workflow software geared towards maximizing efficiency and effectiveness within CPA and accounting practices. To learn more, check out our free 14 day trial at JetpackWorkflow.com.The workload for a CPA firm used to be much more evenly spread throughout the year. Nowadays, most work is bunched up into about six months of the year. When the first discussions for the firm merger took place, it required precise scheduling and a sprint during the “down” months.For Rob’s merger, it took about six months since the initial meeting for the process to finalize. - TIMELINE:
- Initial meeting for 3-4 hours
- Then, lawyers become involved in the discussions
- Non-disclosures are signed
- Busy periods where discussions will halt for 1-2 months
- Begin process of merging cultures and best practices
- Adjust, then finalize
“Nothing happens without the intention for it to happen.” - Rob CameronReady To Start Implementing A Workflow Process That Will Actually Save You Time? At Jetpack Workflow, we have created a workflow software geared towards maximizing efficiency and effectiveness within CPA and accounting practices. To learn more, check out our free 14 day trial at JetpackWorkflow.com.