The finer points of getting to know one another.
By Marc Rosenberg
CPA Firm Mergers: New and Updated
Before negotiations begin, it is very helpful for merger partners to prepare a one-page, written description of their firms. This advice is for both the buyer and the seller.
MORE: One Times Fees Isn’t the Only Way | Thinking Merger? First Ask Why. | Why Do You Want to Merge? Be Honest. | Four Reasons to Fear a Merger
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At the risk of offending some of you, we have found that when firms initially describe themselves, the person doing the listening does a terrible job taking notes. None of our memories are as good as we think they are. Because in almost all cases, each firm will soon be describing the other to their partners, it’s always best to follow up the oral description of your firm with something in writing.
What follows is:
- What the written firm description should include (12 items)
- Get-to-Know-You Meeting between Buyer and Seller (the agenda)
- Sample Firm Description
- The Get-to-Know-You Meeting Cheat Sheet
- Key Questions for the First Meeting (43 items)
- 20 Questions to Ask Right Away
- The Data Needed to Evaluate a Merger
- Financial and Operating Data to Exchange (58 items)
- Client List (with 9 items for each)
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