Two ways of operating
Different systems, processes and numbers. Nobody can see the combined business clearly.
Merger, Acquisition & Integration
The deal is the start. Integration is where value is made.
We assess the company, guide you through the purchase and stay for the transition that follows: operations, marketing, positioning and the brand of the new company. For investors and holdings, companies buying, and owners selling for more.
Company value through the dealIllustrative
Guided integrationIntegration left to chance
The Problem
70–90%
of acquisitions fail to deliver the value buyers expected.
Christensen, Alton, Rising & Waldeck, “The Big Idea: The New M&A Playbook,” Harvard Business Review, 2011.
Most of that value is not lost at the negotiating table. It leaks out in the months after close, when two companies try to work as one without a plan.
Teams without one plan
Leaders pull in different directions and key people leave while the dust settles.
Customers confused by the change
The market does not know who the new company is, and competitors use that moment.
The Three Phases
Assess. Acquire. Integrate.
One guided process from first look to a company that runs as one. You can bring us in at any phase.
01
Assess
Is this the right company, at the right value?
We look past the financial statements to how the business really runs, what drives its value and where the risk sits.
- Valuation drivers and risk review
- Strategic and operational fit
- Roadmap to Success assessment of the target
- For sellers: readiness gaps to close before going to market
You leave with: a clear go / no-go view and the questions to ask next.
02
Acquire
How do we buy right and avoid surprises?
We guide you through diligence and the purchase, working alongside your attorneys, accountants and bankers.
- Due diligence preparation and data rooms
- Clean, buyer-ready financial and operating data
- Guidance on deal structure and terms
- A day-one plan ready before closing
You leave with: a cleaner process, fewer surprises and a stronger negotiating position.
03
Integrate
Our differenceHow do two companies become one that grows?
The transition after the merger is where value is won or lost. We guide your leaders through it, area by area, until the new company runs as one.
OperationsOne set of processes, systems and KPIs
MarketingOne go-to-market and one sales team
PositioningA clear story for customers and the market
BrandThe identity of the new company
Schedule a Strategic Conversation
Already closed a deal? We can start at integration.
Both Sides of the Deal
We help buyers buy right, and sellers sell for more.
The same experience works in both directions: we know what buyers examine because we help them examine it.
Buying a company
Find the right target, see the real risk and integrate without losing customers or momentum.
- Target screening and strategic fit
- Diligence and day-one planning
- Guided integration through the first year
Selling your company
Know what the business is worth today, then make it worth more before buyers look.
- Readiness review and valuation drivers
- Documented processes that don’t depend on the owner
- Buyer-ready data and a stronger negotiating position
Who It’s For
Built for the people who make deals happen.
Typically companies from $300K to $30M in revenue, in healthcare and across construction, manufacturing, services and trades.
Investors & holdings
You hold or are building a portfolio and want each company assessed, integrated and accelerated with one consistent method.
- Same playbook across companies
- Comparable progress, company by company
Companies buying
You are growing through acquisition and need senior judgment before, during and after the purchase.
- Fewer surprises in diligence
- An integration plan from day one
Owners selling
You built the business and want to sell it for what it is really worth, on your terms.
- A business that runs without you
- A higher multiple at exit
How Each Service Enters the Integration
Four levers that turn a purchase into results.
Each one is also available on its own. Inside a deal, they work as one integration team.
AI & Data Analytics
Buyer-ready numbers in diligence, then one source of truth and live dashboards for the combined company. We build this for you.
Process & Performance
Maps both operations, chooses the best way of working and documents it, so the new company runs without depending on any one person.
Sales & Marketing
Positioning, messaging and brand of the new company, one sales process and a plan to keep every customer through the transition.
Fractional COO
Leads the first 100 days after close, sets shared KPIs and holds both teams to one plan. Can step in to run operations when needed.
Need just one lever? Every service can be hired on its own, with or without a deal.
See All ServicesOur Posture
We guide.You climb.
A deal is your climb. We know the route, the risks and the shortcuts that are not shortcuts. Your leaders make the decisions and own the result, so the new company keeps working long after we step back.
We bringSenior judgment, a tested method and a clear view of what buyers, lenders and markets reward.
You ownThe decisions, the team and the integration. We advise, challenge and keep the plan honest.
We buildAI and data analytics. A Fractional COO can also step in to run the operating plan.
Portfolio Model
After the deal, every company keeps climbing.
Companies join by acquisition or through a service agreement. Each one gets the same levers and the same method, and accelerates with Roadmap to Success.
Portfolio companies accelerate with Roadmap to Success.
RTS is the AI-guided platform DSC created. After integration, it gives the new company a clear assessment and a step-by-step growth plan, and keeps progress visible across the portfolio.
FAQ
Before we talk about your deal.
Every situation is different. The fastest way to know if we fit is one conversation.
Schedule a Strategic ConversationDo you replace our attorneys, accountants or bankers?
No. We work alongside them. Our role is strategic and operational: what the business is worth, how it runs, and how to bring two companies together after close.
Can we bring you in after the deal has closed?
Yes. Many companies come to us during integration, when the gaps start to show. We can start at any of the three phases.
Do you work with investors who hold several companies?
Yes. We apply one consistent method across the portfolio, so each company is assessed, integrated and accelerated the same way, and progress is comparable.
Will you run the integration for us?
We guide your leaders through it. We do build the AI and data side for you, and a Fractional COO can step in to run the operating plan when that is what the moment needs.
How is the engagement priced?
Each engagement is scoped to the deal. We discuss scope and investment after a first strategic conversation, once we understand what is at stake.
Is our conversation confidential?
Yes. Everything you share about a potential transaction is treated as confidential from the first call.
Strategic Conversation
Tell us about the deal you are considering.
A senior advisor will review your situation and come to the conversation prepared, whether you are investing, buying, selling or already integrating.
- Confidential from the first message
- A senior advisor, not a sales rep
- A reply within one business day
We assess, acquire and integrate. And leave the company ready to grow.
One conversation is enough to know where to start.