by Matt Sonnen | Jan 11, 2021 | COO Best Practices, M&A, Operations and Technology
These are the ways buyers and sellers commonly fall short when combining firms. 2020 was another banner year for M&A activity in the RIA industry, and while deal makers continue to build on the momentum to execute new transactions, we continue to see buyers make...
by Jay Veale | Sep 29, 2020 | COO Best Practices, M&A
The continued tear of M&A activity throughout the RIA industry has resulted in some firms reaching critical mass very quickly. These firms are learning that with size comes all the troubles associated with scalability. Beyond the structural challenges...
by Matt Sonnen | Sep 8, 2020 | M&A
If the collective vision for investment philosophy—who will be managing the portfolios and choosing what the best investments are for client portfolios—cannot be agreed upon, there is no reason to continue down the M&A path. It has been well documented that...
by Matt Sonnen | Jul 28, 2020 | M&A, Operations and Technology
With RIA M&A activity at a frenzied pace, much has been written about how to best value an RIA business. Typically, a multiple is applied to either revenue or cash flow (profits). In my humble opinion, profits are all that matter. If two...
by Matt Sonnen | Jul 14, 2020 | COO Best Practices, M&A
As we have written in the past, M&A transactions can cause a tremendous amount of trepidation and angst among employees of both Buyer and Seller. While completely normal, the root of fear associated with merging two firms generally revolves around change in...
by Matt Sonnen | Jan 13, 2020 | COO Best Practices, M&A, Operations and Technology
In his book on negotiation, “Never Split the Difference,” former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss states that, “’Yes’ is nothing without ‘How.’” Voss, who made a living brokering some of the most high-stakes negotiations, where lives were literally on the line,...
