The #1 Reason Post-Acquisition Integrations Fail (And How I’ve Fixed It)

I’ve led turnarounds in manufacturing and while every business looks different on the surface, the root problems are usually the same. The biggest shift happens when you connect strategy with reality on the shop floor. I take a people-first approach: spend time with the team, listen, and understand what’s really happening. When people feel heard, they don’t just follow a plan, they help create it. That’s where buy-in (and magic) happens. But none of this works without clarity. My first step is always to fully define the problem. Without that foundation, every solution is just a guess. That’s why I’ve been able to consistently drive 30–40% improvements in gross margin across industries. Here are the critical questions I always ask: • Are we tracking the right KPIs? Most teams drown in metrics but miss the few that matter most. • Is the data reliable? Numbers often tell a very different story than assumptions. • Do high-level metrics connect to the daily grind? Gross margin should tie directly to throughput, scrap, rework, and units processed, otherwise it’s just noise. When leaders focus on the right data and deeply understand the people behind it, the chaos starts to make sense. That’s when you can unify teams, simplify the story, and build a business that scales without breaking. I am confident this approach can drive significant growth for the right partner. Also, if you want to hear more about this join the webinar we’ll have on 9/23. It can be found in the events here on Searchfunder!l where I’ll be sharing more about this.