M&A and Transformation: What Businesses Often Miss
Mergers and acquisitions are a defining force in business transformation. When done well, they bring new capabilities, fresh thinking, and scale. But more often than not, they bring complexity, cultural tension, and confusion. And the reality on the ground rarely matches the deal-room deck.
I've seen M&A from multiple angles- agency side, mid-sized acquisitions, and global-scale integrations. Each one taught me something different, but the common themes are hard to ignore.
In smaller environments, one of the benefits of M&A is visibility. You’re closer to the due diligence, the thinking behind the acquisitions, and often more hands-on when it comes to integration. I once worked in a company where acquisitions happened fast and frequently. The experience opened my eyes to just how limited a view you get of the business you’re acquiring, and how quickly that view can shift once the ink is dry.
Due diligence matters. So does having a clear, strategic rationale for each acquisition. If the logic behind what you’re buying and why doesn’t hold together, neither will the business. And while I won’t dwell too long on missteps I’ve witnessed, I’ve seen the impact of poor planning, limited visibility, and a lack of learning from past mistakes.
On the flip side, I’ve worked in businesses formed through multiple acquisitions, sometimes ten or more companies coming together under one brand. These companies often bring strong individual track records, cultures, and ways of working, but stitching them into a cohesive whole is never straightforward.
In those moments, it’s not just about strategy, it’s about storytelling. People need to understand why they’re now part of something bigger, what the vision is, how we’re going to get there, and what success looks like. That requires constant communication. Not a one-off town hall or press release, but regular, multi-format messaging that reinforces the journey and gives people the tools to navigate it.
Integration is about people, not just systems. And if you’re asking people to change the way they work, you need to support them to succeed. That means investment in internal communications, training, mentoring, and leadership visibility. Culture doesn’t integrate itself.
In larger-scale deals, especially those involving regulatory review and long timelines, the challenge changes again. Much of the work happens under a cloud of ambiguity. You’re planning for a future state that hasn’t yet arrived. You’re trying to build communications, engagement plans, even brand transition workstreams without knowing exactly when or how you’ll execute them.
Ambiguity is part of the deal. But transformation doesn't thrive in uncertainty. And that’s the paradox. People are expected to carry on with business as usual while also preparing for major change. Leaders need to acknowledge that tension and be transparent about what they can and can’t say. It’s not about removing ambiguity entirely, but about helping people navigate it with clarity and trust.
M&A can be an incredible catalyst for change. But it’s not the transaction that defines success, it’s what happens after. That’s where the real transformation begins.
And that’s why the most successful M&A strategies invest just as much in people and culture as they do in commercial gain.
Let’s Talk.
If you’re navigating change — a merger, transformation, or a moment where brand and marketing need to lead, I’d love to help.
👉 Email me directly: andrews_samantha@hotmail.com
👉 Or message me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-andrews/