The first 100 days after acquisition

The instinct after closing is to change things. The better first move is to understand them.

Weeks 1 to 4: listen and stabilize

Meet everyone. Learn where the real decisions get made and which relationships hold the business together. Keep payroll, suppliers, and customers steady.

Weeks 5 to 8: document the undocumented

Most small businesses run on the owner’s memory. Start writing it down. The goal is to reduce key-person risk, starting with yourself.

Weeks 9 to 13: pick one improvement

Choose a single, visible win that helps the team, not a reorganization. Earn the right to change more later.