At some point in the growth of the company, a number of the following events, or transactions, may occur:
- Be acquired by another firm
- Be acquired by a private equity or investment group
- Purchase a smaller company
- Merge with another
Each of these occurrences comes with its own challenges and strategies for success—which we will dive into in this chapter—but they all share a common threat of being a huge distraction and time sink if not properly handled.
The executive team, which you are part of as CTO, is always looking for ways to create value for customers, employees, and investors alike. A well-executed transaction serves all constituents. Whether you are being acquired or doing the acquiring, it is a huge validation that something in your organization is being done right.