Ma Playbook

What This Skill Does

• This skill provides frameworks for navigating mergers and acquisitions, both from the acquiring and acquired company perspective.
• It covers strategic rationale, due diligence, valuation, negotiation, and integration.
• It's useful for companies considering M&A as a growth strategy or those preparing to be acquired.

When to Use

• Evaluate a potential acquisition target.
• Conduct due diligence effectively.
• Determine a fair valuation.
• Negotiate deal terms.
• Integrate an acquired company.
• Prepare for being acquired.

Key Features

• Provides a strategic rationale framework for acquisitions.
• Offers a due diligence checklist.
• Outlines valuation approaches.
• Includes integration frameworks.
• Covers readiness signals for being acquired.
• Addresses both sides of the M&A process.

Manual Installation

• Manual installation.
• View Full Skill Content.
• The complete markdown content that gets installedM&A Playbook.

Frameworks for both sides of M&A: acquiring companies and being acquired.

Keywords

M&A, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, acquisition, acqui-hire, integration, deal structure, valuation, LOI, term sheet, earnout

Quick Start

• Acquiring: Start with strategic rationale → target screening → due diligence → valuation → negotiation → integration.

Being Acquired: Start with readiness assessment → data room prep → advisor selection → negotiation → transition.

When You're Acquiring

Strategic Rationale (answer before anything else)

Buy vs Build: Can you build this faster/cheaper? If yes, don't acquire. Acqui-hire vs Product vs Market: What are you really buying? Talent? Technology? Customers? Integration complexity: How hard is it to merge this into your company?

Due Diligence Checklist

Valuation Approaches

Revenue multiple: Industry-dependent (2-15x ARR for SaaS) Comparable transactions: What similar companies sold for DCF: For profitable companies only (most startups: use multiples) Acqui-hire: $1-3M per engineer in hot markets

Integration Frameworks

• See references/integration-playbook.md for the 100-day integration plan.

When You're Being Acquired

Readiness Signals

Inbound interest from strategic buyers Market consolidation happening around you Fundraising becomes harder than operating Founder ready for a transition

Preparation (6-12 months before)

Clean up financials (audited if possible) Document all IP and contracts Reduce customer concentration Lock up key employees Build the data room Engage an M&A advisor

Negotiation Points

Red Flags (Both Sides)

No clear strategic rationale beyond "it's a good deal" Culture clash visible during due diligence and ignored Key people not locked in before close Integration plan doesn't exist or is "we'll figure it out" Valuation based on projections, not actuals

Integration with C-Suite Roles

Resources

• references/integration-playbook.md — 100-day post-acquisition integration plan. references/due-diligence-checklist.md — comprehensive DD checklist by domainM&A Playbook

Frameworks for both sides of M&A: acquiring companies and being acquired.

Keywords

M&A, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, acquisition, acqui-hire, integration, deal structure, valuation, LOI, term sheet, earnout

Quick Start

• Acquiring: Start with strategic rationale → target screening → due diligence → valuation → negotiation → integration.

Being Acquired: Start with readiness assessment → data room prep → advisor selection → negotiation → transition.

When You're Acquiring

Strategic Rationale (answer before anything else)

Buy vs Build: Can you build this faster/cheaper? If yes, don't acquire. Acqui-hire vs Product vs Market: What are you really buying? Talent? Technology? Customers? Integration complexity: How hard is it to merge this into your company?

Due Diligence Checklist

Valuation Approaches

Revenue multiple: Industry-dependent (2-15x ARR for SaaS) Comparable transactions: What similar companies sold for DCF: For profitable companies only (most startups: use multiples) Acqui-hire: $1-3M per engineer in hot markets

Integration Frameworks

• See references/integration-playbook.md for the 100-day integration plan.

When You're Being Acquired

Readiness Signals

Inbound interest from strategic buyers Market consolidation happening around you Fundraising becomes harder than operating Founder ready for a transition

Preparation (6-12 months before)

Clean up financials (audited if possible) Document all IP and contracts Reduce customer concentration Lock up key employees Build the data room Engage an M&A advisor

Negotiation Points

Red Flags (Both Sides)

No clear strategic rationale beyond "it's a good deal" Culture clash visible during due diligence and ignored Key people not locked in before close Integration plan doesn't exist or is "we'll figure it out" Valuation based on projections, not actuals

Integration with C-Suite Roles

Resources

• references/integration-playbook.md — 100-day post-acquisition integration plan. references/due-diligence-checklist.md — comprehensive DD checklist by domain