Navigating Mergers: Culture and Integrity

This chapter delves into the intricate dynamics of mergers and acquisitions, emphasizing the need to preserve the cultural essence of smaller companies. Through personal anecdotes and successful case studies, it highlights the importance of relationships, emotional intelligence, and creativity in ensuring a harmonious integration process.

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Sarah Spoja, the CFO of Tipalti joins CJ to discuss M&A as a growth lever and the evolution of the CFO role in high-growth environments. Drawing from her background in private equity operations at KKR Capstone, she shares insights on the current M&A environment and the boom she predicts for the near future. She also explains how to avoid crushing the soul of a startup in the M&A process and the value of getting your hands dirty in PE Ops. As the CFO of a rapidly expanding SaaS company, Sarah sheds light on how to evolve as the company scales. She shares how to reassess priorities, balance hands-on work with strategic oversight, and navigate external-facing demands like conferences and panels. The conversation covers building investor relationships while avoiding perceptions of always being in-market and highlights the CFO’s dual role as strategist and salesperson. From navigating M&A to solving problems across stages from seed to IPO, this episode is packed with insights.

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@cjgustafson222 (CJ)

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(02:13) Sponsor – NetSuite | Operators Guild

(04:52) Sarah’s Experience in M&A

(06:13) The Current M&A Environment

(12:17) Field Sales Versus Channel Partnerships

(14:23) How to Avoid Crushing the Soul of a Startup During M&A

(19:30) Sponsor – Maxio | Leapfin | Mercury