M&A Science

Building Trust in Acquisitions with Dan Pollock

16 snips
Jun 20, 2025
Dan Pollock, Vice President of Corporate Development at SAM Companies, shares his journey in building a robust M&A function. He discusses the balance of disciplined diligence with relationship-first sourcing and how culture and seller alignment are just as crucial as price. Dan highlights the importance of integrating small firms while preserving their legacy and using innovative strategies like earnouts. This conversation provides tactical insights for those looking to refine their corporate development playbook and scale M&A effectively.
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INSIGHT

M&A as Strategic Growth Tool

  • A strong M&A strategy must integrate with the company’s overall strategic plan, not run independently.
  • M&A acts as a growth tool supplementing organic efforts, guided by business unit strategies.
INSIGHT

Earnouts vs Retention Bonuses

  • Earnouts often cause sellers to focus narrowly on EBITDA targets rather than broader company growth.
  • Retention bonuses can better align incentives by encouraging sellers to stay without tunnel vision.
ADVICE

Start Conversations With Transparency

  • Initiate conversations with target companies by highlighting complementary strengths and potential collaboration, not just acquisition intent.
  • Approach with transparency but avoid aggressive sales pitches to build trust and open dialogue.
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