Emily Blue - How Humanizing the M&A Process Leads to Better Outcomes for Employees and Stakeholders

What is the disconnect between selling an advisory business, as it is popularly conceived, and as it usually goes down in the real world? What should people know about the process that they may not currently understand?

What are the big things that are missing from the “highlight reel” version of selling a business and how can people become more aware of this?

If Emily could give advisors just one tip on maximizing their saleability, and standing out in a very crowded field, what would she say?

Is there anything advisors can do to avoid a “cult of personality” trap that could make the business hand-off harder than it might otherwise be?

How can we humanize this transaction from every angle, including the client side of things, and what role does talent play in getting a premium for what you’ve built?

How do we better prepare advisors for the psychological loss of their business?

For those doing due diligence on an M&A, how can they make the cultural piece more practical and straightforward? Also, what parts of company culture are more malleable and what parts are more immutable?

How do people sometimes get in their own way when they are trying to make this big transaction happen?