With predictions of a market upswing in 2025, many management teams and investors are gearing up to adopt a “buy and build” strategy. For founders who are typically focused on sales, shifting to the role of a “buyer” can be a challenging transition.

Last year, I led my company through its first acquisition, bringing a healthtech company into our fold. This move increased our team by more than 25%, expanded our product offerings, and grew our client base. It was a valuable learning experience.

For founders and CEOs embarking on an acquisition for the first time, here are my top three Golden M&A Rules for success.

1. Identify Your ‘Known Unknowns’

When you’re entering an acquisition, there’s a lot you won’t know. It’s crucial to identify what you’re unprepared for and what might trip you up.

To handle these unknowns, seek advice from experts who have navigated acquisitions before. Bring in trusted advisers to help with the legal, financial, data, and technical aspects of the deal. They can help you spot potential blind spots and guide you through unfamiliar territory.

However, be careful not to overwhelm yourself with too many opinions. It can be tempting to gather advice from everyone, but too many voices can slow you down. Keep your advisory group small and focused—this will help keep things moving smoothly. Research shows that 40% of M&A deals take longer than expected, so having a small, trusted group of advisers can prevent unnecessary delays.

2. Over-Prepare Your Communication

Just like fundraising, closing an M&A deal requires attention to detail and a lot of time. It’s easy to get lost in the intricacies of the deal and forget to communicate effectively with your team and stakeholders.

Failing to keep everyone informed is a major risk. From the start, develop a detailed communication plan for everyone involved: your team, the team you’re acquiring, investors, customers, and the public. Ensure that your messages are stress-tested by your advisers, and be ready to address any leaks or misinformation. Encourage open communication with your staff, creating spaces for questions and feedback.

Effective communication during the deal is just as important as post-deal communication. A large number of acquirers—around 75%—struggle with cultural integration after the deal closes. To avoid this, maintain clear and open lines of communication with both your existing and new teams. During our own integration, we’ve held regular town halls, team-building activities, and product demos to connect our teams and ensure transparency.

3. Plan Your Integration Before the Deal Closes

Don’t wait until after the deal is finalized to think about integration. According to studies, 83% of M&A executives identify integration as the biggest challenge in failed acquisitions.

To avoid these pitfalls, create an integration framework before the deal is complete. This framework will ensure that the right actions are taken by the right people, without losing momentum on important tasks. In our case, we created five “Integration Workstreams” focused on product and customers, operations, culture, tech infrastructure, and brand marketing. Each workstream is led by a senior team member responsible for keeping progress on track.

It’s also important to acknowledge that the leaders of these workstreams likely already have full-time jobs. Make sure you allocate the necessary time and resources to support their work on the integration.

With the right preparation, M&A can bring substantial rewards. You can expand your market presence, gain new products and IP, and leverage the expertise of an expanded team. By following these Golden M&A Rules, you can avoid common pitfalls and maximize the benefits of the acquisition process.