Tag Archives: Payout

How Do You Retain Key Staff During a Merger or Sale? Five Suggestions

Situation: A company has either a merger with another company or sale of the company pending. While most direct staff will be retained, roughly half of the indirect staff may be at risk. The CEO’s objective is twofold: to retain key indirect talent before and during transition and to do right by those who have made strong contributions to the company. How do you retain key staff during a merger or sale?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • One member dealt with this a few years ago. The company set up a retention fund for important but potentially impacted employees in advance of the anticipated transaction. The longer the employee stayed with the company through the transition, the larger the payout for which they were eligible. In the case of no transaction, the funds were to be returned to the company.
  • An alternate version of the above option is to use insurance to fund a retention package for a group of key employees. This package may or may not be required depending upon the transition.
  • For potentially impacted employees, consider a retention package that rewards them for staying long enough to train the purchaser in their areas of expertise.
  • Look at outplacement services as part of the package for employees. Let employees know that this is part of the package if they are not retained post-transaction.
  • Seek outside consultant expertise to assist in the design and administration of a retention package. To compliment this look at your own network, and seek the advice of others who are well-versed with the technical aspects of employee transition.

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How Much Do You Share with a Potential Acquirer? Nine Points

Situation: A company has been approached by a larger company that may be interested in acquiring them. The prospective acquirer is a current customer. Absent an extraordinary offer, the company isn’t interested in selling. Nevertheless, a conversation could be valuable. How much information about the company should the CEO share now? How much do you share with a potential acquirer?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • The key term here is potential. At this point, there is no commitment, and you really don’t know the other company’s motivation. As you start this process, don’t share confidential details about your plans or prospects, or your pipeline. Just broad information. If things get serious, slowly open the kimono.
  • Make sure that you have an NDA in place covering anything that they ask you to disclose for this possible transaction.
  • Given your current situation, a standard offer probably won’t be appealing, so be open to a creative option.
    • Decide ahead of time what your price is. If they are in the ball park, keep talking.
    • For example, Say you want $XX. Would you be attracted to 50% of that now, 50% later? Under what terms?
  • Put a low valve on future payouts, particularly if you are not in a position to call the shots.
  • Be open and creative. You never know what can happen. You could sell to them now at the right price. Then, if the acquisition doesn’t work out, buy the company back in 2-3 years at a discount!
  • If you get into higher level negotiations, employee retention will be critical. Make provision for this as part of the deal.
  • Hire a disinterested professional negotiator you who you can trust.
  • If things get serious, bring in an investment broker to assist. It will cost you 5% but they are helpful in the negotiation and could bring in competing suitors to up the ante.

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Do you Merge, Sell or Keep the Company? Nine Factors

Situation: A company has been approached by an international firm with an existing West Coast presence that is interested in expanding its US operations. A Letter of Intent is in place but will expire in weeks. The LOI is of interest because the company has cash flow challenges. The CEO seeks advice on whether and how to proceed with a sale or merger, or whether to continue as an independent entity. Do you merge, sell or keep the company?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • This is a personal decision. Do you want to be your own boss or to become an employee? It really is a question of what you want.
  • If you are burned out, there are advantages to having a boss, at least in the short term. However, 2 to 3 years out you may tire of this.
  • While cash may be tight, you can address this with other measures.
    • Can you save money by reducing office staff (hours or people) short-term until your cash flow improves?
    • Talk to private investors – offer up to 9% interest on a note. The company is a going concern and therefore likely to be able to pay off the note. You may be able to negotiate a note at a favorable rate.
    • Negotiate a 5 year note, with interest only payments for the first 3 years; sweeten the deal with an offer that if you get new business worth $X during the period of the note, you pay them Y% of upside.
    • You have revenue-producing business and receivables. Factor your receivables to raise the cash that you need. Adjust your prices to cover the cost of the factoring discount.
    • If you have the margins, or can increase prices to produce the margin, offer discounts for early payment of accounts receivable.
  • If you decide to sell, avoid a contract that takes away your flexibility to maximize your future payouts.
  • Can you be confident that the buying firm will survive until your payouts are completed?

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