Do you Have Down-The-Track Thinking?

Using this thinking, always keep in mind where your company is going and who will meet you at the destination.

From the start, David Perry listed all the companies to whom he wanted to sell some day and even named the company, Gaikai, to be attracted to the number 1 target acquirer. Then all the strategies and products were oriented to be most attractive to the top target acquirers. He and his partners even aimed at the global game market and named some of their products Japanese names. The founders geared the products to fit well into the culture of the number one target acquirer. It worked and his top focus, SONY, purchased his company for $380 Million.

Whether you are looking to sell soon or are years away from selling, the process of developing a shortlist of potential acquirers tomorrow will help you make better decisions today. If you haven’t already, list out who your best potential acquirers could be. Design your company into a desirable acquisition for the target and weigh your decisions on that basis. That way your train may end up at a lucrative destination “down the track”.