Phase 2 · Strategy & Planning · From Idea to Executable Plan
Acquisition Strategy Design
Most acquisitions that fail were not badly executed. They were badly conceived — the strategy was wrong before the target was identified.
Acquisition strategy design is the development of the clear commercial rationale, the target criteria, and the integration framework before the search for a target begins — ensuring that the acquisition, if it proceeds, is motivated by a strategic logic that will survive the pressures of the deal process and the realities of integration. We design the strategy that determines whether an acquisition is worth pursuing before the investment of time, cost, and management attention that pursuing it demands.
The Pain We Solve
You may recognise yourself in one of these.
Three audience scenarios · because the same service produces a different transformation depending on where you are in the business journey.
Scenario 1
The business that has identified a target but has not defined a clear acquisition strategy that validates whether this target is the right one
An opportunity has emerged. The target is interesting. And the business is deep into exploring the transaction before anyone has clearly articulated what problem the acquisition is solving, what capabilities it is adding, or how the combined entity is more valuable than the sum of its parts.
Scenario 2
The investor-backed business under pressure to grow through acquisition but without a clear framework for evaluating targets
The investor wants inorganic growth. The management team is looking at targets. And the evaluation of each target is being made on a case-by-case basis without the consistent strategic criteria that would determine whether each one is a good acquisition or just an available one.
Scenario 3
The business that has made an acquisition that did not deliver the expected value and wants to understand why before making another
The previous acquisition disappointed. Revenue synergies were not achieved. The cultures did not integrate. And the business is not certain whether the failure was in the strategy — the wrong target for the wrong reasons — or in the execution. The answer determines what changes for the next one.
The Impact It Creates
The Moment You Will Feel the Difference.
Acquisition rationale defined — clear commercial logic for why an acquisition creates value
Target criteria established — what characteristics the right acquisition must have
Integration framework designed before the target is identified — not after
Previous acquisition lessons incorporated into the strategy for the next one
What You Receive
The Specific Deliverables.
Tangible outputs · documented, dated, and yours to keep.
- Acquisition strategy document — rationale, criteria, and value creation thesis
- Target screening criteria framework
- Integration readiness assessment
- Acquisition risk framework
- Build vs buy vs partner analysis
- Acquisition programme governance and decision framework
The Outcome
Where You Will Be on the Other Side.
The business pursues acquisitions with a clear strategy — knowing why it is acquiring, what it is looking for, and how it will integrate what it finds — rather than discovering the answers to those questions in the middle of a deal it has already emotionally committed to.
Primary Focus
Designing the acquisition strategy that defines the commercial rationale, target criteria, and integration framework before the search begins.
KPI Measurement
- Acquisition strategy clarity score
- Targets meeting strategy criteria vs total reviewed
- Integration planning completeness at deal signing
- Acquisition value realisation vs strategy thesis
- Decision quality for passed vs pursued opportunities
Investment & ROI
Pricing Engineered Around the Value You Create.
Every engagement is sized against the value we believe we can create with you · the fee is always a fraction of the outcome. Four tiers · so the investment matches your stage of business.
Tier 1
Foundations
£5,000 – £15,000
Right for
Pre-startup, startup, and micro-business founders ready to build on evidence rather than instinct.
Typical Value Created
£100K+ in sharper resource allocation and avoided strategic missteps
Engagement
4 – 8 weeks
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 2
Acceleration
£15,000 – £50,000
Right for
Growing SMEs and established small businesses ready to scale a working model into the next revenue band.
Typical Value Created
£500K – £3M in faster execution and pipeline acceleration
Engagement
8 – 16 weeks
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 3
Transformation
£50,000 – £250,000
Right for
Medium enterprises and scale-stage businesses ready to commit to a multi-quarter, organisation-wide shift.
Typical Value Created
£2M – £20M in strategic value through repositioning, model redesign, and growth-system installation
Engagement
3 – 9 months
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Tier 4
Enterprise
£250,000 – £2M+
Right for
Large enterprises, global operators, and complex organisations ready for a multi-year strategic partnership.
Typical Value Created
£10M+ in major strategic initiatives, capital deployment efficiency, and competitive repositioning
Engagement
12 months and onward
Target Return
5 – 10× ROI
within 12 – 18 months
Why We Price This Way
Every engagement is sized around the value we believe we can create with you. The fee is always a fraction of the outcome · typically 10 – 20% of the expected first-year return.
This is how we make sure pricing aligns with results. The conversation is never “what does this cost?” · it is always “what is this worth to your business?” We answer that together in the first call, transparently, and decide the right tier from there.
If we cannot articulate a credible 5–10× return for your specific situation, we will tell you in the first call. That honesty is part of why our clients trust us with the work that matters most.
Why This Conversation Matters
“The acquisition that creates value is the one where the strategy was right before the target was chosen. We design the strategy — so the target search that follows it has a framework that keeps the right deals in and the tempting but wrong ones out.”
A 90-minute structured strategy session · produces a usable roadmap whether you engage further or not.
More in Phase 2