In today’s environment of change and uncertainty, companies are moving faster than ever to scope and seize opportunities as they arise. More than half of business leaders said they expect mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity to return to pre–COVID levels within the next year, according to a recent Deloitte survey. “During an economic downturn, strategic M&A is a lever corporations and private equity investors can pull to accelerate their recovery through a combination of opportunistic, offensive, and defensive strategies,” said Russell Thompson of Deloitte.
It is no secret that stakes are high when it comes to M&A: research has shown that up to 90% of deals fail. From a smart acquisition strategy to comprehensive due diligence research, integration planning to execution, an experienced third-party perspective can bring invaluable insight. Independent on-demand talent can help companies streamline the unpredictable workflow of early-stage M&A and deal integrations, augmenting internal resources with specialized skills and capabilities. That’s why on-demand talent have long been a critical resource for M&A—providing not only a cost-effective source of specialized skills and capabilities, but often a valuable third-party perspective as well.
In June 2020, Business Talent Group (BTG) announced a collaboration with Upwork aimed at helping clients more seamlessly access the full spectrum of available on-demand talent. Upwork’s tactical creative, technical, and administrative talent complement BTG’s high-end strategic talent—together providing a full range of specialized skills necessary to execute large-scale projects.
— Hayden Brown, CEO of Upwork
There are many business initiatives in which Upwork and BTG talent can be deployed in tandem across workstreams. Business leaders are finding the collaboration particularly effective when undertaking mergers & acquisitions. Together BTG and Upwork provide seasoned, independent experts and executives for each step of the complex M&A value chain—from defining strategy to performing due diligence to post-merger integration. For example, clients who turn to BTG for change management leadership can simultaneously tap graphic designers and copywriters from Upwork to support asset creation for related internal and external communications.
— Jody Greenstone Miller, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Business Talent Group
Together, on-demand experts from BTG and Upwork can help companies:
- Build an end-to-end M&A playbook from deal sourcing through PMI
- Develop an M&A strategy framework to prioritize and quickly act on potential deals
- Provide accurate and comprehensive due diligence research
- Negotiate a deal structure that mitigates risks and ensures a fair valuation
- Provide a plan, as well as interim functional and business leadership
- Guide the integration of new employees and preserve company culture post-merger
Get the M&A support you need today
Whether you are developing your acquisition strategy, evaluating new opportunities, or looking to shed non-core assets, find the right path forward with help from Business Talent Group and Upwork. Need M&A support? Start a project!
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