Perfect fit

With the volume of mergers and acquisitions activity in the industry, especially when private equity is involved, you don’t hear a lot about a good old-fashioned merger.

Remember those? That’s when Company A does some things well and Company B does other things well. They are operating just fine on their own, but if they joined forces, business would be much better.

I can understand that may be a hard bridge to build. Chances are each company was started by one or two people, and those entrepreneurs have strong opinions on how the business should be led. The thought of joining forces with another business owner may not even cross some of your minds because you have a vision for your own company.

If that’s your situation, I recommend you read our cover story this month. It features two pilots who were running a landscaping company but were ready to shut it down. Then, they received an unexpected call from someone who knew of two brothers who wanted to sell, and suggested they should consider buying them.

After the four sat down and had a talk, they realized a true partnership was the answer to their problems. Even though one company technically sold to the other, all four people would stay heavily involved in running the merged company. They defined roles, put egos aside and got to work.

Sounds too good to be true, right?

Maybe, but it’s working right now for them — to the tune of 115% growth in three years — and the sky is the limit for this foursome. Keep an open mind if you are thinking about buying or selling. This doesn’t have to be a black-and-white issue. There can be plenty of gray in how you grow your company with a merger or acquisition.

— Brian Horn