At Content First Marketing we have the distinct pleasure of working with some of the finest companies in their respective industries. Part of our process in creating the website and writing the content for a blog and social media is getting to know the industry and the people that make up these fine companies.
Within that process, we write a Brandscript, an internal document that tells the story of the company. In this document, our client is a guide. The hero is their customer.
We would like to take this opportunity to showcase our clients and tell you why we believe they are heroes themselves.
Taking Integrity and a Positive Attitude to the Max
Maximum Possibilities, launched in 2022 by Mindy Passmore, is a trusted authority, advisor, and partner to companies interested in the process of mergers & acquisitions (M&A) as well as business sales.
We enjoy working with Maximum Possibilities because they exemplify two of our core values, Integrity and a Positive Attitude.
Let’s learn why Maximum Possibilities was formed and how they have helped dozens of companies increase their valuation and position themselves for sale or a successful M&A.
A Brief History of M&A
In U.S. history, there have been six periods referred to as “merger waves,” which involve high levels of merger activity. These waves are typically triggered by a combination of economic, regulatory, and technological shocks.
- First Wave: 1897 – 1904
- Second Wave: 1916 – 1929
- Third Wave: 1965 – 1969
- Fourth Wave: 1984 – 1989
The first wave happened after the 1883 depression and ended in 1904. The second wave saw consolidation in multiple industries, while the third wave had a particularly high level of merger activity. After this, a significant merger set the precedent for the fourth wave, which involved hostile takeovers by established companies. The sixth wave, which took place between 2004 and 2007, had a similar value of deals as the fifth wave but exceeded the fourth wave in terms of value.
The 10 largest M&A transactions that took place during the fifth and sixth waves include:
- Vodafone and Mannesmann (1999) $202.8B
- AOL and Time Warner (2000) $182B
- Gaz de France and Suez (2007) $182B
- Verizon and Vodafone (2013) $130B
- Dow Chemical and DuPont (2015) $130B
- United Technologies and Raytheon (2019) $121B
- AT&T and Time Warner (2018) $108B
- AB InBev and SABMiller (2015) $107B
- Glaxo Wellcome and SmithFline Beecham (2000) $107B
- Heinz and Kraft (2015) $100B
In 2022 the 10 largest M&A Transactions—all of which were under $100B—include:
- Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard
- Broadcom acquisition of VMWare
- Oracle acquisition of Cerner
- AMD acquisition of Xilinx
- Prologis merger with Duke Realty
- Orange merger with Grupo MásMóvil
- DSM merger with Firmenich
- Adobe acquisition of Figma
- Microsoft acquisition of Nuance
- Vista Equity Partners acquisition of Citrix
Interestingly, the Harvard Business Review reported in 2020 that between 70 and 90 percent of all acquisitions fail. According to the studies the HBR cited, the main reason for the high failure rate was the unsuccessful integration of the two merging companies.
With statistics like that, it’s best to trust your M&A to an experienced and trusted partner.
The Maximum Possibilities Origin Story
After more than 35 years of experience in corporate growth strategies, including successful acquisition and divestiture initiatives with several buy and sell transactions, Passmore saw the opportunity to offer a more personalized approach to M&A and business sales. An approach that placed the business owners and employees at the center of the equation rather than the bottom line of financials.
Passmore has a unique talent for developing a vision for success and identifying potential obstacles to growth. She specializes in several industries including Technology, SaaS, Manufacturing, Distribution, and Construction. She has also identified critical success factors and new processes from the strategic planning phase through execution.
Having held leadership roles in business advisory for middle-market private companies and C Suite for Fortune 1000 public companies and middle-market private companies, Passmore is well aware of the many hurdles, pitfalls, and challenges.
In just one example of Passmore’s success, she led a process for taking a SaaS Company private in a deal valued at more than $100 million with a double-digit multiple.
Solution
Over her career, Passmore has developed techniques and core competencies to not only prepare and increase the value of a company before a sale, but she has also created an execution plan for completing the deal. Once the deal is done, the Maximum Possibilities team helps ensure the plan is executed properly.
As if that wasn’t reason enough to engage the services of Maximum Possibilities, they also assist with successful growth for businesses, including organic growth and acquisitions in addition to sales.
Maximum Possibilities have high integrity and are always working in their client’s best interest.
“Being a business owner myself, I see clients as friends and people,” says Passmore. “I really care, which is an intangible element. We treat our clients the way I would want to be treated.”
Maximum Possibilities have demonstrated a proven track record of success through its Growth Model of critical core competencies.
What sets Maximum Possibilities apart from other M&A consultancy firms is not only their experience but their ethics which guide them to make sure no deals are pushed through if they do not serve you, the client’s, best interest.
“We enjoy working on the owner’s behalf,” says Passmore, “making sure they achieve exactly what they desire, whether that is in a sale or acquisition.”
Maximum Possibilities also knows that no two M&A are the same—there is no cookie-cutter plan for a successful M&A. Because of this they offer customized services and deliverables to each client.
To achieve success for each client, Maximum Possibilities will develop a custom strategy, then ensure their client’s readiness thus maximizing the possibilities for success. As their client’s partner in the process, Maximum Possibilities quarterbacks the deal through completion and finally assists with and ensures the successful integration/transition process.
All of this is done with the utmost integrity and always with a positive attitude.
Results
Maximum Possibilities clients share one thing in common, peace of mind. They know they can trust and count on Passmore and her team.
Clients know that once their M&A is successfully completed, their employees will be treated with respect and kindness in the new business. Business owners also know that all of their strategic goals will have been met under the watchful eye of Maximum Possibilities.
When clients have worked with Maximum Possibilities for a business exit of sale, they are confident that all of their past employees are valued by the new owners and are treated respectfully. Passmore ensures that the purchase terms are always favorable, and, at the end of the day, everyone is satisfied.
Success in closing a deal is often defined as “meeting the stated objectives.” With that definition in mind, Maximum Possibilities has led to multiple deals using proven templates and processes which lead to dozens of successful acquisitions.
Content First Marketing is proud to be associated with Mindy Passmore and the team at Maximum Possibilities. Their integrity and positive attitude make them not only a pleasure to work with but are some of the main reasons for their success.
