Ever questioned how product leaders juggle large mergers & acquisitions, difficult integrations, and a pressure-cooker tempo—all whereas protecting their groups fired up and targeted? Meet Brian Fugere, a professional who’s navigated the high-stakes terrain of M&A extra occasions than he can rely.
On this version of Productside Tales, we dig into Brian’s 30-year legacy of constructing, integrating, and supercharging product portfolios throughout healthcare, software program, media, and authorities. From surfacing hidden landmines throughout due diligence to bringing whole product orgs below one cohesive imaginative and prescient, Brian’s acquired the battle scars—and the wins—to show it.
Under, we’ll unpack his real-world recommendation on making acquisitions work, retaining your finest folks, and aligning tech stacks for a post-merger world that truly innovates.
For those who’ve ever questioned what actually occurs proper after you signal on the dotted line, preserve studying. Brian’s story may simply prevent from burning months (and morale) the subsequent time your group heads into merger territory.
Leaping Into M&A: Why Purchase at All?
In keeping with Brian, acquisition is commonly the “simple button” for progress—particularly when you may’t organically hit excessive double-digit percentages. It’s not nearly chasing income, although. Typically you purchase a rival to scoop up its prospects or to leapfrog into a brand new market phase. Different occasions, it’s defensive: “If my competitor’s constructing that function set, I want it, too—ASAP.”
High Drivers for M&A
- Fast Progress – When natural increments aren’t sufficient, purchase that chunk of market share.
- Aggressive Stress – Your greatest rival simply acquired a platform. You don’t need to lag behind.
- Buyer Grabs – Bringing over a competitor’s person base will be an prompt (if costly) quantity increase.
Key takeaway: Take a look at the strategic “why” earlier than you soar. In any other case, you’ll end up wedged below a stack of integration nightmares with no clear payoff.
Early-Stage Due Diligence: Don’t Skip the Product Chief
All too usually, product leaders uncover an acquisition midway into the method—solely to inherit a black field filled with hidden code or phantom prospects. Brian’s recommendation? Insist on being within the loop from day one. For those who aren’t invited to the diligence social gathering, rattle some cages:
- Arm Corp Dev: Present them a brief listing of mission-critical information you should have earlier than closing.
- Get a Useful resource Hedge: Persuade Finance to put aside finances for “cleanup” if the acquired product comes with skeletons you’ll must bury later.
Anecdote: Brian recalled one deal the place the goal’s new tech platform turned out to be half-built vaporware—no actual prospects, no actual traction. The pivot to “buyer listing acquisition” labored out finally, however solely as a result of they found the true story throughout diligence, not after.
When Integration Feels Like a Circus
“Day 1 is every thing,” Brian mentioned. Individuals points come first. Know-how and processes? Second. For those who don’t nail the folks aspect, you danger dropping precious product information in a mass exodus:
- Meet Everybody – Spend half-hour with every PM and developer, ask about their actual duties (past the job title), and discover out what they need to be doing.
- Know-how Roadmap – Determine the dev stack, the product backlog instruments (Jira vs. Aha?), and the way shortly you may merge them along with your present strategies.
- Undertake “Greatest Of” – Possibly the acquired group’s product processes are light-years forward of yours. Use it! Construct a way of shared delight by taking their finest concepts company-wide.
Sizzling Tip: At one acquired firm, Brian found they used a uncommon programming language (Clojure) that none of his present engineers knew. That became an costly pivot—coaching new “Clojure consultants” was the one solution to preserve that product afloat.
The Product Ops Energy Transfer
Most huge M&A sprees lead to Frankenstein processes—completely different roadmaps, templates, product lifecycles, all dwelling below one company roof.
That’s why Brian created a Product Operations operate:
“I promoted a product chief who was miles forward of us in processes. She standardized every thing—no extra 14 alternative ways to construct a roadmap. We gained large time financial savings and cross-team expertise mobility.”
Professional Tip: Uniform processes allow you to promote PMs throughout product strains seamlessly, decreasing friction and ramp-up time.
Cultural “Gotchas”
One of many greatest pitfalls? Failure to unify cultures. For those who don’t handle it head-on, folks preserve calling themselves “Blue Firm workers” even 20 years after an acquisition.
Brian’s repair:
- Eradicate Us vs. Them Language: “We’re all [YourCompany].”
- Swag Issue: Ship t-shirts, hoodies, or particular “group day” rituals to construct shared id.
- Invite Enter: Actively solicit how the brand new group desires to merge. Allow them to form the longer term—folks thrive once they personal a part of the method.
Backside line: In case your newly acquired people are itching to go away, that mind drain can set you again a strong 12 months.
A Favourite Success Story
Amid the chaos, Brian recalled a carve-out acquisition that soared: a healthcare software program answer beforehand starved of assets. The most important buyer warned they’d bail instantly.
However with fast high quality enhancements and private outreach, Brian’s group revived the product, saved the main account, and unlocked new offers. “That’s the dream state of affairs,” he mentioned—discovering a uncared for asset, injecting the fitting management and dev assets, and watching it skyrocket.
M&A Motion Plan for Product Leaders
Able to do M&A proper? Preserve Brian’s blueprint in thoughts:
- Be A part of Diligence – Don’t let Corp Dev fly solo.
- Safe a “Useful resource Hedge” – Plan for sudden headcount or tech repair calls for.
- Begin with Individuals – On Day 1, meet each essential contributor and chart talent units.
- Align Instruments & Processes – Standardize your product ops so every new product merges easily.
Domesticate One Tradition – Squash the previous labels, champion “best-of” pondering from all sides.
“For those who deal with the folks piece and do actual diligence on the product, you’re primed for achievement.” – Brian Fugere
Last Takeaway: Persistence & Endurance Win
The largest lesson? Reworking an acquired firm’s product and group doesn’t occur in a single day. You’ll break a sweat coping with leftover code, short-staffed groups, or a rebellious mini-culture. However in the event you step up with empathy, actual processes, and a readiness to undertake “one of the best” from the brand new people, you’ll emerge with a stronger, extra progressive portfolio—and a brand-new tribe of believers in your product imaginative and prescient.
Wish to Grasp Acquisitions & Integrations?
Share your personal M&A battles or triumphs within the feedback beneath, or join with us on LinkedIn. We love listening to how product leaders conquer the acquisition rodeo—flaming torches and all.
March 06, 2025
