In this episode of The Intentional Owner, Sam Rosati and Kaustubh Deo dive deep into the critical first 90 days following a business acquisition. Drawing from their own operating experience, they discuss tactical items like transition checklists and asset conversion, while also exploring the softer—but equally important—aspects of communication with employees and customers. They examine the nuances of announcing a deal, managing early team dynamics, and the risk of misaligned retention strategies. Along the way, they share candid reflections on the evolving identity of a business owner and the long road to earning trust and building cultural buy-in.

They discuss:

Practical challenges and checklists for the first week of an asset deal transition
Strategic communication approaches for customers and employees post-close
Why retention bonuses can backfire and what to consider instead
The long timeline and emotional complexity of "owning" a business culturally
How to assess operator readiness in self-funded search deals

A valuable episode for anyone navigating the early stages of ownership or evaluating what it really means to lead a small business.

Links:

Kaustubh on Substack - https://bigdealsmallbusiness.substack.com/p/read-me-first

Sam on X - https://x.com/Sam_Rosati

Follow along with the guys' fitness tracker! - https://bit.ly/3T4EpHw

Topics:

(00:00:00) - Intro

(00:01:05) - Catching up

(00:06:26) - First 90 days post-acquisition

(00:16:03) - Communication with the team

(00:22:58) - Retention bonuses

(00:32:26) - The moment an acquirer feels like the business has become their own

(00:38:47) - Feeling like you’ve earned the team’s trust, such that you can make fundamental changes

(00:50:25) - Becoming better at assessing potential operators