The Next 90 Days | Boost Post-Acquisition Enterprise Value
When I talk to new owners right after closing, I always hear two emotions at once: relief and panic. Relief because the deal is done. Panic because the clock just started.
The truth is the first 90 days after an acquisition are your golden window to create exponential value. Buyers who win don’t wait for synergies to “naturally unfold.”
They orchestrate them.
I saw this firsthand with a private investor who bought a multi-location services company for just under $10 million. Before the ink was dry, we built a 90-day plan focused on four levers: margin control, leadership clarity, cross-sell activation, and optics. Within three months, EBITDA had climbed 17 percent…and the company’s effective multiple jumped by nearly one full turn.
Here’s what worked.
1. Capture margin immediately
Every acquisition has “hidden EBITDA.” It’s buried in redundant spend, overstaffing, or unaligned supplier contracts. Your first 90 days should uncover and reallocate, not just cut.
One lower-middle-market PE firm I spoke with implemented a 60-day vendor audit and renegotiated key service contracts. Result: 4 percent margin improvement, no layoffs, and a stronger cost base.
According to Bain & Company, top-performing acquirers capture 70% of identified cost synergies within the first year, and most of that comes from early, focused actions, not late-stage optimization (Bain Global M&A Report, 2024).
2. Anchor leadership alignment
The single biggest destroyer of post-acquisition value is leadership confusion. Within 30 days, every department head should know who owns what, how decisions are made, and how success will be measured.
I once saw an acquirer lose six months of integration time because they tried to “let things settle.” When they finally announced the new org chart, two top managers had already left.
Start with a one-page integration charter: who leads, what the first milestones are, and how communication flows.
The secret to rapid post-acquisition value creation is not broad cost cutting.
3. Light up cross-sell opportunities
In the first 90 days, look for fast, no-tech ways to merge customer ecosystems. Introduce your acquired company’s clients to your existing products, or vice versa.
A regional HVAC acquirer did this beautifully: they offered energy audits from a sister company to 200 existing maintenance customers. It generated $180,000 in new, high-margin revenue in 60 days.
McKinsey’s post-merger analysis found that revenue synergies account for up to 45 percent of total deal value when managed intentionally, yet most acquirers realize less than half of that potential (McKinsey, 2023 Post-Merger Integration Survey).
4. Shape market optics early
Here’s a secret: perception compounds faster than earnings.
Within 90 days, start broadcasting a unified message to customers, employees, and investors that reinforces your strategic narrative.
Rebrand the website, issue a joint press release, refresh your LinkedIn page, and announce your “combined capabilities.” It’s not just cosmetic, it actually reframes how your market perceives your growth trajectory.
One client who acquired a 30-year-old manufacturer did a simple rebrand under a modern banner. Within two months, inbound RFQs tripled. The story looked new, even though the operation was the same.
Where this all leads
The market rewards momentum. Within 90 days of closing, you can either signal “business as usual” or “new platform, new growth arc.” Only one of those commands a higher valuation.
You don’t need to overthink it, just start stacking visible wins: clean cost base, aligned leadership, visible synergies, compelling narrative.
By the time you hit Day 91, you’re not the buyer anymore. You’re the builder.
Light it up!
So, tell me this:
If you’ve just closed a deal, what’s your first move to add a turn to your multiple?
Please drop your thoughts in the comments. I’m always curious how other acquirers engineer early value.
Citations
Bain & Company, Global M&A Report 2024. https://www.bain.com/insights/global-ma-report-2024/
McKinsey & Company, State of Mergers and Acquisitions 2023. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mergers-and-acquisitions/our-insights/the-state-of-mergers-and-acquisitions-2023
David Hermann, CEO of hermanngroup and M&A Advisor/Broker at Sunbelt Business Brokers of Colorado
David Hermann is a transformative advisor and strategist who turns complex business challenges into extraordinary successes. Known for driving over $500 million in documented financial improvements for clients, David partners with C-suite leaders to unlock their full potential. With 60+ speaking engagements, numerous publications, and a spot in the top 1% of Consulting Voices and top 1% of the Social Selling Index on LinkedIn, he’s passionate about making strategy, change leadership, and operations insightful and accessible.