The first 100 days after the takeover: action plan
Introduction
You have just taken over a business. The documents are signed, the financing is secured, and you officially have the keys. But now begins the most delicate part: transforming an acquisition into operational success.
The first 100 days after a takeover are decisive. It is during this period that you establish your credibility with the team, understand the real workings of the business, and lay the foundations for your future strategy. A poorly managed transition can compromise years of work and investment.
Yet many buyers arrive without a structured plan. They act too quickly or too slowly, neglect the human dimension, or underestimate the complexity of existing processes. The consequences manifest quickly: key departures, loss of clients, declining performance.
This guide offers you a concrete action plan, divided into four phases: preparation before day one, observation during the first 30 days, analysis and planning between days 31 and 60, then action and adjustment up to day 100. With a practical checklist and the mistakes to absolutely avoid to succeed in your takeover transition.
📌 Summary (TL;DR)
The first 100 days after a takeover are structured in four phases: preparing the ground before signing, observing and listening (days 1-30), analysing and planning (days 31-60), then acting and adjusting (days 61-100). This progressive approach allows you to establish your credibility, understand existing processes and launch the right initiatives at the right time. A successful transition rests on the balance between listening, analysis and measured action.
📚 Table of contents
Before day one: preparing the ground
The transition begins before your first official day. Finalise all legal and financial documents with your fiduciary or solicitor. Prepare a clear communication message to announce your arrival to teams, clients and suppliers.
Organise your first meetings with key collaborators. If you have conducted thorough due diligence, you already have valuable information. Re-read your notes and identify immediate priorities.
Agree with the seller on the support arrangements during the first days of takeover. This methodical preparation facilitates your integration and reassures stakeholders.
Days 1-30: observe and listen
The first month of your takeover transition should be centred on active observation. Resist the temptation to immediately change processes. Your objective: understand how the business really works, beyond the takeover documents.
Adopt a posture of authentic listening. Ask open questions, take notes, identify formal and informal dynamics. This observation phase builds the trust necessary for future changes.
The first days of takeover set the tone for your leadership. Be visible, accessible and respectful of what exists.
Meeting the team and stakeholders
Organise individual meetings with each collaborator, starting with managers and team leaders. Ask questions about their role, their daily challenges and their vision of the business.
Also meet the main clients and strategic suppliers. These exchanges often reveal critical undocumented information. Identify internal talents, informal leaders and potential friction points.
Create a checklist: management, accounting, sales, production, HR, top 5 clients, top 3 suppliers. This systematic approach ensures that no one is forgotten during your first months as buyer.
Understanding existing processes
Map daily operations without judgement. Observe how decisions are really made, who consults whom, what the team's rituals are. Document formal processes and informal practices.
Identify what works well before seeking to optimise. Every process has a reason to exist, even if it is not immediately obvious. Asking questions like "Why do you do it this way?" often reveals relevant logic.
This thorough understanding will help you avoid costly mistakes during your transition plan.
Establishing your presence and style
Communicate your vision progressively, without rushing. Be clear about your values and expectations, whilst acknowledging the seller's legacy. This recognition is essential: the team has built this business and is emotionally attached to it.
Show your commitment through your daily presence. Be accessible, participate in coffee breaks, take a genuine interest in people. Establish a climate of trust by keeping your promises, even the small ones.
Understanding the emotional dimension of the seller helps you respect this delicate transition for everyone.
Days 31-60: analyse and plan
The second month marks the transition from observation to structured analysis. You now have a field understanding that complements the takeover information. This is the time to analyse in depth and prepare your transition plan.
Compile your observations, cross-reference them with financial and operational data. Identify gaps between what was presented and daily reality. This objective analysis guides your strategic decisions.
Progressively involve the team in your thinking. Their field expertise is valuable for validating your hypotheses.
Conducting a complete diagnosis
Systematically analyse each dimension of the business: finance, sales, human resources, operations, information systems. Use appropriate analysis tools (SWOT, financial analysis, process mapping).
Compare the seller's projections with the actual results of your first months as buyer. Identify strengths to preserve, weaknesses to correct, opportunities to seize and threats to anticipate.
This factual diagnosis becomes the basis of your strategy. Document your conclusions in a structured manner to facilitate communication with your team and partners.
Defining your strategic priorities
Based on your diagnosis, identify 3 to 5 strategic priorities for the next 12 months. Clearly distinguish the urgent from the important. Do not try to resolve everything simultaneously.
Set measurable and realistic objectives for each priority. Define success indicators, necessary resources and deadlines. Prepare a detailed action plan with concrete steps.
Test your priorities with a few trusted collaborators. Their feedback helps you refine your approach and anticipate potential resistance during your buyer integration.
Involving the team in the transition
Organise workshops or meetings to share your vision and priorities. Present your diagnosis transparently, acknowledging past successes whilst identifying areas for improvement.
Actively gather ideas and suggestions from the team. Create spaces for dialogue where everyone can express themselves. This co-construction strengthens buy-in and often reveals solutions you had not thought of.
Identify change ambassadors who can help you carry your vision. Also spot resistance to better understand and address it.
Days 61-100: act and adjust
The final phase of the first 100 days marks the transition to concrete action. You have observed, analysed, planned: it is time to implement your first initiatives whilst remaining attentive.
This period tests your ability to execute whilst maintaining the trust built. Communicate regularly on progress, celebrate the first successes and adjust quickly if necessary.
The first 100 days are only the beginning of your takeover transition. They lay the foundations for lasting transformation.
Launching the first initiatives
Start with quick wins: visible changes, with rapid positive impact, but non-threatening to the team. Examples: improving a heavy administrative process, resolving a recurring client irritant, modernising an obsolete tool.
Communicate clearly on each initiative: objective, method, people involved, deadline. Ensure that the necessary resources are available. Nothing undermines credibility more than a project launched then abandoned.
Celebrate the first successes with the team. These quick victories create positive momentum and demonstrate that change brings concrete benefits.
Adjusting your plan according to feedback
Remain flexible and attentive to field feedback. If an initiative does not work as expected, analyse why and adjust quickly. Showing humility strengthens your credibility rather than weakening it.
Show that you are continuously learning from the organisation. Publicly acknowledge good ideas that come from the team. This attitude encourages participation and innovation.
Put in place regular monitoring rituals: weekly briefing with your management team, monthly review of key indicators. These routines structure your management and facilitate necessary adjustments.
Mistakes to absolutely avoid
Certain mistakes permanently compromise your buyer integration. Here are the classic pitfalls to avoid during your first months as buyer:
Changing everything too quickly: Abrupt change creates resistance and destroys trust. Respect what exists before optimising.
Ignoring company culture: Every organisation has its codes, values, rituals. Neglecting them generates misunderstanding and tensions.
Neglecting the relationship with the seller: Their support during the transition is valuable. Maintain constructive dialogue.
Underestimating communication: During a transition period, communicate more than necessary. Silence creates anxiety and rumours.
Isolating yourself instead of delegating: You cannot do everything alone. Quickly identify your relays and delegate with confidence.
Not respecting commitments made: Your promises during the takeover engage your credibility. Keep them scrupulously.
Checklist for the first 100 days
Here is an operational summary of your transition plan, organised by period:
Days 0-30:
Individual meetings with all key collaborators
Interviews with top clients and strategic suppliers
Mapping of existing processes
Communication of your initial vision
Days 31-60:
Complete diagnosis (finance, sales, HR, operations)
Definition of 3-5 strategic priorities
Co-construction workshops with the team
Preparation of detailed action plan
Days 61-100:
Launch of first quick wins
Regular communication on progress
Adjustments based on feedback
Celebration of first successes
The Leez partner network can support you in this transition: fiduciaries, solicitors, M&A experts are available to secure each stage of your integration.
The first 100 days after a business takeover largely determine the success of your transition. This period requires a delicate balance between observation and action, between respect for what exists and assertion of your vision.
Start by listening and understanding before imposing changes. Involve your team in the transformation to create the necessary buy-in. Avoid hasty decisions and unrealistic promises. Keep in mind that trust is built progressively, day by day.
The success of a takeover rests on meticulous preparation well before day one. If you are considering taking over a business, discover the opportunities available on Leez and prepare yourself methodically. To deepen your analysis before the acquisition, consult our guide to the 50 essential questions to ask the seller.
