Hidden Landmines in Acquisitions: SME Operational Due Diligence Guide
- Alexander Kalis
- Jun 24, 2025
- 1 min read
Is Your Next Acquisition Ready to Survive Without Its Founder?
Founder exits are more fragile than most buyers think.
At Archimax, we’ve seen businesses collapse after handover because of one simple factor: nothing worked without the founder.
In this post, we explore the tell-tale signs of over-dependence:
No second layer of leadership
Unsystemised operations
Personal customer or supplier relationships
No documentation or standardised SOPs
Swipe through or download the PDF for offline reading.
Whether you’re an acquirer, investor, or operator, remember: you’re not just buying a business. You’re buying a system.
Sources: HBR, McKinsey, Searchfunder, Buy Then Build, Archimax Research
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