On this Valentine’s Day, we take a fun look at the parallels between the transaction process and dating.

As you sit down for your romantic Valentine’s dinner tonight, lift your glass of red wine in a toast and gaze into your partner’s eyes, the last thing that would come to mind is the similarities between dating and buy-side transactions… And yet, we’ve found some interesting parallels between the two.

While these two scenarios vastly differ in their outcomes and contexts, they share common themes of initial interest, research and due diligence, compatibility and fit, building trust, negotiation and compromise, deal breakers, commitment, and long-term vision.

Much like the world of dating, a buy-side transaction will begin with an initial interest (or attraction). The process starts with a company expressing an interest in acquiring another based on the potential it represents for value creation for both parties and a combined market offering.

This is the starting point to assess future growth and judge if this connection will enhance the business’s market positioning or if the attraction for the individuals will lead to “dating,” leading us to our second parallel.

After the initial attraction, a research phase follows. As with dating, individuals gather information about the other person’s interests and background. Similarly, due diligence is crucial in buy-side transactions to understand the target company’s financial health and the potential risks and opportunities that are present. This involves exchanging of private and proprietary information and discussing values, like two parties in a relationship. The acquiring company assesses the holistic health and fit of the target company by intimately understanding the target companies’ finances, culture, and operations, uncovering potential risks and threats that could lead to value erosion. And like with dating, early identification of red flags helps avoid post-acquisition complications.

However, if you are in a relationship and are in this phase, it certainly wouldn’t be advisable to say to them that you are currently conducting your due diligence of them – That might lead to a premature end of the relationship.

Assessing compatibility in terms of values, interests, and long-term goals is key to achieving long-term success.

In dating, discussions revolve around shared values and goals, while in business, it’s about key strategies, objectives, and financial metrics. Companies look for compatibility in culture, business strategy, and overall fit within the existing portfolio. Regular analyses post-transaction ensures the realisation of expected benefits, guiding data-driven decisions and operational adjustments. Exploring purchase prices, financing options, and regulatory requirements parallels considerations in a relationship, aiming to ease uncertainties. Understanding value propositions drives profitability and compatibility in business. Finally, assessing operational functioning and cultural compatibility guides decisions on employee integration, fostering growth, minimising costs, establishing a strong market presence, and mirroring relationship dynamics.

Building trust takes time, open communication, reliability, and shared experiences. You’ve found alignment by doing the hard yards in the research phase and compatibility and fit stage. You are transparent with one another, which allows for a constant flow of communication throughout the process. Transparent communication and reliability play a significant role in establishing trust between the buyer and seller, which is essential for a successful deal.

There’s often a period of courtship to understand each other before making a serious commitment. Before finalising a transaction, there is a negotiation and evaluation period to ensure both parties are comfortable with the terms. Both parties may need to compromise and negotiate to make the relationship work. Negotiations in business deals involve finding common ground on price, terms, and conditions – and this is where having done a thorough due diligence upfront stands you in good stead.

As with relationships, certain factors can always become deal breakers with buy-side transactions. Legal issues, financial instability or over-inflated forecasts can be deal breakers in business transactions, and it is important to get a line of sight of these factors before committing to a transaction.

As a relationship progresses, commitment and a shared long-term vision become essential. Once the commitment is made, if it is a trade deal, it becomes about merging the two and integrating seamlessly into one another’s daily lives. If it is a private equity deal, it is about adapting to the requirements of new shareholders and potentially new governance and reporting requirements.

Acquiring a company involves a commitment to its future growth and success within the overall business strategy. When the acquisition concludes, a smooth integration of the acquired company into the existing structure becomes essential to do this successfully. Often, this means implementing business processes, human resource functions, and marketing (amongst other functions) in the new business to enable a seamless merger to flow and allow for various benefits to be felt by all involved parties.

Although these two scenarios may initially appear wholly different, the parallels we’ve drawn are interesting and certainly assist in a better understanding of the buy-side transaction process. In both cases, whether you are pursuing a business acquisition or nurturing a romantic relationship, a thoughtful, well-informed approach is key to long-term success. That, and maybe a glass of wine to settle the nerves and excitement.