Acquiring Minds

Its All Your Fault How To Become Ceo Of Your Acquisition

with Mike Curry · Apex Physics Partners

LenderHawk analysis. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Acquiring Minds.

The Deal

Business

Apex Physics Partners

Industry

Medical physics support services

State

Year

2014

Deal Source

other

Strategic Rationale

Seeking to operate and grow an existing business rather than attempting to launch a startup from scratch, leveraging search fund model to identify acquisition opportunity in medical physics sector.

Post-Acquisition Performance

Doubled headcount from 16 to 34 employees over five years, approximately doubled revenue to support expanded technical staff, created structured management tiers with president, senior managers, and team leads, developed HR and integration functions, and subsequently acquired additional businesses under Apex banner while promoting employees into expanded roles.

Key Takeaways

1Leadership accountability requires recognizing that as CEO all business outcomes are ultimately your responsibility, which creates necessary agency and locus of control.
2Acquiring a business means buying operations and assets but not the trust or hearts of employees, which must be earned through consistent action, transparency, and demonstrating that promised changes are executed.
3Building a culture of trust and respect takes approximately two years of consistent deposits before employees truly believe in leadership vision, during which feedback must be actioned and progress reported back.
4Success in small business acquisition is not a rapid process but rewards patient and consistent effort over multiple years, with people typically overestimating year-one impact but underestimating five-year transformation.
5Transitioning from individual contributor to leader requires learning to work through others rather than doing all work personally, and recognizing that non-financial motivations like recognition and involvement are often more powerful than compensation alone.

The Deal

Business

Apex Physics Partners

Industry

Medical physics support services

State

Year

2014

Deal Source

other

Strategic Rationale

Seeking to operate and grow an existing business rather than attempting to launch a startup from scratch, leveraging search fund model to identify acquisition opportunity in medical physics sector.

Post-Acquisition Performance

Key Takeaways

1Leadership accountability requires recognizing that as CEO all business outcomes are ultimately your responsibility, which creates necessary agency and locus of control.

2Acquiring a business means buying operations and assets but not the trust or hearts of employees, which must be earned through consistent action, transparency, and demonstrating that promised changes are executed.

3Building a culture of trust and respect takes approximately two years of consistent deposits before employees truly believe in leadership vision, during which feedback must be actioned and progress reported back.

4Success in small business acquisition is not a rapid process but rewards patient and consistent effort over multiple years, with people typically overestimating year-one impact but underestimating five-year transformation.

5Transitioning from individual contributor to leader requires learning to work through others rather than doing all work personally, and recognizing that non-financial motivations like recognition and involvement are often more powerful than compensation alone.