What Happens After We Buy a Business

For most sellers, the lead-up to a business sale is packed with paperwork, negotiations, and emotion. But once the ink is dry, a new question quickly emerges: “So… what now?”

At Split Pine Group, what happens after we buy a business is just as important as the acquisition itself. We’re not financial engineers or absentee owners. We’re operators. That means we step in, roll up our sleeves, and work with care and intention to keep what’s working … and strengthen what’s not.

Here’s what that actually looks like in practice.

We Preserve Before We Improve

The first 90 days after acquisition are all about observation, not disruption. We don’t believe in walking in with a clipboard and a list of “fixes.” Instead, we embed ourselves in the business to truly understand it, from the ground up.

That means:

• Riding along with crews or service teams

• Sitting in on customer calls

• Learning the workflows and bottlenecks

• Meeting one-on-one with every employee

• Asking questions. A lot of them.

We call this phase the Stabilize and Learn period. It’s where we build trust, gain insight, and uncover opportunities, but we don’t rush into action until we know what the business really needs.

We Invest in People First

If the business has been built around a single owner, we know there’s likely some tribal knowledge that needs to be captured. We work closely with outgoing owners to ensure a smooth transition, but equally important, we empower the team that’s staying.

In many cases, that means:

• Formalizing org charts and responsibilities

• Identifying rising leaders

• Giving the team better tools to succeed (from software to SOPs)

• Opening up communication lines that may not have existed before

People are the heart of any business. We do everything we can to ensure they feel seen, supported, and excited about what’s ahead.

We Modernize (Gently)

Most of the businesses we acquire weren’t built with digital optimization in mind … and that’s okay. We’re not here to turn a blue-collar operation into a tech startup.

But we do bring modern thinking to areas that benefit from it, like:

• Job estimating and quoting

• Inventory and workflow systems

• Website and online presence

• Customer communication tools

• Basic financial dashboards

We make small improvements with a big impact, and we do it in partnership with the people who are doing the work every day.

We Communicate with Transparency

For employees, customers, and vendors, a change in ownership can feel unsettling. That’s why we prioritize clear, honest communication from day one.

We make it a point to:

• Introduce ourselves personally to the full team

• Reassure key customers that service and relationships will continue uninterrupted

• Share updates (even small ones) with staff so they’re never in the dark

Our goal is to reduce uncertainty and build confidence — both internally and externally.

We Plan for Sustainable Growth

Eventually, we shift from stabilization to smart growth. That doesn’t mean chasing every new shiny opportunity. It means identifying core strengths and expanding on them, whether that’s:

• Adding new services

• Deepening customer relationships

• Expanding geographically

• Hiring strategically

We believe in earned growth, not forced growth. Our goal is to build durable, long-term value without breaking what’s already working.

Our Promise to Owners

When we buy your business, we don’t disappear behind spreadsheets. We show up. We work side by side. We treat your legacy with care, your team with respect, and your customers with the same reliability they’ve come to expect.

Because to us, buying the business is just the beginning of a much longer and more meaningful journey.

If you're thinking about selling your business but want to ensure it's in good hands, let's talk. At Split Pine, we don’t just buy companies, we build on legacies.