Susanna Parry Hoey - Mergers & Acquisitions break you GTM. How to get back on track.

James Massa speaks with Susanna Parry-Hoey, Founder and CEO of Recurve GTM. At the center of the discussion is a practical executive question: What determines whether two organizations that expect to be “better together” actually succeed once the difficult work of integration begins? Susanna brings extensive experience across technology, partnerships, channels, mergers and acquisitions, and go-to-market strategy, including SVP and Chief Marketing Officer roles with companies such as Cognizant, Presidio, and SoftwareOne. Her experience includes involvement in approximately 75 mergers and acquisitions, an IPO, and a billion-dollar carve-out. James and Susanna explore the similarities—and important differences—between managing Strategic Relationships such as Partnerships and Alliances and bringing companies together through Mergers and Acquisitions. Susanna explains that both partnerships and acquisitions often begin with high expectations for new revenue, capabilities, customers, and growth. The challenge comes later, when those expectations encounter different cultures, operating models, priorities, and ways of going to market. The conversation explores: • Partnerships and M&A from both sides of the relationship • Why clarity of expectations matters before and after the deal • The importance of culture in successful mergers and acquisitions • The difference between integrating companies and simply acquiring them • Why adding new products, services, markets, or acquisitions can “break” an existing go-to-market model • How complexity and organizational sprawl can dilute the value of growth • Reestablishing go-to-market alignment as companies expand • Why the CEO ultimately owns successful go-to-market alignment • How organizations move from thinking of themselves as separate teams to operating as one company Susanna also discusses her work at Recurve GTM, helping expansion-stage technology and services companies simplify their go-to-market strategies, reduce complexity, and focus growth. The conversation ultimately connects successful Partnerships, Alliances, and M&A around a common challenge: creating enough alignment in expectations, culture, strategy, and execution to turn the promise of being “better together” into actual results. The Six Strand Weave PodcastMaking Strategic Relationships Work Hosted by James Massa, founder of Loom Enterprises and author of The Six Strand Weave.