Wendy Murphy, CEO of second‑generation Timber Tech Truss (started by her parents in 1980), shares what growth really looks like when you go from family-run to private equity-backed, and then acquire two businesses in 18 months.
She shares why Timber Tech sold to align on a new direction, how the bolt‑on strategy led to buying a stair company and a prefab wall/framing company, and why “alignment” beats spreadsheets when picking acquisition targets.
You’ll hear the unsexy stuff that makes or breaks integration: a 90‑day pause to build trust, audits (HR, safety, engagement), change management as an emotional process, ERP assumptions that don’t scale, and why messaging/brand continuity can lag behind ops—without confusing customers.
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Audit your brand performance: https://www.badasserybyb.com/brand-health-audit
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04:18 Selling to Private Equity
08:09 Surprises in Due Diligence
17:28 Guiding Principles That Scale
22:37 90 Day Integration Playbook
34:17 Systems and Org Chart Lessons
41:05 Shiny Object Discipline
52:30 Conduct Versus Performance
56:12 KPIs and Development Hours
01:00:06 M&A Advice for Sellers
01:05:30 Earnouts And Deal Reality
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5 episodes to binge on:
- The no bullshit strategy with Alex Smith
- Brand strategy in action with Cam Varner
- Repositioning to $10M with Nicole Downer
- Your Business Might Be Unsellable with Allie Beckmann and Alexandria Seydel
- Repositioning Without Losing Customers with Amy Heidersbach & Melissa Eaton
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Reach out to guest speaker Wendy Murphy:
Wendy on LinkedIn | Timber Tech Group on LinkedIn | Timber Tech Truss
Follow Beatrice Gutknecht:
LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | Website
Produced by Your Podcast Sidekick
