38. How a Failed Merger Was the Key to Accelerating Growth

On this episode, we welcome Sue Tyrrell and Kala Liebe to the program.  Sue is the founder and CEO and Kala is the Chief Experience Officer for a company called Hands Up Communications. 

Hands Up is a single point of contact for language access needs. They offer offer a mixture of interpreting, translating, and captioning solutions. 

Their story is an interesting one. Sue started the company, merger with a company in 2015 then took the company back and partnered with Kala to build what is now known as Hands Up Communication.  It is a cautionary tale about failed partnerships and ultimately having the right complementary management team.    Key #LessonsInGrowth:

• Why the keys to success are having a very solid executive team
• The pros and cons of strategic partnerships (and mergers) and what to look for
• Why dissolving the merger was a better path to growth for Hands Up
• How a complimentary skill set allowed Hands Up to flourish
• Warning signs that a potential partnership may not be right for your business