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send employees scrambling for the exit. What can your companies learn from each other? Which facets of your company culture (e.g., flexible scheduling, casual dress code, or core values) are you willing to compromise on, and which are deal breakers? One challenging but potentially rewarding option is to start fresh and create a new culture for the new company. Some mergers, like Glaxo Wellcome-SmithKline Beecham, now GlaxoSmithKline, have done just that, outlining new company values to great effect. Lack of Planning Far too many business owners enter M&As with a vision for the future but no immediate battle plan for the present. When two companies combine, a thousand small details need to be addressed. If you don’t make a plan for every one of them, like how your strategy and growth models will function once combined, they’ll either be forgotten (to your eventual detriment) or you’ll find yourself drowning. Luckily, plenty of resources are available to help. MergerIntegration.com, for example, offers a host of free, incredibly detailed postmerger integration checklists broken down for different areas like human resources, sales, and marketing. Download them today to save yourself from figuring it out alone. If you steer around these M&A potholes, you’ll increase your chances of success as you drive your new company forward. No M&A is seamless, but the more thought you put in on the front end, the less likely you are to face a nasty and costly business divorce in the long run.
Companies have plenty of reasons to consider a merger, like the possibility of increasing revenue, reaching more customers, or expanding their niche. But even with the best of intentions, it’s smart to know the risks. If you’re considering an M&A deal for your own business, keep an eye out for these pitfalls. Culture Clash Company culture is a powerful thing: It can help you bring in new hires, keep top-performing employees loyal, and win your company awards, accolades, and press. Odds are that you understand the value of company culture and have spent years honing yours, so don’t enter a merger without a plan for it. Chief Executive magazine and Investopedia rank culture differences as one of the top reasons mergers fail, particularly when they cross state or national lines. A standout example of this is the Daimler Benz-Chrysler merger of 1998, which ended dramatically when Daimler AG (their new name) sold off Chrysler nine years later. As CNBC described it, “Chrysler was nowhere near the league of high-end Daimler Benz, and many felt that Daimler strutted in and tried to tell the Chrysler side how things are done. Such clashes always work to undermine the new alliance; combine that with dragging sales and a recession, and you have a recipe for corporate divorce.” Ideally, you should aim to merge with or acquire a company with a similar culture, but if that’s not the case, it’s vital to sit down with your soon-to-be partner and discuss your differences so you don’t
UNLOCK YOUR SPICE POTENTIAL! The Techniques Behind Making Excellent Indian Food
tomatoes, and spices. However, masala ingredients can vary according to region and personal preference, but you can find some version of it on the spice aisle of most grocery stores.
Indian food is a dream cuisine for many plant-based, vegetarian, and vegan eaters, but it can seem very intimidating to cook at home. That’s only because you may not be familiar with the cooking techniques used to make it. How do you make the most of your spices? How do you combine vegetables (and/or meat) with the spices? Here are two techniques to get your favorite Indian dishes tasting as authentic as those served at a restaurant. Baghar/Tarka (Tempering) Add whole spices (cumin, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, curry leaves, dried pepper, etc.) to oil and fry until fragrant. That’s it! The spices infuse the oil with flavor, and the roasting further develops the spice. You can temper spices at the beginning of a recipe, like a curry, before adding other ingredients, or you can stir it into a dish right at the end, like dal or stew. Every Indian household has a different version of tarka dal, which is essentially prepared lentils with a tempered oil and spice mixture stirred into it. This technique jazzes up any Indian dish, and getting creative with spice combinations is half the fun! Bhunao (Sautéing and Roasting) In order to understand how to bhunao, you need to be familiar with masala, an Indian spice mixture that has been ground into a powder or paste. Most commonly, masalas are a combination of onion, garlic, ginger,
To bhunao, start by heating oil. Then you add your masala and cook over medium-high heat. As the water in the masala evaporates, it’ll stick to the pan; use splashes of water, yogurt, or stock to loosen it and prevent burning. Do not let your masala burn! Your masala has been“bhunaoed” once it’s thick and shiny and you can see the oil has separated. Finally, add meat and vegetables and cook down to your liking. This is the most important technique for recreating Indian curries, such as tikka masala and korma. Now that you know a few Indian cooking techniques, be creative in the kitchen! When you’re not following a recipe, you can have fun and explore different flavor combinations while still knowing exactly what to do.
2 • swbwlawfirm.com
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