It has been more than a year since I twice exited a company post-acquisition. The experience shaped me in ways I’m only now beginning to fully understand. As someone who began their career in journalism, I’ve always believed in the power of story to reveal what’s often left unsaid. And in business, there’s a lot that’s left unsaid about what it really feels like to exit—especially when you’ve helped build what’s being sold.
I joined Yardstick Management, a then Black-owned management consulting firm that was also minority women-led—one of those women being me, an Egyptian-American Muslim—when it was still in its early startup stages. I made a risky decision and accepted this challenge knowing, it may fail or could be an opportunity of a lifetime to build something unique.
There was no brand awareness, no media presence, just a solid mission, excellent work, and great potential. I came in on my own terms as a senior principal consultant and head of communications, writing my own job description.
Quickly, I evolved into the chief communications and marketing officer, leading our brand, communications, marketing strategy, and major consulting clients. I didn’t just build a brand—I poured myself into it. From narrative positioning to visibility campaigns, I helped elevate us to the national stage, earning Inc. Magazine’s Best in Business recognition two years in a row and securing strategic placements in major news publications. I was working in the business, on the business, and ultimately, to help successfully sell the business.
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You work harder than you ever thought was possible. You feel invested as if it’s your own. You make rapid decisions, often in isolation. You bet on yourself without knowing the rules of the game.
And then one day, the acquisition is announced.
A private equity-backed firm bought us. It was a major milestone. For me, it was also the first time I sat at the executive table in such a high-stakes context. No one really prepares you for M&A. Integration isn’t just about systems and strategy. It’s about people. And culture. And the delicate stitching together of identities, loyalties, and ways of working.
About six months after the acquisition, I was promoted to CMCO of the larger acquiring firm, overseeing all acquired brands and leading integration from a communications and marketing lens. On paper, it was a huge win. But the reality? It was layered. The role was different. The environment was different. And I was different, too.
Here’s what most people don’t talk about: When you’re a key player in building something and then help sell it, a piece of you stays behind. There’s grief in letting go, even when the next chapter looks impressive. You must recalibrate who you are in this new landscape, while everyone around you expects you to just keep going.
And life doesn’t pause for business.
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During the height of this transition, my mother’s cancer worsened. She was in her final months. I took a month off, despite the newness and size of my role, to be with her until she passed. That month re-centered me. I returned changed, not just personally, but professionally. The clarity that came with that time made me realize I needed to exit again—this time, for me. I outgrew the situation with a new set of priorities and a renewed vision for what mattered most at that stage of my life.
I left almost a year later, choosing to move forward on my own terms once more. I turned that acquiring firm into a client, continued my consulting work, and began defining success for myself in new ways.
Here are the hard truths about exiting post-acquisition:
It’s both a win and a loss. You gain validation but lose a piece of what you built. Your purpose shifts.
No one prepares you for the emotional weight. Transitions are taxing—mentally, physically, and spiritually.
You must redefine yourself—quickly. What worked before may not serve you now.
Integration is the real test. It reveals alignment—or lack thereof—in vision, values, and culture.
You can start over—and win again. But it takes courage to bet on yourself, again and again.
I share this because the glossy headlines of acquisitions don’t tell the whole story. There’s a human behind every business transition—one who’s building, shifting, grieving, and growing.
To those navigating this journey: Buckle up, trust yourself, and don’t be afraid to write a new chapter—on your own terms.
Slma Shelbayah is the founder and CEO of Shelbayah Consulting.