Acquisition and Career Reflection Link to heading

Well, this wasn’t how I expected 2021 to end, though in hindsight it makes perfect sense. Our biggest customer made an offer to acquire us, and as an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) company, we all had a say in the decision. After careful deliberation, we collectively voted yes.

The Acquisition Decision Link to heading

The offer came from a customer who knew our value intimately; they’d been relying on our services for years and understood exactly what they were buying. As an ESOP, every employee was a shareholder, which meant everyone had skin in the game and a voice in the decision.

For me, as the newest hire with the smallest stake, the decision was straightforward. But watching my colleagues who’d been there for years; some for over a decade; weigh this decision was illuminating. For them, this represented a significant return on years of hard work and equity building. The terms were favorable, and honestly, it would have been irrational to say no.

The acquiring company structured the deal well: a fair valuation for our shares, plus six months of transition time with full salary and benefits to ensure a smooth handover. They knew our expertise was crucial for the transition and were willing to pay for it.

The Unexpected Gift of Time Link to heading

What struck me most about this situation was the rare gift it presented: six months to thoughtfully plan my next career move without the typical urgency of needing to pay bills or put food on the table. How often in our careers do we get this kind of runway?

Usually, career transitions happen under pressure:

  • You’re unhappy and need to leave quickly
  • You’ve been laid off and need income immediately
  • An opportunity appears and you have days to decide
  • You’re burned out but can’t afford to take time off

This was different. I had half a year to:

  • Complete my responsibilities professionally
  • Research companies and roles thoroughly
  • Network without desperation
  • Interview without pressure
  • Actually think about what I wanted from my career

The Work of Winding Down Link to heading

The next six months won’t be idle time. There’s substantial work involved in properly transitioning a company:

  • Documenting years of institutional knowledge
  • Creating comprehensive handover guides
  • Training replacement teams
  • Migrating critical systems
  • Ensuring nothing falls through the cracks

In many ways, this is some of the most important work we’ll do; ensuring that what we built continues to function after we’re gone. It’s a different kind of satisfaction from building new features or solving urgent problems.

Choosing the Right Next Step Link to heading

With the pressure of immediate financial need removed, I can focus on finding the right role rather than the first role. This means considering factors beyond just compensation:

Company Culture: Taking time to research how companies actually operate, not just what they claim in job posts.

Technology Stack: Choosing companies using technologies I’m excited to work with or learn, rather than just what I already know.

Growth Trajectory: Looking for roles that offer genuine learning and advancement opportunities, not just lateral moves.

Work-Life Balance: Being selective about companies that respect boundaries and support sustainable pace.

Mission Alignment: Finding organisations whose goals resonate with my values and interests.

The Emotional Side Link to heading

The emotions around this are complex. As the newest team member, I feel less attachment to what we built than my colleagues who’ve been there since the early days. For them, this is the culmination of years of effort. For me, it’s more of an unexpected opportunity; a chance to reassess and redirect after just getting settled in.

There’s something bittersweet about watching colleagues celebrate a well-deserved payout while knowing we’ll all scatter to the winds in six months. The team dynamic is interesting; everyone’s genuinely happy about the outcome, but there’s also this underlying awareness that we’re essentially working ourselves out of jobs.

But there’s also excitement. The acquisition payout, while modest for someone with my tenure, provides a nice financial cushion. Combined with six months of guaranteed income, I’m in a position to be selective about what comes next. The tech landscape has evolved significantly, remote work is now mainstream, and this transition might push me toward opportunities I wouldn’t have considered otherwise.

Lessons Already Learned Link to heading

Even early in this process, some lessons are clear:

  1. ESOPs change everything: Being part of an employee-owned company meant we all had a voice in our fate. The decision to sell wasn’t imposed on us; we chose it collectively.

  2. Tenure matters: Watching colleagues with 10+ years of equity see their patience rewarded was gratifying, even if my own stake was minimal.

  3. Customer relationships are valuable: Being acquired by our biggest customer meant they already knew our worth and were invested in a smooth transition.

  4. Financial cushion matters: The combination of the payout (however small) and six months of guaranteed income transforms a potentially stressful situation into an opportunity.

  5. Document as you go: We’re now scrambling to document things we should have documented years ago.

  6. Relationships transcend companies: The connections made with colleagues will outlast any corporate structure.

Looking Forward Link to heading

As 2021 comes to a close and I look toward 2022, I’m viewing this transition as an opportunity rather than a setback. The acquisition might be ending one chapter, but it’s providing the perfect conditions to thoughtfully write the next one.

The six-month runway is a privilege not everyone gets during career transitions. I plan to use it wisely; completing my current responsibilities with professionalism while methodically planning what comes next. No rushed decisions, no desperation moves, just careful consideration of where I want my career to go.

Sometimes the best career moves come not from carefully laid plans but from unexpected changes that force us to reevaluate our paths. This acquisition might just be the push I needed to take my career in a new, more intentional direction.

Have you experienced an acquisition or similar career transition? How did you use unexpected time between roles to plan your next move?