Season 8 | Ep21 Lloyd Gordon: Merging 2 rec firms with 100+ staff into one unified team

In 2022, Lloyd Gordon had just acquired Cognitive Group, bringing his team to over 100 people.

Over the past 3 years, he has had the challenge of successfully integrating the two businesses.

On this week’s episode of The RAG Podcast, I am joined for the fourth time by Lloyd, CEO of Focus Cloud Group, and this time we discussed:

• The challenges of merging two teams, cultures, and leadership styles.
• How to unify systems, processes, and back-office functions.
• The mistakes made along the way and the lessons learned.
• What’s next as Lloyd sets his sights on further growth and investment.

If you're interested in scaling a business through acquisition, managing post-merger integration, or leading a company through rapid growth, this episode is a must-watch.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

02:24 Lloyd Gordon's journey and business overview

05:15 Personal life and work-life balance

12:31 Transitioning from acquisition to integration

18:05 Cultural integration and team dynamics

24:51 Technology and systems integration

40:12 Transitioning to a unified CRM system

42:04 Challenges in back office integration

44:34 Implementing Workday Financials

48:50 Navigating market challenges and workforce adjustments

55:01 Leadership decisions in tough times

59:51 Evolving leadership roles and responsibilities

01:07:55 Future vision and strategic planning

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