What to Integrate, and What Not To (Intro)

Integration isn’t about making everything uniform—it’s about knowing what should be unified and what should stay distinct. In one acquisition I supported, back office functions like HR, payroll, and IT were integrated immediately to streamline operations. But the creative and development teams? We left them alone. Each brand had its own rhythm, tools, and culture—and those differences were the source of innovation. When one team produced a breakout hit, it inspired others—not because they were merged, but because they were trusted to work in their own way. Success spread through autonomy, not assimilation.

The real trick is recognizing where sameness helps, and where it hurts. Sega’s internal structure in the ’90s nailed this—each game team operated independently, and their competition fueled creativity rather than chaos. But it takes strong leadership to manage that balance. Too much separation can feel disjointed; too much control can smother what made the acquisition valuable in the first place. Integration by design—not default—is what sustains momentum. And the skill lies in making that call deliberately. [Click to read the full story on Substack]