Happy Days
Marcum has been fortunate to enjoy steady growth over the past 10 years, and as a part of that expansion, we have had the privilege of integrating a number of firms into the Marcum fold. This week, we welcomed Meyers, Harrison & Pia to the Firm. MHP brought 55 outstanding partners and staff members to our New England region, expanding our New Haven, Connecticut office and adding an office in Portland, Maine, to our footprint. MHP was widely recognized as the preeminent business valuation and litigation support practice in New England, and we are extremely happy to have them on our team.
Whenever we combine a new group into our Firm, I am reminded about the nuances that come with bringing two cultures together. No matter how many times we do this, or how great a potential combination may look on paper, or how much sense it might make for both businesses, ultimately it comes down to people. As a service organization, people are our only true asset, and merging teams, which have their own unique cultures, is actually a lot harder than merging two books of business.
It can be easy to underestimate how much a change in environment, customary practices, and even the language of business can factor into a successful merger, alongside the challenges of learning the internal ropes of a new organization. It’s all about communication.
I read something this week in The Atlantic that is pertinent. It seems that Americans smile more than pretty much anyone else. A lot more. Big smiles. And other people don’t always know how to interpret this. In fact, researchers found that smiling is a “dead giveaway” that someone is American. Who knew? The researchers theorize that it’s because of the American melting pot. Diverse countries with large immigrant populations, like the U.S., tend to rely more on nonverbal communication such as smiling to overcome language barriers.
Fortunately, Marcum has a pretty good track record of merging cultures as well as businesses. I’d like to think that was part of the equation for MHP in considering us as a prospective partner. I hope all of the MHP people are smiling this week. We have a great future together, and that is worth smiling about.
