Buying equity does not buy people.
People choose to stay.

That distinction matters more than many acquirers realize.

Employment is not an asset that transfers with ownership. It’s a voluntary relationship — renewed every day by trust, respect, and alignment.

When an acquirer assumes key people will stay without asking, without listening, and without securing alignment, they aren’t being confident. They’re skipping diligence.

Treating employment as something you own rather than something people choose is one of the most common mistakes first-time and ego-driven acquirers make.

And it’s one of the most expensive.

Control doesn’t create commitment.