
The SaaSiest Podcast
201. Jeppe Schytte-Hansen, CEO, Omnidocs - Why 1+1 = 1.8 in M&A (Until It Suddenly Becomes 3)
AI Summary
In the episode, Omnidocs CEO Jeppe Schytte‑Hansen explains how his company turned a profitable SaaS business into a buy‑and‑build platform, detailing a 14‑point M&A framework, the inevitable slowdown after acquisitions, and the "integration foxtrot" of alternating fast and slow phases. He highlights the challenges of product alignment, deciding when to retire near‑finished products, and structuring integration squads across four countries to preserve culture while scaling. Jeppe also shares practical tactics for enabling sales teams to handle multiple products, avoiding over‑optimistic cross‑sell forecasts, and the key roles needed throughout the acquisition lifecycle.
Episode Description
In this episode, we’re joined by Jeppe Schytte-Hansen, CEO and Co-founder of Omnidocs, a SaaS company that’s moving fast: €22M+ in revenue, 1,500 customers, 155 employees, and four acquisitions in the last 18 months after bringing in private equity for the first time. Jeppe breaks down what it really takes to turn a steady, profitable SaaS into a buy-and-build platform, from product alignment and enablement to the emotional reality of killing someone’s “version 2.0” and managing the slowdown that almost everyone underestimates.
We spoke with Jeppe about choosing PE over VC, building a 14-point M&A framework, and why one plus one rarely equals two in the first year. He explains the “integration foxtrot” (quick–slow–quick–slow), how to preserve culture across six offices and four countries, and why Omnidocs is betting big on the shift from traditional documents to “fluid formats” in the coming years.
Here are some of the key questions we address:
What is the 14-criteria M&A evaluation framework, and what are the two instant disqualifiers?
Why does every buy-and-build strategy start with a slowdown, and how do you shorten it?
What makes product alignment the hardest part of M&A, and how do you decide when to kill a nearly-finished product?
How do you structure integration squads and seven integration tracks across acquired companies?
What does it take to enable sales teams to manage multiple products without slowing down new logo acquisition?
How do you avoid overestimating cross-sell potential, especially in the first 12–18 months?
Which are key roles and people to drive a successful pre, during and post-acquisition process?
🎧 Tune in to hear how Jeppe is transforming Omnidocs from a steady SaaS into a multi-product, pan-European platform proving that buy-and-build is far more than a financial strategy; it’s an operational discipline.
Show Notes
The SaaSiest Podcast
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Episode 201
Jeppe Schytte‑Hansen, CEO, Omnidocs – Why 1 + 1 = 1.8 in M&A (Until It Suddenly Becomes 3)
In this episode we’re joined by Jeppe Schytte‑Hansen, CEO and co‑founder of Omnidocs, a SaaS company that’s moving fast: €22 M+ in revenue, 1,500 customers, 155 employees, and four acquisitions in the last 18 months after bringing in private equity for the first time. Jeppe breaks down what it really takes to turn a steady, profitable SaaS into a buy‑and‑build platform, from product alignment and enablement to the emotional reality of killing someone’s “version 2.0” and managing the slowdown that almost everyone underestimates.
We spoke with Jeppe about choosing PE over VC, building a 14‑point M&A framework, and why one plus one rarely equals two in the first year. He explains the “integration foxtrot” (quick–slow–quick–slow), how to preserve culture across six offices and four countries, and why Omnidocs is betting big on the shift from traditional documents to “fluid formats” in the coming years.
Key questions addressed
-
What is the 14‑criteria M&A evaluation framework, and what are the two instant disqualifiers?
-
Why does every buy‑and‑build strategy start with a slowdown, and how do you shorten it?
-
What makes product alignment the hardest part of M&A, and how do you decide when to kill a nearly‑finished product?
-
How do you structure integration squads and seven integration tracks across acquired companies?
-
What does it take to enable sales teams to manage multiple products without slowing down new‑logo acquisition?
-
How do you avoid overestimating cross‑sell potential, especially in the first 12–18 months?
-
Which are the key roles and people to drive a successful pre‑, during‑, and post‑acquisition process?
🎧 Tune in to hear how Jeppe is transforming Omnidocs from a steady SaaS into a multi‑product, pan‑European platform proving that buy‑and‑build is far more than a financial strategy; it’s an operational discipline.
Version: 2024‑11‑25
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