The Integration Playbook: Running a Business You Just Bought (Your First 90 Days)

About Course

The deal is closed. The keys are yours. Now what? For most first-time buyers, the scariest moment isn’t signing the purchase agreement… it’s walking in on Day 1 as the new owner of a business full of employees, customers, and systems you’re still learning. This is the integration phase (also called post-closing operations), and it’s where acquisitions are quietly won or lost.

This course is your step-by-step guide through that first stretch. The Integration Playbook walks you through exactly what to do on Day 1, how to win over the team, take control of the cash, keep customers and suppliers from walking, document the systems, and stabilize the business… all before you try to change or grow anything.

You’ll learn the golden rule that protects every first-time owner… stabilize before you optimize… and follow a clear 30/60/90-day roadmap with checklists, diagrams, and real examples. You’ll also get a full module on using AI and agentic tools (Claude, Cowork, and agents) to build SOPs, dashboards, and communications faster than you could alone.

By the end, you’ll have a calm, repeatable plan for taking the reins… and a downloadable Day-1 and first-90-days playbook you can use on the business you actually buy.

Course Content

Module 1 — Integration Foundations: The First 90 Days Decide Everything
Why integration makes or breaks the deal — and the golden rule that protects every first-time owner: stabilize before you optimize.

1.1 What “Integration” Really Means — and Why Deals Are Won or Lost Here
1.2 The Golden Rule: Stabilize Before You Optimize
1.3 The First 90 Days at a Glance: Your 30/60/90 Map
Module 1 Quiz: Integration Foundations

Module 2 — Day 1: Taking the Reins
The legal, banking, access, payroll, and communications you must handle the day you take over.

Module 3 — People & Culture Integration
Winning over the team, retaining your key people, and reading and shaping the culture without breaking what works.

Module 4 — Operations & Systems Integration
Documenting and stabilizing how the business runs, migrating accounts and tools, and building SOPs to reduce owner-dependency.

Module 5 — Financial Integration & Cash Management
Setting up your books, banking, and controls; managing cash and working capital; and running a weekly scorecard.

Module 6 — Customers, Suppliers & Revenue Continuity
Keeping customers and suppliers through the ownership change, then protecting and growing revenue.

Module 7 — Using AI & Agentic Tools for Integration
Using Claude, Cowork, and agentic tools to build SOPs, dashboards, communications, and a 90-day command center.

Module 8 — Stabilize, Then Scale: Your 90-Day Plan & Beyond
The 30/60/90 roadmap, your course-correction review, and how to move from stabilization to growth.

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About Course

Course Content

Module 1 — Integration Foundations: The First 90 Days Decide Everything Why integration makes or breaks the deal — and the golden rule that protects every first-time owner: stabilize before you optimize.

1.1 What “Integration” Really Means — and Why Deals Are Won or Lost Here

1.2 The Golden Rule: Stabilize Before You Optimize

1.3 The First 90 Days at a Glance: Your 30/60/90 Map

Module 1 Quiz: Integration Foundations

Module 2 — Day 1: Taking the Reins The legal, banking, access, payroll, and communications you must handle the day you take over.

2.1 The Day 1 Checklist: Legal, Banking & Access

2.2 Your Day 1 Communications: Employees, Customers & Suppliers

2.3 The First Week: Listen, Learn, Hold Off on Changes

Module 2 Quiz: Day 1 — Taking the Reins

Module 3 — People & Culture Integration Winning over the team, retaining your key people, and reading and shaping the culture without breaking what works.

3.1 Winning the Team’s Trust in the First 30 Days

3.2 Identifying and Retaining Your Key People

3.3 Reading the Culture Before You Change It

Module 3 Quiz: People & Culture Integration

Module 4 — Operations & Systems Integration Documenting and stabilizing how the business runs, migrating accounts and tools, and building SOPs to reduce owner-dependency.

4.1 Mapping How the Business Actually Runs

4.2 Capturing Owner Knowledge Before It Walks Out the Door

4.3 Building Your First SOPs

Module 4 Quiz: Operations & Systems Integration

Module 5 — Financial Integration & Cash Management Setting up your books, banking, and controls; managing cash and working capital; and running a weekly scorecard.

5.1 Setting Up Banking, Books & Controls

5.2 Managing Cash and Working Capital in the Transition

5.3 Your Weekly Financial Scorecard

Module 5 Quiz: Financial Integration & Cash Management

Module 6 — Customers, Suppliers & Revenue Continuity Keeping customers and suppliers through the ownership change, then protecting and growing revenue.

6.1 Keeping Customers Through the Ownership Change

6.2 Holding Supplier & Vendor Relationships Steady

6.3 Protecting and Growing Revenue

Module 6 Quiz: Customers, Suppliers & Revenue Continuity

Module 7 — Using AI & Agentic Tools for Integration Using Claude, Cowork, and agentic tools to build SOPs, dashboards, communications, and a 90-day command center.

7.1 Your AI Integration Toolkit (Claude, Cowork & Agents)

7.2 Building SOPs, Comms & Dashboards with AI

7.3 A 90-Day AI Command Center

Module 7 Quiz: Using AI & Agentic Tools

Module 8 — Stabilize, Then Scale: Your 90-Day Plan & Beyond The 30/60/90 roadmap, your course-correction review, and how to move from stabilization to growth.

8.1 Your 30/60/90-Day Integration Plan

8.2 The Course-Correction Review

8.3 From Stabilize to Scale: Your First Growth Moves

Module 8 Quiz: Stabilize, Then Scale