When Zilker Technology co-founders Rob Thomas and Sean Wyrick attended 7MA’s annual conference in 2019, they noticed a shift in the conversations they were having with other businesses and with investors. They decided it was time to test the M&A market for Zilker, a digital consultancy and systems integrator with deep experience in a number of sectors.
Not surprisingly, Zilker’s co-founders turned to 7 Mile Advisors, with whom they had built a relationship over several years. “It came down to trust and credibility. It's a very, very big decision to entrust the future of your company,” says Rob Thomas, CEO of Zilker. “Having a good guide in that process is really important.
On this episode of Deal Talk with 7MA, 7 Mile Advisors Senior Associate Sydney Scadden sits down with Rob and Sean to talk about selling their company to Ernst & Young in October 2020.
Zilker entered the deal process with a clear picture of what was most important — finding a good cultural fit between their company and the buyer — and how they would guide their 300+ employees through the decision.
Through it all, Zilker continued to innovate in the e-commerce sector, where the realities of COVID turned up demand for the technologies that create efficiencies and seamless experience through the whole customer journey.
Tune in to episode 31 to hear more about Zilker’s journey to acquisition and what lies ahead in the world of digital transformation.
Name: Rob Thomas
What he does: Rob was the CEO and Co-founder of Zilker Technology, which was founded in 2014 as a digital transformation company helping clients achieve growth from technology investments. He’s currently a Partner in EY's Technology Consulting group.
Company: Zilker Technology, purchased by EY in October 2020
Words of wisdom: “What really excites me about the future is that the Zilker team has a bigger platform in EY to not only build their careers but also to drive long-term client value — which they like, which we like, and which clients like.”
Connect: LinkedIn
Name: Sean Wyrick
What he does: Sean was CTO and Co-founder of Zilker Technologies, where he realized a lifelong dream of establishing and building a company from the ground up. He’s now a Partner within EY's Technology Consulting group.
Company: Zilker Technology, purchased by EY in October 2020
Words of wisdom: “When we started looking at companies and doing some meetings … we spent time, just the four of us [co-founders] and said — What's most important? What do we like most about Zilker and what we've accomplished? — and culture was our number one thing.”
Connect: LinkedIn
Top takeaways from this episode
★ Hone your focus. Zilker’s co-founders went into acquisition...
