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How Estefany Marte Beat the Odds When 75% of Mergers Fail
6th February 2026 • How to Scale a Business • Amplafy Media
00:00:00 00:27:38

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Hector sits down with leadership transition expert Estefany Marte, who took over her family business at just 20 years old and scaled it 8x in five years before a successful exit. Estefany reveals why 75% of mergers fail due to cultural clashes, the critical mistakes leaders make during transitions, and her framework for thriving through major business changes. She shares her "first 100 days" approach to leadership transitions, explains why leaders must scale themselves before their business can scale, and discusses how to navigate the emotional rollercoaster that comes with acquisitions, successions, and rapid growth. Whether you're considering an acquisition, planning a leadership transition, or simply scaling your business, this episode provides actionable insights on how to grow massively through change rather than just survive it.

Chapters:

  1. (00:00:00) - Intro: Why Data Isn't Everything in Decision Making
  2. (00:00:48) - From Family Business to 8x Scale: Estefany's Journey
  3. (00:03:59) - The Three Critical Pitfalls in Business Transitions
  4. (00:07:57) - Preparing Your Business for Major Transitions
  5. (00:10:58) - Why 75% of Mergers Fail: The Culture Problem
  6. (00:14:23) - Can You Fix Cultural Fit After the Deal?
  7. (00:19:00) - The First 100 Days Framework for Leadership Transitions
  8. (00:23:04) - Why Leaders Must Scale Before Their Business Can
  9. (00:24:59) - Signals to Watch: Geopolitics, AI, and Business Adaptation
  10. (00:26:59) - The Secret to Scaling a Business

Links And Resources:

  1. Website: https://www.estefanymarte.com/
  2. Estefany Marte on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/estefany-marte-07a50252/
  3. Amplafy Media: https://www.amplafymedia.com/
  4. Hector Santiesteban on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hector-santiesteban-64326340/
  5. Hector Santiesteban on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hector_podcast?lang=en

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to How to Scale a Business? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!

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