Culture Doesn't Disappear in an Acquisition - Lehua Stonebraker - Hiring Happy Hour - Episode # 010
"There's natural apprehension when you're going through a learning curve, and oftentimes people wanna race to the other side".
What really happens to your culture, your people, and your identity when your company gets acquired, and what does it look like from both sides of the table? In this episode of Hiring Happy Hour, Nicole sits down with Lehua Stonebraker, SVP of People & Culture at SmartRecruiters, to unpack the very human side of mergers and acquisitions. Drawing from her time leading TA through eight acquisitions in 18 months at Dayforce, and now navigating SmartRecruiters’ integration into SAP, Lehua brings a rare, hard-won perspective that goes far beyond the playbook. This conversation is a masterclass in change management, psychological safety, and why open-mindedness isn’t just a buzzword.
Takeaways:
No two acquisitions are the same. Each one comes with different goals, cultures, and challenges. Approach every integration with fresh eyes and curiosity rather than a checklist.
Transparency beats perfection when leading through change. You don’t need all the answers; you need to share what you can and bring people along for the journey rather than letting change happen to them.
The most growth happens in the uncomfortable middle of a transition. Resist the urge to race to the other side; the lessons live in the uncertainty.
Relationships are your most valuable currency during any acquisition. Start building them early, and don’t wait for a formal introduction to make a connection.
Shared values make integration infinitely easier. When both companies can point to the same cultural DNA, the path forward feels collaborative rather than combative.
Ask “why”, and then ask it again. Understanding the reason behind a process, policy, or behavior is how you unlock smarter, faster ways of doing things together.
Open-mindedness isn’t just about accepting change; it’s about staying grounded in gratitude for what you can influence while gracefully releasing what you can’t.
Quote of the Show:
“ There’s natural apprehension when you’re going through a learning curve, and oftentimes people wanna race to the other side. But the uncomfortable middle is where the most growth and the most learning happens.” - Lehua Stonebraker
Links:
Company website: https://www.smartrecruiters.com/
Lehua’s Email: l.stonebraker@smartrecruiters.com
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