Matt Botha, Senior Director of M&A, utilizes his expertise in M&A and due diligence to drive the valuation, structuring, and execution of deals. He ensures alignment between partners and Empower for long-term success. Matt began his career with PwC, where he worked in the deals division, with a robust background in performing Financial Due Diligence for multi-site roll-ups and healthcare businesses. Since then, Matt has transitioned to an eCommerce roll-up, building systems and processes to acquire two businesses a month, before his arrival at Empower in 2023.

What criteria does Empower Aesthetics prioritize when evaluating potential med spa acquisition targets, and how has that evolved since the platform’s inception in 2023?

At Empower Aesthetics, the most important factor we look for is cultural fit. We want to partner with founders who have built exceptional businesses, are committed to continued growth, and want to enjoy the process alongside us. We make sure that the people we bring on board will mesh well with our existing partners because a strong culture across the platform is key to our success.

We also focus heavily on building geographic density. By expanding around our current partners, we can create stronger market positions and support systems. Since our inception, we have also placed increasing emphasis on leadership depth and cultural alignment in addition to financial performance and clinical reputation.

Given your background in multi-site healthcare rollups, what specific strategies do you apply to ensure long-term sustainability and operational excellence post-acquisition?

We leverage the scale of our 21+ locations to centralize back-office functions such as purchasing, payroll, HR, digital marketing, and recruitment. This frees up founders to focus on what they do best, spending time with patients and leading their teams.

We also share best practices across the platform by building case studies, creating advanced training programs, supporting membership models, and refining pricing strategies. Standard operating procedures help ensure consistent customer communication and operational efficiency. This level of shared resources and knowledge allows each partner to grow sustainably over the long term.

How does Empower balance maintaining each partner’s local brand identity and clinical philosophy while integrating them into a national platform?

We partner with founders who have built outstanding reputations in their markets, as a result we do not change their brand names. We respect each partner’s clinical philosophy and standards, though we conduct a thorough clinical due diligence process led by board member Dr. Leslie Baumann to ensure compliance.

We also have a Clinical Advisory Board, made up of our partner founders, that guides decisions across the platform and discusses legislative changes. When Empower launches new service lines, we create standard operating procedures to support adoption, but the ultimate decision rests with the founder. This ensures we maintain each partner’s independence while providing tools for growth.

With Empower’s rapid expansion across multiple states, what infrastructure or systems are in place to manage integration and support for new partners at scale? Many of your partners are founder-led, often by women. How does that influence your M&A approach and the post-deal relationship?

At Empower, integration is a collaborative and structured process that balances preserving each practice’s unique identity with aligning to shared goals and systems. Integration is the weaving of workstreams from the individual practice into the overall platform, so for example, ensuring the credit cards have been transitioned, and our payroll system has been implemented to ensure the team receives timely and active payments.

We set clear expectations early on, and founder involvement is essential post-close to ensure a smooth transition, particularly around team alignment, operational workflows, and cultural integration. Many of our partners are founder-led, often by women, and that deeply shapes our M&A and integration approach as we prioritize trust, transparency, and co-creating a long-term vision that respects both legacy and growth!

How do you assess cultural fit during the due diligence process, especially given the personalized and trust-based nature of aesthetic care?

We believe every business has a unique culture, and we don’t want to disrupt that. To better understand the teams we’re partnering with, we use tools like the PI Index to evaluate personality types, strengths, and team dynamics. This helps us foster productive working relationships and tailor our support after closing.

We also follow a structured HR due diligence process, which includes assessing talent using the 9-box grid. This approach, adapted from the process we use with our corporate team, gives us deeper insight into leadership strength and development opportunities within each organization.

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