Prepare to show your true colors sooner rather than later

The due diligence process can accelerate from a "dog and pony show" to a deep dive pretty quickly. As the MTV RealWorld show says, you know you have turned a corner in the due diligence journey "...when people stop being polite and start getting real." Don't forget that the acquiring company has money on the line. They need to understand if their financial investment makes sense for them. Don't let things get personal. Keep your eye on the people, process, and technology and systems facts of what they want to know.