Blog
Articles on agency growth, Deep Specialization™, and building a business that runs without you.
44 articles
How Do I Know Whether My Agency Is Ready to Sell?
Readiness isn't a feeling. It's a score. Here's the honest framework for knowing whether your agency is actually prepared to go to market.
Should I Hire an M&A Advisor to Sell My Agency?
An advisor isn't required for every stage of selling an agency, but it matters a lot at certain points. Here's how to think about when and why to bring one in.
What Buyers Examine During Due Diligence
Diligence isn't a formality after an LOI. Here's exactly what a buyer looks at, in what order, and what tends to trip up unprepared sellers.
How Rollover Equity Works
Rollover equity means betting part of your payout on the next chapter instead of cashing out entirely. Here's how it typically works and what to weigh before agreeing to it.
How Earnouts Work in Agency Acquisitions
An earnout ties part of your payout to future performance. Here's how they're typically structured, why buyers use them, and what to watch for as a seller.
What Happens After You Receive an LOI?
A signed letter of intent isn't a closed deal. Here's what actually happens next, from exclusivity to confirmatory diligence to the closing table.
How Long Does Selling an Agency Take?
From first buyer conversation to closed deal, here's a realistic timeline for selling an agency, and why the preparation phase matters more than the closing phase.
Strategic Buyer vs. Private Equity
These two buyer types price, structure, and integrate deals differently. Here's how to think about which one actually fits what you want out of a sale.
What EBITDA Multiple Will My Agency Receive?
Multiples vary widely for agencies that look similar on paper. Here's what actually determines where you land, from two times to eight times EBITDA.
A 24-Month Plan for Preparing an Agency for Sale
A practical, phased plan for the two years before you go to market: what to fix first, what to fix next, and what to leave until the final stretch.
When Should I Start Preparing My Agency for Sale?
The founders who sell well don't start preparing the year they decide to sell. Here's the honest timeline, and why starting early is the highest-leverage decision you'll make.
How Are Marketing Agencies Valued?
Buyers don't value agencies off a single formula. Here's how the valuation process actually works, from normalized EBITDA to the final multiple.
How Much Is My Marketing Agency Worth?
There's no universal formula, but there is a real answer. Here's how to get a genuine read on what your agency is worth today, not a guess.
What Makes a Marketing Agency Valuable to Buyers?
A buyer doesn't ask how big your agency is. They ask how confident they can be that the cash flow keeps showing up after you leave. That question drives the entire valuation. Revenue is an input, not the answer.
How Close to an Exit Should an Agency Stop Acquiring?
Acquisitions and exit prep can work against each other if the timing is wrong. Here's how to think about when to stop buying and start preparing to sell.
How to Integrate an Agency After an Acquisition
Integration is where a good deal either comes to life or falls apart. Here's the practical approach to the first hundred days after you close.
How Agency Acquisitions Create or Destroy Enterprise Value
Buying an agency doesn't automatically add value. It can just as easily destroy it. Here's what separates a value-creating deal from a value-destroying one.
What to Include in Agency Acquisition Due Diligence
Diligence isn't one big review. It's a risk-sequenced process. Here's what to check first, what comes next, and what actually kills a deal.
How to Evaluate an Agency Acquisition
Fitting your buy box gets a target on the list. It doesn't tell you whether to do the deal. Evaluation is a separate step, and it's where most of the real judgment lives.
Tuck-In Acquisition vs. Platform Acquisition
These two acquisition types serve completely different roles in a growth strategy. Here's the difference, and how to know which one fits your next deal.
What Should a Marketing Agency Acquire?
Not every acquisition adds the same kind of value. Here's how to think about what to actually acquire: capability, clients, talent, or scale.
How to Create an Acquisition Buy Box
A buy box is a filter, not a wish list. Here's how to build one that actually screens targets instead of just describing your dream deal.
How Founder Dependence Affects Agency Valuation
A buyer isn't purchasing your calendar. An agency built around the founder can grow revenue for years and still be worth almost nothing, because the moment you leave, so does the reason clients stay.
Should Your Agency Build or Buy?
Organic growth and acquisition solve different problems. Here's how to know which one your agency actually needs right now, and why the answer often isn't either/or.
“Is this a good fit for my agency?”
I partner with founders who want to build something meaningful, not just a busier agency, but a stronger, more scalable business.
You’re likely a strong fit if:
- You’re generating $1M–$20M+ annually
- You want to lead your market, not blend into it
- You’re thinking about long-term scale, not short-term tactics
- You want a growth engine that doesn’t rely on you
- You value clarity over complexity
- You’re open to advanced growth levers, including acquisitions
Escape Founder-Led Sales With My Free Book
My bestselling book Anyone Not Everyone reveals the positioning and outbound system that helps founder-led agencies create predictable, scalable growth.
Endorsed by Aaron Ross, Alan Dibb, Dr. Benjamin Hardy, and many other top thinkers in the agency world.