If you’re an agency owner who wants to sell your agency, this workshop is for you. It’s all about helping people get the best deal possible, whatever that might be.

This includes digital marketing agencies, dev shops, creative studios, video production houses, and anyone else providing similar services on a for-hire basis.

It applies primarily to agency owners who are considering selling their agency in 1-3 years, 3-5 years, 5-10 years, or 10+ years.

Most of the tips apply to agencies in the U.S.—for example, we’ll reference SBA loans. You’ll still want to hire an M&A advisor once you’re ready to put the agency on the market.

The workshop is a flat $1,400 USD, plus sales tax where applicable.

Planning to send 3+ people from your agency? Contact us to get a group discount.

If you’d like to send 3+ people from your agency (e.g., multiple equity partners), please contact us for a group discount. 

Yes—if you have a business partner (or partners), everyone would ideally join the workshop. You’ll get a shared language, plus built-in structure to have key conversations.

Planning to send 3+ people from your agency? Contact us to get a group discount.

Teachable will request your payment info (most credit cards) and prompt you to sign up for the platform so you can access the recordings in the future. Depending on your geographic location, Teachable may charge sales tax.

If you plan to send 3+ people from your agency and want a group discount, email concierge@sakasandcompany.com for help. 

Yes, probably. Unless you plan to close your agency when you retire, it helps to know your options. In Karl’s coaching, some clients go from “must sell” to “let’s keep it,” while others go from “run this forever” to “let’s sell.”

Yes, you can buy a ticket for someone else. Select the “Send as a gift” checkbox on the checkout page. (Here’s a screenshot from Teachable.) Now, you can add their email address and an optional note. They’ll immediately receive a notification.

If you want to sell within a few months, you should talk to an M&A advisor—like Jonathan Baker at Punctuation, our first guest speaker at the workshop. The advice in Session 1 and Session 2 will help. And you can use the Session 3 advice on “increase your valuation” to hel grow your earnout.

You’ll learn how to get the best deal possible when you sell your agency—that is, to control (and maximize) your exit. “Best” is relative—if you need to sell in a year, you have less time to optimize things than selling in five years.

You’ll learn how to potentially add $1,000,000 in valuation to your agency. You’ll hear what sellers (and buyers) wish they’d known before doing the deal. You’ll learn the types of buyers you might encounter, and the types of advisors you might hire.

In the three session recordings, you’ll hear the questions asked during live Q&A with the nine speakers—including agency sellers, buyers, and advisors. We’ve gathered everyone in one “room” so you don’t have to.

We’ll cover options in Session 1, but 90-95% of the workshop will focus on selling the agency… because that’s what people want to know. If you do the workshop and decide not to sell, that’s still a potential win—instead of your wondering if you made the right choice.

If you’re an agency owner who wants to sell your agency at some point, this workshop is for you—regardless of size.

Most of the advice assumes $250K+ in EBITDA. However, smaller agencies often are valued based on Seller Discretionary Earnings (SDE), which will be different from EBITDA at larger firms.

Some participants may conclude they want to wait longer to get a bigger exit. Others might decide to do a smaller exit (e.g., an acqui-hire), which we discuss in the workshop.

The workshop focuses on sellers—but it helps to understand what others care about. The tips can help you potentially craft a win/win deal as you buy a firm. And although we won’t specifically dig into how to do an agency “rollup,” you might choose to sell your larger agency in the future. Several of the panelists and guest experts have purchased businesses, so you benefit from their experience.

We estimate that 90% of the content will apply to agencies outside the U.S. (e.g., what you can and can’t control; exit options; types of buyers; what the panel of sellers wish they’d done differently; how to grow your valuation; ways to add $1 million to your valuation, etc.).

Across the entire 3-session slide deck, one slide is U.S.-specific (about SBA loans) and another is U.S.-oriented (about EBITDA multiple ranges). The rest is more broadly applicable.

So, almost all of the “prepare to sell” advice would apply… but at the end of the day, government subsidies make it easier to borrow money. It’s harder for non-U.S. buyers to access financing to buy a business. This can lead to valuations at lower EBITDA multiples, or taking longer to sell.

In a sense, this makes the workshop even more important for agencies outside the U.S.—you might need to do more “tap dancing” than a U.S. agency, and you’ll likely need more lead time. The workshop is all about helping people get the best deal possible, whatever that might be.

The homework is on the honor system, so Karl and Mike won’t be checking your work. That said, most things in life are “you get what you put into it”… and this is no exception.

Your agency is likely your family’s #1 asset. It’s worth spending a few hours to help you prepare for your ideal exit.

The workshop is non-refundable, but you’re welcome to substitute another team member. Email concierge@sakasandcompany.com for help transferring your ticket.

No one can guarantee a specific outcome—including an exit at a specific price and terms. But when you invest more time and effort in the workshop, you’re likely to see a stronger return.

While the workshop won’t dive into your agency’s specific details, our goal is to equip you with the tools and expertise needed to make the most of your agency exit.

After that, things are still a matter of timing and luck; you’ll still want to hire the right advisors when the time comes.

The workshop is designed for those seeking a “DIY” solution. It doesn’t include private 1:1 consulting with Karl or Mike, but you’re welcome to ask them about that option afterwards.

The live workshop included a “Hot Seat,” where Karl provided free advice to one participant—live, in front of the group—in Session 3. You can likely apply at least some of this “Hot Seat” advice to your agency.

The workshop is on-demand, based on a live recording. You can’t ask new questions live… but odds are good that someone else asked the question before.

Karl Sakas is available for 1:1 agency coaching and consulting. This includes the one-off ActionPath call (answers to your most-burning question), the Agency Growth Diagnostic (objective, expert advice on how to reach your goals), and Executive Coaching (for in-depth support as you grow). Interested? Reach out here.

Mike Belasco is available for consulting, including around SEO and analytics. Interested? You can reach him via LinkedIn.