Many Agency Sales Take 2-3 Years to Fully Exit. This Took Just One.

After 17 years leading digital agency Inflow, founder and CEO Mike Belasco was ready for a change.

“The agency grind is real,” he said. “It was taking a toll on my mental and physical health, and my relationships with friends and family.” Though the business was performing well, Mike knew it was time to plan for a new chapter, without compromising the agency he’d built.

That’s when Mike decided to lean even more heavily on his long-time agency coach—Karl Sakas—for support through this next chapter.

Choosing the Right Guide

Mike met Karl Sakas in 2015 at HubSpot’s INBOUND conference. Mike attended Karl’s “Scale to Win” talk and happened to sit next to one of Karl’s agency coaching clients. She shared how transformational the experience had been for her agency, and Mike took notice.

“I’ve always had a support system—coaches, peer groups—but I realized I needed something more hands-on. Karl had experience helping agencies of all types and sizes, not just one kind of business. That really stood out.”

Karl’s strategic insight, direct approach, and deep operational experience made him the right advisor for what came next.

Mike began with what is now Karl’s Agency Growth Diagnostic project, followed by ongoing Executive Coaching. Karl also did custom training for the Inflow team, both in-person and virtually.

Strengthening the Business

Long before a sale was on the table, Mike and Karl worked together to make the agency less dependent on its founder. Their collaboration spanned team structure, succession planning, account management, HR strategy, and operational systems.

A few standout initiatives:

• Clarifying the agency’s account management model, which measured client satisfaction and retention
• Conducting a Culture Survey, which led to clearer career paths, stronger team morale, and employee retention
• Giving Mike space to create the “Inflow Harmonic Triangle,” a framework balancing team, client, and business needs

The agency’s internal operations became more consistent, documented, and scalable. “Karl helped translate big-picture frameworks into decisions that worked for an agency like ours. We were slowly making the company more sustainable and sellable, even before we knew exactly how the exit would happen,” Mike said.

Like many of Karl’s clients, Mike had support from multiple sources. He hired specialists to implement EOS and Agile, and he was an active participant in Dan Sullivan’s Strategic Coach program. But it was Karl’s agency-specific expertise—spanning leadership, operations, succession planning, and account strategy—that helped turn broad frameworks into agency-relevant decisions.

That included evaluating exit paths well before the final sale. Years earlier, Mike received an offer from an outside buyer. With Karl’s help, he reviewed the deal from every angle and realized the timing and valuation weren’t right. Walking away then led to a better outcome and more clarity in the long run.

“Karl helped turn Inflow into a well-oiled machine—organized, process-driven, and attractive to buyers.”

Executing the Exit

In early 2023, Mike finalized a transition that allowed him to step away without sacrificing the company’s future. The buyer was a senior executive already embedded in the business, with deep knowledge of its clients, people, and processes.

Mike had hired the future buyer via the succession plan that Karl helped him build. Although Karl wasn’t involved in the final stages of the transaction, he had helped Mike lay the groundwork, helping evaluate exit paths, designing a succession plan, and adjusting strategy along the way as things evolved.

The result was a clean, confident transition that reflected years of deliberate planning.

“The business was strong enough that someone could make what I assume was the biggest financial investment of their career.”

A Shorter Post-Sale Commitment

While many agency owners are locked into 2-3+ years of post-sale obligations, Mike was able to fully exit after just one year of part-time consulting.

That shorter timeline was possible because the business was already built to run without him. Inflow had documented systems, a leadership team trusted to make decisions, strong and stable client relationships, and a succession plan that had been thoughtfully developed and refined over time.

“Karl played a key role in making a short, successful transition possible.”

Life on the Other Side

Since stepping away, Mike has embraced the flexibility that comes from exiting on his own terms. He’s spending more time with family, including kids heading to college, and has launched an investment vehicle: Altitude Search Fund.

“It was a little weird at first,” he said, “but after that, very nice. I’ve really enjoyed the change.”

Mike now speaks openly about his experience, including how he and Karl created the on-demand Exit-Prep training, where they walk through the process of planning a smart, well-timed exit.

Advice for Other Agency Leaders

Mike’s message to other agency owners: Start early.

“Even if you’re years or decades away from selling, start laying the groundwork now. The decisions you make today will shape what’s possible later. Karl made it possible for me to exit on my terms.”

Ready to Start Preparing for Your Own Smooth, Profitable Exit?

If you want to build a sellable agency and step away on your terms, let’s talk.