See why your agency exit starts sooner than you think! Watch the 57-minute video from Agency Office Hours in March 2025. Click below to jump directly to each Q&A segment in the video, or listen in the background like a podcast.
[Free Template] Want to sell? Get free access to Karl’s Exit Plan template.
I spoke with special guest Jonathan Baker, M&A practice lead at Punctuation, on preparing for your agency exit.
- [Introduction] Meet this month’s guest expert, Jonathan Baker. [0:55]
- Timing: “What’s the biggest misconception about when to start exit planning?” [2:07]
- Timeline: “What key factors determine how long it’ll take to sell my agency?” [3:51]
- Valuation: “What can I do now to increase my future valuation?” [6:49]
- Financial Challenges: “How do I address a bad year in my P&L?” [9:29]
- Niching: “What are the risks in specializing in 2+ industries?” [10:52]
- Breakups: “If my agency has 2+ divisions, do I need to sell them separately?” [17:10]
- Absentee Owners: “What’s the downside to keeping the business?” [21:37]
- Planning Steps: “What are practical steps to start planning an exit strategy?” [23:16]
- [Free Template] Want to sell? Get free access to Karl’s Exit Plan template.
- Preparedness: “How can I explore whether to sell my agency?” [26:20]
- Finances: “How should I approach personal business expenses?” [28:03]
- Acqui-hires: “When should I consider an acqui-hire exit?” [30:36]
- Valuation Timing: “When should I get a valuation of my agency?” [33:49]
- AI Impacts: “Does AI reduce the value of our ‘special sauce’?” [35:47]
- AI & Valuation: “How will AI impact agency EBITDA multiples?” [36:54]
- Operations: “What red flags make it harder to sell my agency?” [39:41]
- Buyers: “Who’s buying agencies today, and what do they want?” [41:49]
- Leader Retention: “How much should I pay execs to stay through an exit?” [43:09]
- Exit Surprises: “What surprises agency owners when they exit?” [45:18]
- Negotiation: “What’s the biggest negotiation mistake to avoid?” [48:30]
- After the Exit: “What should I consider about life after selling my agency?” [50:15]
- Pre-Sell Steps: “What should I do next if I’m not sure about selling?” [52:01]
Top Resources from the Live Event:
- What’s your agency Exit Strategy?
- Should you consider an Acqui-Hire exit for your agency?
- If you want to sell to a “search fund”
- Should you be front-end, back-end, or full-stack?
- How much should you pay yourself as an agency owner?
