How to Prepare Your Agency for a Successful Exit
About this Event
The strongest agency exits are prepared for well in advance. By the time a founder enters a sale process, many of the factors that influence value, buyer confidence and deal options are already embedded in the business.
This practical, small-group morning is designed for independent agency founders who want to understand what makes an agency genuinely exit-ready - and what they should be strengthening now to increase value, reduce risk and create more options later.
We’ll explore the areas that have the biggest impact on buyer confidence and future valuation, including; profitability, revenue quality, client concentration, leadership strength, operational resilience, founder dependency, succession and the issues most likely to surface during due diligence.
You’ll also get a practical introduction to the agency exit landscape with Matt Lacey, Partner at Waypoint Partners, who supported me through the sale of Verve Search to Omnicom. Matt will cover the different exit routes available, how agencies are typically valued, how deals are structured and what founders should understand before entering a transaction.
Most importantly, you’ll assess your own agency against the four areas at the heart of the Agency Exit Readiness framework:
- Finance & Operations
- HR & Culture
- Growth & Strategy
- Founder & Leadership
You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of where your agency is strong, where the biggest risks sit, and what you should prioritise over the next 12–36 months if you want to build a business that is genuinely ready to exit.
The session is limited to 15 agency founders to keep the discussion practical, relevant and confidential.
The best time to identify the risks in your agency is before a buyer does.
Agenda
🕑: 09:00 AM - 09:20 AM
Coffee & introductions
Info: Arrive, grab a coffee and meet the other founders in the room.
🕑: 09:20 AM - 09:50 AM
What Makes an Agency Valuable?
Info: What buyers really value beyond revenue, including; profitability, quality of earnings, sustainable growth, client concentration, leadership strength, operational resilience and founder dependency.
🕑: 09:50 AM - 10:30 AM
Building an Exit-Ready Agency
Info: A practical look at the four areas at the heart of the Agency Exit Readiness framework: Finance & Operations, HR & Culture, Growth & Strategy, and Founder & Leadership.
🕑: 10:30 AM - 10:50 AM
Coffee Break
🕑: 10:50 AM - 11:20 AM
The Agency Exit Landscape: Routes, Valuation & How Deals Work - Matt Lacey
Info: Led by Matt Lacey, Partner at Waypoint Partners, who supported Lisa through the sale of Verve Search to Omnicom. Matt will cover strategic sales, PE-backed acquisitions, MBOs, EOTs and other exit routes, alongside how agencies are valued and how deals are typically structured — including cash on completion, deferred consideration, earn-outs and equity.
🕑: 11:20 AM - 12:00 PM
People, Leadership & Succession
Info: How to reduce founder dependency, strengthen your leadership team, retain key people and think about succession, EMI options and management incentives.
🕑: 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM
Your Agency Exit Readiness
Info: A practical individual exercise to assess where your agency stands today: what is already strong, what could reduce future value, where the biggest risks or dependencies sit, and what you should prioritise over the next 12–36 months.
🕑: 12:15 PM - 12:30 PM
Q&A, reflections & next steps
Info: Founder roundtable, key takeaways and the question:
If you wanted to exit in three years, what would you start changing on Monday?
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 314.90
