Your Ideal Exit: Succession Planning Tips for Agency Owners (with Karl Sakas & Jonathan Baker) скачать в хорошем качестве

Your Ideal Exit: Succession Planning Tips for Agency Owners (with Karl Sakas & Jonathan Baker)

What's your ideal agency exit? Whether you're selling, shifting to a lifestyle model, or keeping your options open—this 60-minute fireside chat offers a behind-the-scenes look at real succession planning questions from agency owners. Agency advisors Karl Sakas (Sakas & Company) and Jonathan Baker (Punctuation) share unfiltered advice and insider insights from working with agencies in transition. 🧠 Topics include: • Preparing for sale or succession • Financial and leadership readiness • De-risking the business for buyers • Empowering your second-in-command • Avoiding deal-killers and regrets Use the timestamps below to jump to specific questions: ⏱️ Chapters Part 1: Succession & Expectations 00:00 – Intro 02:48 – What should founders understand before contacting an M&A advisor? 05:10 – What is some M&A misinformation you’ve heard recently? 06:04 – How long should owners expect succession planning to take? 08:22 – What kinds of buyers are out there today for agencies? Part 2: Getting Ready to Exit 14:05 – The biggest misconception Karl sees from owners 15:21 – Misconceptions Jonathan sees from owners 16:49 – What’s the main mistake you see in owners exiting in 2–4 years? 20:00 – Karl’s take on those mistakes 21:38 – Get a formal valuation 22:16 – Why do owners need a “standalone” #2? 23:30 – What role does the second-in-command play at exit? 25:32 – What is the process of helping a founder become optional? 25:45 – How optional are you right now? 27:36 – How do you know you’re ready to exit? 28:55 – How can we prepare to take time away from work? 29:35 – When and how to approach your #2 about stepping up? 33:11 – What are the 1–3 things you're missing when something isn’t getting done? 34:21 – How soon to share financials with your #2? 36:04 – What numbers matter most to buyers, and how do you prep them? Part 3: Hard Truths 37:47 – What makes deals fall apart at the last minute? 39:35 – When the deal is actually done 40:03 – What’s a common succession myth that holds founders back? 41:33 – When “being the best” backfires 42:54 – Most painful “I wish I’d known” founder moment 46:34 – Selling vs shutting down 47:26 – “The prize isn’t selling your agency” 47:47 – Calculating your pay 50:08 – What should a founder do differently if selling in 12 months? 51:51 – Stop pricing hourly 52:46 – AI’s impact on valuations 54:41 – When should you engage with an advisor? 57:20 – What’s one thing a founder can do in the next 12 months? 58:32 – What’s one thing a founder can do this quarter?