In this engaging episode, co-hosts Ayelet Shipley and Christian Hassold welcome Tom Shipley to share his journey of building and scaling businesses through acquisitions. He discusses the challenges and opportunities in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) present, emphasizing the importance of strategic thinking and relationship building. The conversation also explores partnership dynamics and the role of external partners in resolving conflicts. Tom highlights the power of acquisitions in overcoming business challenges and achieving growth, offering insights into the process of identifying and acquiring businesses.

Takeaways

• Acquisitions can solve almost every business challenge.
• Partnership dynamics often require external mediation.
• Strategic thinking is crucial in M&A.
• Building relationships is key to successful acquisitions.
• Acquisitions offer a faster path to business growth.
• Understanding seller motivation is essential in deals.
• Partnership conflicts can hinder business progress.
• Acquisitions can provide liquidity and strategic opportunities.

Chapters

00:46 Tom Shipley’s Path Into M&A

01:38 The First Acquisition That Changed Everything

05:34 Using Acquisitions to Solve Cash and Capability Gaps

08:28 Buy vs. Build: Rethinking Entrepreneurship

09:37 Seller Motivation and Why Deals Exist Everywhere

11:50 Organic Growth vs. Acquisition Math

13:41 Partnership Misalignment as a Growth Blocker

14:21 How M&A Can Resolve Partner Deadlock

19:26 Mergers as a Reset for Growth and Liquidity

28:40 The Valley of Despair for Mid-Market Founders

29:45 Buying the Next Chapter vs. Starting Over

31:50 Where to Find Acquisition Opportunities

37:49 Adding a Zero: Expanding the Mental Model

39:44 DealCon, Reources, and Community

Connect with Christian and Ayelet

Ayelet’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayelet-shipley-b16330149/

Christian's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hassold/

Web: https://www.inorganicpodcast.co

In/organic on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InorganicPodcast/featured

Connect with Tom Shipley

https://www.linkedin.com/in/t-shipley/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Inorganic Podcast, co-host Christian Hassled interviews Robin Skidmore, a seasoned entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Journey Further. They discuss Robin's journey from humble beginnings to founding successful agencies, including Epiphany Search and Journey Further. The conversation explores the evolution of Journey Further, its recent acquisition of Salderson Media, and the challenges of expanding into the U.S. market. Robin shares insights on agency culture, the current state of the UK agency market, and the importance of adapting to changes in consumer behavior and technology, particularly AI. The episode concludes with a discussion on Robin's investments in startups and the significance of maintaining a strong company culture as the agency grows.

Takeaways

• Robin Skidmore's entrepreneurial journey began with a car wash at age 12.
• Journey Further was launched in 2017 with a clear roadmap for growth.
• The agency focuses on performance media and aims to be creatively driven.
• Acquisition of Salderson Media was strategic for expanding capabilities.
• Expanding to the U.S. market presented unique challenges and cultural differences.
• Maintaining a strong company culture is crucial for agency success.
• The UK agency market is experiencing consolidation and increased competition.
• AI is transforming the marketing landscape, requiring agencies to adapt.
• Investing in startups allows for a deeper understanding of client challenges.
• Cultural dynamics influence agency operations and client relationships.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Robin Skidmore and Journey Further

02:14 Robin's Entrepreneurial Journey and Epiphany Search

04:52 The Evolution of Journey Further

08:13 Acquisition of Salderson Media and Market Relevance

10:32 Expanding to the U.S. Market: Challenges and Insights

17:31 Cultural Differences in Agency Operations

20:16 Lessons from Epiphany to Journey Further

23:29 The State of the UK Agency Market

26:21 Future Growth Strategies and Inorganic Expansion

30:28 Cultural Dynamics in Agency Growth

34:21 Investments Beyond Agencies: The Pub and Startups

41:22 Maintaining Culture and Addressing AI Challenges

Connect with Christian and Ayelet

Ayelet’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayelet-shipley-b16330149/

Christian's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hassold/

Web: https://www.inorganicpodcast.co

In/organic on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InorganicPodcast/featured

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, co-hosts Ayelet Shipley and Christian Hassold delve into AI related acquisitions, particularly focusing on outsized valuation multiples and whether they are sustainable or extensible to the digital agency sector. They discuss the valuation multiples seen in recent AI focused acquisitions led by Meta, Nvidia, Cvent, and OpenAI, and opine on the race for talent in the AI era. The conversation highlights the evolving landscape of agency capabilities in the face of AI advancements and the potential for consolidation in the market. The hosts also explore the future of digital agencies and the opportunities that lie ahead for strategic acquirers in the AI domain.

Takeaways

• AI is driving significant M&A activity in the tech sector.
• Recent acquisitions show high valuation multiples for AI companies.
• The trend of acquiring talent over products is prevalent in AI M&A.
• Digital agencies must adapt to the changing landscape influenced by AI.
• There is a potential consolidation in the agency market due to AI advancements.
• Strategic acquirers are looking for speed to market through AI capabilities.
• The valuation of AI startups is often based on capital raised rather than revenue.
• The market for AI capabilities in agencies is still developing.
• Founders may need to be realistic about their exit multiples in the current environment.
• The future of digital agencies will be shaped by AI innovations.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AI Trends

01:03 M&A Activity in AI

05:16 Valuation Multiples in AI Acquisitions

11:00 The Talent Acquisition Race

15:18 AI's Impact on Agencies

19:07 Future of Digital Agencies

25:01 Opportunities in AI Acquisitions

Connect with Christian and Ayelet

Ayelet’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayelet-shipley-b16330149/

Christian's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hassold/

Web: https://www.inorganicpodcast.co

In/organic on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InorganicPodcast/featured

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.