The Innovative Agency

308. Agency M&A – A Seller’s Journey, with Mike Harris


Listen Later

Today on The Innovative Agency Podcast Sharon Toerek is joined by President and Co-Founder of Uproar PR Mike Harris. Mike brings the kind of hard-earned wisdom you only get from selling an agency. Not once, but twice. 

If you’ve ever wrestled with the idea of letting go of something you built from the ground up, this conversation is going to hit home. Mike takes us behind the scenes of the emotional rollercoaster and the operational grit required to transition out of agency ownership.

He shares the real story behind why he and his co-founder wife made the leap toward strategic acquisition, the blind spots most agency leaders don’t see coming during M&A, and what it really takes to protect your team, your culture, and your momentum when disruption strikes.

Mike’s journey offers a rare inside look at resilience, reinvention, and rethinking success. If you're starting to think about your agency’s next chapter, or want to be ready when that day comes, don’t miss this conversation.

What you will learn in this episode: 

  • The insider view of selling your agency twice, and what makes each experience emotionally and practically different

  • The breaking point in agency growth and how to recognize when it’s time to consider a sale or merger

  • Key financial metrics acquirers look for

  • Why culture and honesty with your team matter most, especially during uncertain transitions

  • How to prepare for due diligence even if a sale seems far away

  • The impact of COVID-19 on agency value and morale

  • Why the right buyers and support team can completely change your future

Bio

Mike Harris is President and Co-Founder of Uproar PR. Founded in 2011, Uproar PR is a consumer and technology public relations agency with offices in New York, San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Miami, and Orlando.

Harris works directly with clients to devise creative, out-of-the-box public relations campaigns. He creates high-level strategy for clients including Planet Fitness, Rakuten, and Delsey Luggage Paris.

Harris is in charge of the strategic direction of the agency. He focuses on helping clients tell their brand stories through an integrated PR campaign centered around the company goals. Harris and his team have regularly garnered coverage for clients on CNN, MSNBC, ABC Nightly News, The Today Show, and a product demonstration on the CBS Show CSI.

Resources:

  • Website: https://uproarpr.com/

  • LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-a828931/

  • LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uproar-by-moburst/

  • Facebook Business: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Uproar-PR/189640744390783

 

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Innovative AgencyBy Sharon Toerek

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

33 ratings


More shows like The Innovative Agency

View all
The Joe Rogan Experience by Joe Rogan

The Joe Rogan Experience

227,821 Listeners

Build a Better Agency Podcast by Drew McLellan

Build a Better Agency Podcast

285 Listeners

Ditching Hourly by Jonathan Stark

Ditching Hourly

54 Listeners

Founders by David Senra

Founders

2,082 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

112,356 Listeners

2Bobs—with David C. Baker and Blair Enns by David C. Baker and Blair Enns

2Bobs—with David C. Baker and Blair Enns

258 Listeners

Up First from NPR by NPR

Up First from NPR

56,420 Listeners

The Indicator from Planet Money by NPR

The Indicator from Planet Money

9,522 Listeners

The Futur with Chris Do by The Futur

The Futur with Chris Do

853 Listeners

The Agency Profit Podcast by Parakeeto, Marcel Petitpas

The Agency Profit Podcast

27 Listeners

Creative Agency Account Manager Podcast by Jenny Plant - Account Management Skills Ltd

Creative Agency Account Manager Podcast

12 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

16,106 Listeners

Agency Business by Brian Wieser and Olivia Morley

Agency Business

1 Listeners