Most founders grow by effort. The smart ones grow by acquisition.

In this episode of The Deal Playbook Podcast, I sat down with Robert Glazer, founder of Acceleration Partners, a 300-person global performance marketing firm that scaled 20–30% a year for a decade and turned into a true acquisition platform.

Bob built a real business with real systems, then partnered with private equity and used M&A to accelerate growth. But the reason I brought him on isn't the highlight reel, it's because he’s one of the few operators who tells the truth about valuation, timing, and what actually determines the outcome of a deal.

Most founders get this wrong. They confuse a P&L with a bank account. They wait for the “perfect year.” They misread the market. And by the time they’re ready to sell, the window has already closed.

Bob breaks it down with clarity and data:

• When to sell and when you’re lying to yourself
• How private equity really values a business
• Why consolidation forces you to choose: roller, roll-in, or get rolled
• The simple mistakes that torpedo deals (family lawyers, fantasy multiples, hiding issues)
• How to structure deals that close now and true-up later
• Why AI won’t replace agencies but will replace agency roles

He also shares the founder's reality almost no one talks about: when 99% of your wealth sits in one illiquid asset, your “wait another year” strategy is actually a risk strategy, and a dangerous one.

If you’re growing a business, thinking about acquisitions, preparing for a sale, or trying to build a platform instead of a practice, this conversation will give you the clarity, frameworks, and mindset to play offense.

This is the episode I wish every founder listened to before stepping into a negotiation.