Inorganic Podcast

Who's Going to Pay $1B+ for a Scaled Independent Agency? | In/Organic Ep. 53 The question every banker, founder, and PE partner is asking right now — and we used Clay to actually answer it. Christian used Clay to run a full analysis of the Forrester Commerce Services Wave Q1 2026 and map out which players have both the strategic rationale AND the balance sheet to acquire a scaled independent. The...

Summary In this episode, Azim Nagree, head of M&A at Herringbone Digital, shares insights on building a successful origination engine, the importance of early and honest communication in M&A, and how agencies can prepare for sale by focusing on retention, growth, and profitability. Takeaways Open and honest conversations early in the process streamline deals. Retention rate of 80% is a key...

In this episode, Yannick Lorenz uncovers his remarkable transition from building Shadow Digital to leading Vesa Digital’s aggressive M&A and growth strategy. He talks openly about the ups and downs of agency life, the importance of building a sellable business, and stepping into a strategic role in acquisitions—all fueled by lessons learned the hard way. Key Topics: How Yannick built Shadow Di...

In this episode, we explore the rising influence of AI in marketing agencies, the implications of tech-forward agency models, and recent high-profile acquisitions like Grapevine AI. Discover how private equity and Silicon Valley are reshaping agency valuations, deal structures, and the future of the industry. Key Topics The emergence of AI-native agencies as highlighted by Y Combinator's 2026 requ...

In this episode of the Inorganic Podcast, hosts Christian Hassold and Ayelet Shipley are joined by Travis Johnson, co-founder and Global CEO of Podean, to talk about the incredible story behind the one of the rising star Amazon and marketplace retail media agencies, which is now backed by Mountiangate. The conversation explores the origin of Podean, their successful search for private equity backe...

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 r...

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, an...

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 co...

In this episode of the Inorganic Podcast, co-host Ayelet Shipley interviews Carrie Kerpen, a pioneer in social media and co-founder of Likeable Media. They discuss Carrie's journey from starting a social media agency to successfully exiting the business. Carrie shares insights on the importance of profitability, setting exit goals, choosing the right M&A advisor, and negotiating earn-outs. She...

Summary In this episode of the Inorganic Podcast, co-hosts Christian Hassold and Ayelet Shipley chat with Chloe Cotoulas, Partner at Everos Group and an investment banker with a diverse background in advertising and finance. On this episode they discuss Chloe's unique career path, the evolution of holdcos in the advertising industry, and the impact of market trends on large-scale independent agenc...

In this episode, co-hosts Ayelet Shipley and Christian Hassold discuss WPromote's acquisition of Giant Spoon. They delve into the intricacies of the acquisition process, emphasizing the importance of trust and the contributions of a strong deal team. The conversation also touches on market reactions to the acquisition and the importance of post-merger integration planning. The hosts conclude with...

Summary In this episode of the In/organic Podcast, co-host Christian Hassold shares insights from the KPMG Technology M&A Conference, discussing the current landscape of mergers and acquisitions, particularly in the tech sector. In this episode, Christian shares highlights from the conference, including the pervasive influence of AI on M&A decisions, the challenges and opportunities presen...

Summary In this episode of the Inorganic Podcast, co-hosts Ayelet Shipley and Christian Hassold welcome Brian Burt, founder & CEO of Canopy Management. In this episode, we discuss Brian's entrepreneurial journey, with an emphasis on his principles for building the business and expanding through highly accretive tuck-in M&A transactions. Brian also shares the importance of cultural fit in s...

Summary On this episode of the Inorganic Podcast, co-hosts Christian Hassold and Ayelet Shipley are joined by guest Jeff Cohen, newly minted Chief Business Development Officer of Skai, former Principal Evangelist for Amazon Ads, and in general a seasoned operator with an extensive background in commerce and tech. In this episode, the hosts and guest explore the current state and future vision of o...

Summary In this episode of the In/organic Podcat, co-hosts Christian Hassold and Ayelet Shipley welcome guest Matt Bodnar, founder and managing partner at Eidolon Capital. Matt is a business owner and investor with substantial experience using M&A as a lever to acquire and grow businesses. In this episode, Matt discusses how he has leveraged his intellectual interest in valuations and deal str...

Summary In this episode of the Inorganic Podcast, co-hosts Ayelet Shipley and Christian Hassold discuss the complexities of earnouts in agency acquisitions in the context of discussions covered at DealCon 2025. In this episode, Ayelet and Christian explore the reasons earnouts are used, the difficulties in negotiating them, and the importance of maintaining operational control and alignment betwee...

Summary This conversation explores the insights and experiences gained at DealCon, an event focused on agency founders and owners looking to grow through mergers and acquisitions (M&A). The speakers discuss the importance of understanding the intricacies of deal-making, the role of capital in acquisitions, and the dynamics of cultural integration. They also touch on the common feelings of impo...

In this episode of the Inorganic Podcast, Co-host Christian Hassold provides a follow-up on episode 29, correcting the previously reported details on the planned acquisition of Acculinks by Verisk. He explains that Acculinks, a 165-person company specializing in rooftop estimation software, will be acquired for $2.35 billion. Despite initial confusion about the high purchase price, Hassold reveals...

In this episode of the Inorganic Podcast, co-host Christian Hassold provides an explainer for episode 33, which discussed the acquisition of 1WorldSync by Syndigo. In this explainer episode, he gives a detailed explanation of what both of the companies do, including their important role in syndicating content to product detail pages (often referred to as PDP's). In addition, he explains the differ...

Summary In this episode, co-hosts Ayelet Shipley and Christian Hassold welcome guests Erik Morton, former EVP of Corporate Development for Rithum (formerly CommerceHub & ChannelAdvisor), and Chris Barnes, former SVP of Corporate Development for Syndigo, to discuss the announced acquisition of 1WorldSync by Syndigo. In this episode, the guests discuss the origin of both Syndigo and 1WorldSync,...

Summary In this episode of the Inorganic Podcast, hosts Christian Hassold and Ayelet Shipley, along with guest Anthony Costanzo, delve into the topic of becoming a “platform”, that is, an agency that becomes the foundational business for additional add-ons to expand service offerings or grow into new client categories. They discuss the characteristics of successful platforms, including company beh...

Summary In this episode of the Inorganic Podcast, co-hosts Christian Hassold and Ayelet Shipley discuss the critical aspects of preparing an agency for sale. They explore the importance of understanding sellability, the perspectives of both buyers and sellers, and the traits that make a business attractive to potential buyers. The conversation emphasizes the need for operational excellence, financ...

Summary In this episode, co-hosts Ayelet Shipley and Christian Hassold discuss the latest trends in digital agency M&A, focusing on recently announced deals, including Accenture's acquisition of Superdigital, Podean’s acquisition of Commerce Canal with backing from Mountiangate, Impact XM’s acquisition of Shelton Flemingand, and Gravity Global's acquisition of Marketing Doctor. As a part of th...

Summary In this episode of the Inorganic Podcast, Christian Hassold discusses five notable acquisitions in SaaS, specifically those where larger companies acquired smaller or earlier-stage companies. As a part of this discussion, Christian highlights deal values (announced and speculated), the industrial logic of acquirers, and other key details surrounding the acquisitions. Acquisitions Covered V...

Summary In this episode of the Inorganic Podcast, hosts Ayelet Shipley and Christian Hassold, co-hosts of the In/organic Podcast, discuss the current state of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the agency sector, focusing on Q2 activity. They explore market trends, deal multiples, notable acquisitions, and the importance of strategic fit in the current M&A landscape. The conversation also t...