RALEIGH, N.C. - eTradeWire -- Nautical Advisory partners Matt Cox and Robert Owen recently participated in a Forbes Agency Council webinar focused on how marketing agency owners can better understand what buyers look for and prepare their companies well before a potential sale.

The October 7 session, "Build the Agency Buyers Want to Buy," drew  agency CEOs and founders from across the United States and abroad.

The discussion was moderated by David Chapman, founder of 919 Marketing, who built and sold his agency and later helped lead the acquisition of three additional marketing firms.

Cox and Owen discussed how buyers evaluate agencies, the factors that can affect valuation, how owners can determine whether their businesses are ready for a sale, and what can be addressed several years before a transaction that may be difficult to change once a sale process has begun.

Topics included client concentration, recurring revenue, differentiation, management depth, scalability and the degree to which a business can operate without being overly dependent on its founder.

More on eTradeWire News

• Dr. Latorial Faison Appointed Poet Laureate of Virginia
• Sparta Services Named to CRN's 2026 AI Innovators List
• 5th Annual Holidays In The Village, A European Marketplace Expands to Two Days
• AdLeverage Brings Golf Simulator Contest and Home Services Marketing Expertise to Service World Expo 2026
• Fairhope Home Prices Rise Despite Fewer Sales in 2026

"Owners don't have to wait until they're ready to sell to understand what buyers will care about," Cox said. "If you know where the gaps are three years out, you still have time to do something about them."

The webinar also examined why agencies with similar levels of earnings can receive very different valuations depending on the quality and characteristics of the underlying business.

One theme surfaced repeatedly during the discussion: many of the changes that can make an agency more attractive to a future buyer can also make it a stronger business for its current owner.

A recording of the webinar is available through the Forbes Councils YouTube channel.

Watch the full discussion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ridzFdKziqw



About Nautical Advisory

Nautical Advisory provides investment banking and advisory services to founder- and family-owned businesses. The firm works with business owners on mergers and acquisitions, capital transactions and other strategic financial matters.

Investment Banking for Business Owners
See your business through the eyes of the market.

Media Contact
Matt Cox
Nautical Advisory

matt.cox@nautical-advisory.com

(843) 209-6582

www.nautical-advisory.com