How Agency Owners Can Maximize Their Exit Strategies, with David Tobin

David Tobin is the Founder and Managing Partner of TobinLeff, an M&A advisory and exit planning consulting firm with a mission to help business owners maximize and monetize their life’s work.

David and the team at TobinLeff have worked with well over 200 companies to develop exit plans, sell to strategic and financial buyers, and build value via strategic acquisitions. He has been a Board member with multiple nonprofit organizations including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Homeless Children’s Education Fund.

In this episode of The Progressive Agency Podcast, we welcome David Tobin, Founder and Managing Partner of Tobin & Company M&A Advisory. David shares his expertise on exit planning and selling businesses, particularly for agency owners. 

David discusses the importance of selling from a position of strength, emphasizing the benefits of advance planning and preparation. He explains the differences between selling to strategic buyers, financial buyers, and internal management teams, outlining typical deal structures and valuations for each. 

He provides practical advice on managing a business to ensure a lucrative exit. He highlights key value drivers such as strong profit margins, demonstrable growth plans, and a unique value proposition.

What you will learn in this episode:

• How an agency owner can prepare to sell their business from a position of strength
• The most common questions from buyers
• The difference between financial, strategic, and internal buyers
• Internal vs. external sales and what to expect in each scenario
• How an ESOP works
• Managing your business today to ensure a lucrative exit
• Discovering your unique value proposition
• Adjusting EBITDA to benefit the buyer

• Website: https://tobinleff.com/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-tobin-120658184/
• Linkedin Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tobinleff-llc/
• 7 Best Practices for Managing for a Rewarding Exit: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EN7nzLAQD07EmOweoEC8kA7CTiT5Uumd/view?usp=drive_link
• Questions Buyers Typically Ask: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AoiK_S6wNrWX91Z5ppKfBxPvP99DNADL/view?usp=drive_link