I joined the Agency Acquisitions & Exits podcast for Episode 28 to walk through the question agency owners ask me most: how do you buy a $3.5M agency starting with a cold email. We get into the structure, the financing, and why most deals fall apart in the people handoff, not the spreadsheet.

From cold email to a $3.5M agency.

Watch the episode on YouTube, then read the full breakdown in my story.

If you are an agency owner weighing an exit, this is the most useful conversation I have put on tape. The full play, deal by deal, is in my story, and if you want to talk through your own, here is how I think about it.

Peter Lang, who runs Digital Agency Business and hosts the Agency Acquisitions & Exits podcast, featured the deal in his breakdown of how I scaled from zero to $3.5M in under a year through programmatic M&A.

From zero to $3.5M in under a year.

Read Peter’s breakdown on LinkedIn. The number gets the headline, but the people side is where these deals live or die, and the founder’s version is in my story.

I sat down with host Greg Kirkham for Media Champions, syndicated across the Daily News Network, YouTube, and Spotify, to talk brand-building and dealmaking.

Be bold but authentic. Great brands aren’t just noticed, they’re remembered.

Watch on Media Champions TV or listen on Spotify.

Greg and I get into the part most people skip: brand is not decoration, it is what makes a company worth buying. That belief runs through everything at Born & Bred and my own deals.

Voyage LA featured the Born & Bred and Born Holdings chapter in its Hidden Gems interview series, tracing the move from PR into brand-building, acquisitions, and holdings.

Read the interview on Voyage LA, or the deal story in my story.

This one captured the shift from running a PR shop to buying and building companies. That arc is the spine of my story.

One of the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made in life has been to blindly chase after success (or fame, fortune, money, achievements). Anytime you want to achieve something, like success, you first need to know deeply what you’re actually trying to get.

To be successful, you need to start with the end in mind and define what success means in business, health, love, family, and life overall. And I mean go deep: create a story, a vision, of what that looks, smells, feels, and tastes like.

My definition of success is flexible and ebbs and flows over time. But one measure is paramount: the answer to a simple question, Am I happy? Happiness, for me, comes from financial security, a healthy body, a curious mind, deep friendships, engaging projects, and committing to audacious goals.

I’m an investor, advisor, and CEO with a passion for helping fellow entrepreneurs achieve their goals. After almost 20 years in digital media and advertising, including roles at Yahoo! and Basis, working with hundreds of agencies, publishers, and platforms and thousands of media and ad executives, I moved into the role of investor.

Today I partner with agency owners as we acquire, merge, and grow businesses, helping legacy owners realize their greatest dreams in an exit. Through a merger or acquisition we can solve most business challenges faster and shave two to five years off the process. But it all requires high trust, strong communication, and some risk-taking.

Read the full interview on CanvasRebel →

GVG Agency proudly celebrates National Coming Out Day, a day commemorating the importance of authenticity. As a certified LGBT Business Enterprise by the NGLCC, our commitment to diversity and inclusivity runs deep, reflected not only in our status but in our client roster, which is as inclusive as our values.

It’s important for everyone to live in their truth, because it is in our unique experiences and identities that we find strength and power. Embracing who we are, regardless of how we identify, contributes to a more compassionate and understanding society. When we live authentically, we inspire others to do the same.

Today, let’s continue to support each other on the journey toward self-discovery and self-acceptance.

By Garrett McClure, CEO at GVG Agency.

Bulldog Reporter (Agility PR) ran the trade announcement when the agency rebranded to GVG, then serving around 400 clients including William Shatner, Lisa Loeb, Caesars Entertainment, and P.F. Chang’s.

Read the announcement on Bulldog Reporter. Earlier, they covered my move into the agency as Chief Strategy Officer.

The rebrand was a milestone, but the bigger story is what it set up next. More on where it led in my story.

(AUSTIN, TX – SEPT. 13, 2023) — Grapevine PR + Consulting, a powerhouse public relations firm with nearly 20 years of awards and recognition for campaigns on behalf of clients such as Hollywood icon William Shatner, Grammy-winning music legend Lisa Loeb, and hundreds of national brands including Caesars Entertainment, P.F. Chang’s, and The Solution, today marks a significant milestone with its transformation into GVG Agency.

Grapevine PR + Consulting is transitioning into GVG Agency, a digital marketing agency committed to brand growth through influencer marketing, innovative paid media, content marketing, SEO, and other digital services, in addition to its award-winning PR strategy. GVG’s focus is redefined, reimagined brand growth for epic brands, including consumer packaged goods, biohacking, celebrities, and high-profile experts.

In addition to the rebrand, the team recently authored the Amazon bestselling business book, Stories That F*cking Matter: Three Pillars of Epic Storytelling to Dominate Media Headlines, Win Clients, and Grow Your Business, featuring a foreword by William Shatner.

GVG Agency, formerly Grapevine PR + Consulting, is poised to lead in influencer marketing, PR, and paid media.

Read the full announcement on Agility PR.

In the ever-evolving realm of digital marketing, a seismic transformation is underway. While mainstream press coverage remains a key factor in growing a brand’s visibility, it’s no longer the sole determinant. Influencers and celebrities are now the gatekeepers to a brand’s success and the catalysts steering them toward uncharted digital riches. One striking example is Quest Nutrition, a brand that has fearlessly and effectively used influencer marketing to forge an empire of athlete-worthy nutrition.

The Evolution of Quest Nutrition

Quest Nutrition began in 2010 when three software-industry titans, Tom Bilyeu, Ron Penna, and Mike Osborn, set out to create something extraordinary: delicious nutrition that wasn’t overloaded with sugar and net carbs. The first Quest Bar, hand-rolled in a kitchen, was a hit among friends and family, and by 2012 it was one of the top-selling protein bars in specialty retailers. The line grew to include Quest Protein Chips and Protein Powder.

In 2015, Quest moved its bars from specialty retailers into mass grocery stores. By 2018 it launched the Quest Protein Cookie, Tortilla Style Protein Chips, and Thin Crust Pizza, giving fans even more ways to enjoy the brand.

Quest Squad: Uniting Fans and Fueling the Journey

In the digital age, a brand’s success isn’t just about its products; it’s about the community it builds. Quest established the Quest Squad, a community of super fans connected through missions, sharing their Quest experiences on social media in exchange for swag, products, and exclusive experiences. That turned loyal customers into brand ambassadors and an army of authentic advocates.

The Power of Influencer Marketing

Quest recognized the paradigm shift and executed a masterful strategy: collaborations with fitness influencers (distributing free bars to influencers who showcased the products), ambassador and affiliate programs that formed long-term relationships, sponsored posts and social takeovers that tapped niche markets, and user-generated content from the Quest Squad that became a powerful testimonial to quality and taste.

Quest’s Remarkable Journey to a Billion Dollars

In 2014, Quest Nutrition ranked No. 2 on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing U.S. companies. Its dedication to quality, innovation, and influencer marketing drove a meteoric rise, and in 2019 it was acquired by Simply Good Foods Co. for $1 billion. Quest’s journey shows how influencer marketing, combined with a passionate community, can propel a brand to stardom.

By Garrett McClure, CEO at GVG Agency.

SWAGGER Magazine ran a feature on the SELFMADE story behind the agency and the book: how the work turned into an instant Amazon #1 bestseller, tripled the team, and built a client waiting list.

Own your f*cking story this year.

Read the full feature on SWAGGER Magazine. The longer version is in my story and in the book.

I keep this one close because it caught the through-line early: own your story before someone else writes it for you. It is the same idea the book is built on, and the same instinct behind the agency I bought.