Agency acquisitions with Liam O'Leary
I've bought two. I'm always happy to talk.
I've acquired two agencies, Spiral Media in 2018 and POP Branding Agency in 2025. Both teams stayed and both are still going strong. If you're thinking about selling, merging, or just what comes next for you and your business, I'd like to hear about it. No broker, no deck, no pressure.
Track record
Spiral Media, 2018
Our first acquisition. Spiral Media brought extra team capacity and clients we still work with today. We ran it as its own brand for two years before bringing everything under Laser Red.
POP Branding Agency, 2025
Nick Whyatt spent 18 years building POP. We structured a deal that kept the best of what he'd built and brought him into the team as our Creative Client Manager.
I spent 18 years building my boutique agency, POP, from nothing to a business working with nationally and internationally recognised brands, plus a wide range of SMEs. It was critical to me that if I sold it, it had to be to someone that shared the same values as my staff and myself. We had an unhurried negotiation window and Liam spent a lot of time listening to me, what I wanted from the deal and what the future could hold for integrating POP into Laser Red. Six months in and the process has been smoother than I anticipated. I've had support when needed from the whole team, and my new role allows me to focus on the client work and relationships I find most rewarding.
Fit
The process
I'm not a private equity firm. I don't have a three-year exit plan or aggressive return targets. I'm a fellow agency owner who's bought two businesses and integrated them carefully. I won't be able to match the multiples a big roll-up might offer, but I also won't gut your business six months after the deal.
FAQs
Typically smaller agencies, up to around 20 people. I'm flexible for the right fit.
Lincolnshire, the East Midlands and Yorkshire suit us best, but I'll look further afield for the right business.
No. I prefer talking directly with the owner. It keeps things simpler, and there are no broker fees coming out of your sale.
Anywhere from three to twelve months from first chat to signed deal. The early part is all conversation, no paperwork.
In both acquisitions, the teams stayed. Good people are the reason you buy an agency in the first place.
Not necessarily. Some owners want to step away, some want to stay involved. Nick chose to stay and now works on the client side at Laser Red. Either way, we'd agree a handover that looks after your clients and your team.
It depends on what makes sense. Spiral Media ran as its own brand for two years before fully merging. POP continues as a sister brand. We'd decide together.
It comes down to things like profit, recurring revenue, how spread out your clients are, and how much the business depends on you. I'll be realistic and I'll explain how I got to a number.
Every deal is different. Usually it's a mix of an upfront payment and further payments over an agreed period. We'd shape it around what you need.
Yes. If combining makes more sense than a straight sale, I'm open to it.
Yes. Not to sell. To know who you'd sell to when the time is right.
That's fine. Plenty of my conversations with agency owners stay as advice. See how advice works
Nothing for the first chat. If we go further, I'll ask for accounts and an overview of your clients and team, all under NDA.
Yes. Everything stays between us. I won't share anything you tell me without your permission.
Confidential
Everything stays between us. Email me and it comes straight to me.