An independent six-week assessment for founder-led agencies that want to build a stronger, more valuable and more transferable business.
The Agency Exit Readiness Audit gives you an honest, independent assessment of where your agency stands today, what could limit its future value and what should be strengthened to build a more resilient business.
ADVISOR & NON-EXECUTIVE SUPPORT
Real-world experience. Not just advice.
I work with founders and leadership teams as a trusted advisor – bringing perspective from building, scaling and exiting a business myself.
There is no shortage of advisors
But many have never actually built and sold a business themselves.
I have.
From bootstrapping, to scaling, to exit – and through the reality of an earn-out.
That experience shapes how I support founders today.
MY EXPERIENCE
Before EKTE Vision, I built and scaled Verve Search, one of Europe’s leading SEO and digital PR agencies.
Bootstrapped from scratch
Built a 50+ person team
Sold to Omnicom Media Group in 2017
Stayed on as CEO through the earn-out period until January 2021.
I didn’t have a co-founder or non-executive.
And while I had an M&A team supporting the transaction, I brought Omnicom to the table myself.
I’ve lived the full journey – from growth to exit, and everything that comes after.
BEYOND THE EXIT
Not every founder should sell.
And even when they do, it isn’t always the outcome they expect.
One of the biggest mistakes I see is founders optimising for what seems like the obvious next step – rather than what they actually want.
That might be:
Growth at all costs
Preparing for exit
Or following a path that looks right externally
My role is to help you step back and ask:
→ What are you actually building?
→ What do you want from it?
→ And what does success really look like for you?
Because the “right” decision isn’t always the most financially obvious one.
WHAT I BRING AS AN ADVISOR
This isn’t theoretical advice.
It’s grounded in real experience of:
Scaling a business from zero
Building teams and leadership structures
Preparing for and navigating an exit
Managing due diligence and negotiations
And leading through an earn-out inside a global network
I understand not just how to sell a business – but what it takes to live through the reality of it.
HOW I WORK
I typically work with founders and leadership teams as a:
Strategic advisor
Non-executive voice
Sounding board for key decisions
This might involve:
Regular advisory sessions
Ongoing strategic input
Or a more formal non-executive role
But the core of the work is the same:
→ helping you make clearer, more intentional decisions at the moments that matter.
WHO THIS IS FOR
This work is most relevant for founders who are:
Scaling and facing more complex decisions
Considering growth, investment or exit
Preparing for a potential sale
Or navigating the reality of post-sale leadership
And who want perspective from someone who has actually been through it.
Working with founders and leadership teams to transform your business, while navigating the challenges I faced while bootstrapping, scaling and selling my own business.
Whereas some advisors tell you what you want to hear, I’ll tell you what you need to hear – challenging you to bring about the transformation your business needs.
What you get:
Real-world experience
Neuroscience-led insights
Proprietary frameworks to accelerate growth and unlock value.
Lisa… has played a crucial role in helping me stabilise both myself as a professional, my business and HiveMCR. She understands the nuances of neurodivergence, burnout and the pressures of juggling work and family life, and she brings that understanding into every conversation. If you’re struggling or trying to level up, getting a mentor like Lisa isn’t a cost, it’s an investment in yourself.
Charlie Whitworth, Founder at Whitworth - The Authentic SEO Company
Lisa… has played a crucial role in helping me stabilise both myself as a professional, my business and HiveMCR. She understands the nuances of neurodivergence, burnout and the pressures of juggling work and family life, and she brings that understanding into every conversation. If you’re struggling or trying to level up, getting a mentor like Lisa isn’t a cost, it’s an investment in yourself.
Charlie Whitworth, Founder at Whitworth - The Authentic SEO Company
