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308. Agency M&A – A Seller’s Journey, with Mike Harris

The Innovative Agency

Release Date: 07/30/2025

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Today on The Innovative Agency Podcast Sharon Toerek is joined by President and Co-Founder of Uproar PR Mike Harris. Mike brings the kind of hard-earned wisdom you only get from selling an agency. Not once, but twice. 

If you’ve ever wrestled with the idea of letting go of something you built from the ground up, this conversation is going to hit home. Mike takes us behind the scenes of the emotional rollercoaster and the operational grit required to transition out of agency ownership.

He shares the real story behind why he and his co-founder wife made the leap toward strategic acquisition, the blind spots most agency leaders don’t see coming during M&A, and what it really takes to protect your team, your culture, and your momentum when disruption strikes.

Mike’s journey offers a rare inside look at resilience, reinvention, and rethinking success. If you're starting to think about your agency’s next chapter, or want to be ready when that day comes, don’t miss this conversation.

What you will learn in this episode: 

  • The insider view of selling your agency twice, and what makes each experience emotionally and practically different

  • The breaking point in agency growth and how to recognize when it’s time to consider a sale or merger

  • Key financial metrics acquirers look for

  • Why culture and honesty with your team matter most, especially during uncertain transitions

  • How to prepare for due diligence even if a sale seems far away

  • The impact of COVID-19 on agency value and morale

  • Why the right buyers and support team can completely change your future

Bio

Mike Harris is President and Co-Founder of Uproar PR. Founded in 2011, Uproar PR is a consumer and technology public relations agency with offices in New York, San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Miami, and Orlando.

Harris works directly with clients to devise creative, out-of-the-box public relations campaigns. He creates high-level strategy for clients including Planet Fitness, Rakuten, and Delsey Luggage Paris.

Harris is in charge of the strategic direction of the agency. He focuses on helping clients tell their brand stories through an integrated PR campaign centered around the company goals. Harris and his team have regularly garnered coverage for clients on CNN, MSNBC, ABC Nightly News, The Today Show, and a product demonstration on the CBS Show CSI.

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