Join Doug Baxter as he explores the philosophy, operations, and future plans of Mindshaker, a creative technology agency in Portugal. Discover how they balance human elements, innovation, and growth while maintaining a deliberate company culture.

key topics

• Agency philosophy and deliberate growth
• Balancing human elements with technology
• Hybrid roles and team culture
• Client collaboration and problem-solving approach
• AI integration and future technology adoption
• Scaling while maintaining company culture
• International expansion within Plus Company network

The conversation explores the journey of Nourish, a specialist food, beverage, and agriculture agency, focusing on demand generation, thought leadership, specialization, business development, and agency growth through M&A. Joanne McArthur, the founder and CEO, shares insights on building a successful agency model and seeking a growth partner through M&A.

Takeaways

• Inbound marketing and demand generation are key for agency growth
• Thought leadership and content strategy contribute to agency positioning and growth
• Specialization and culture play a significant role in agency success
• Adding value and refining business development engine are crucial for agency growth
• Seeking a growth partner through M&A requires careful consideration and staff involvement

Chapters

• 00:00 Demand Generation and Inbound Marketing
• 09:30 Thought Leadership and Content Strategy
• 14:49 Relentless List and Business Development

Stephen Brown has built Fuse Create into one of Canada's leading independent agencies over 23 years — doubled the business in five years, expanded into the US market, and walked away from two serious acquisition conversations along the way. In this episode, Doug Baxter sits down with Stephen to explore the buy-to-build strategy he's now pursuing, why independence is a spirit rather than a status, and what it actually felt like to say no to a deal when everything on paper said yes. A candid conversation about growth, leadership, and building something worth being proud of.

Most agency founders spend years building something valuable without ever stopping to ask what buyers are actually looking for. In this opening episode, Simon Morgan and Doug Baxter lay out the landscape - why the holdco era is fading, what private equity and strategic acquirers really want, and how AI is reshaping every conversation around agency value. They walk through five key drivers that buyers examine when assessing an agency: financial health, founder dependency, client portfolio, positioning, and forward momentum. Honest, practical, and a good place to start if you're thinking about the long game.

In this podcast we reference what match-fit agencies look like. Here is the reference to this. https://agencyfutures.com/insights/how-do-you-know-if-your-agency-is-match-fit