32: How Founder Complacency Kills Value—and What Scott Allison Did Differently

Scott Allison, Co-founder, Allison Marketing

In this insightful episode of From Angel to Exit, Bruce Eckfeldt sits down with Scott Allison, co-founder of Allison Marketing, to unpack the growth decisions, strategic acquisitions, and mindset shifts that took his company from a $3K bank balance to a $100M global agency.

Scott shares his unconventional origin story—from reluctant entrepreneur to accidental CEO—after launching his firm in the shadow of 9/11. What began with a napkin sketch became a 52-office enterprise through relentless commitment to growth, a powerful co-founder dynamic, and strategic M&A moves.

He dives deep into the difference between scaling from $25M to $100M, emphasizing the shift from generalists to specialists and the critical timing of leadership transitions. He also shares how founder complacency can quietly kill scalability—and how his partnership with Andy Hardy Brown kept their foot on the gas.

On the acquisition side, Scott gives a transparent look into his buy-side strategy—from U.S. acquihires to multimillion-dollar international deals—and the hard truths about valuations, deal fatigue, and post-close integration.

Perhaps most powerfully, Scott reflects on the emotional side of stepping out of the CEO seat, including how his wife’s honest feedback prompted a reevaluation and graceful exit from the business. Now focused on storytelling, mentoring founders, and launching a film production company, Scott’s story is a compelling blueprint for scaling with purpose and exiting on your own terms.

This episode is a must-listen for founder-CEOs exploring M&A, exit readiness, or what comes next.

Key Takeaways

• Engage a deal-specific lawyer early—ideally 12+ months before selling.

• Build a diligence-ready data room well in advance of marketing the company.

• Always know your walkaway point—emotionally and financially—before starting negotiations.

• Earnouts are risky; structure clear terms or avoid them entirely.

• Get clarity on whether the deal will be structured as an asset or equity sale.

• Use rep and warranty insurance to minimize post-close liability.

• Align internal deal team and external advisors around clear objectives and must-haves.

• Plan early for what comes after the exit—professionally and personally.

Contact Information:

• allisoncommunications@gmail.com