27: Struggling With Niching? How Erik Olson Used SEO and Structure to Scale 3 Agencies

Written By Bruce Eckfeldt
Erik Olson

Erik J. Olson, CEO ​of Array Digital & Rival Digital

What does it take to build a portfolio of digital agencies ready for private equity? In this episode of From Angel to Exit, host Bruce Eckfeldt sits down with Erik J. Olson, founder and CEO of Array Digital, Rival Digital, and Crush Digital, to uncover the strategic thinking behind building a sellable agency platform.

Erik started his career in civil engineering before self-teaching software development, launching a tech firm, and eventually pivoting into digital marketing. Frustrated by clients not using the software his team built, he realized marketing held more business value—and quickly immersed himself in learning the ropes. In 2018, he made a bold pivot, turning his software agency into a marketing firm.

Now, Erik runs three successful agencies focused on distinct verticals: law firms (Array), home services (Rival), and medical practices (Crush). Each has its own president and operations, while Erik leads at the platform level through Proxa Brands—a holding company built with a private equity exit in mind.

He shares how he reduces risk while niching, the playbook he uses to launch new agencies, and the key metrics private equity firms care about: recurring revenue (91%), retained ARR (83%), and process standardization. He also dives into the difference between organic growth vs. acquisitions and how he’s preparing his leadership team for a future sale.

Whether you're a founder, agency owner, or scaling a service business, this episode is packed with strategic, actionable insights on platform building, M&A prep, and scalable operations—all within the broader theme of building a business that’s actually worth buying.

Key Takeaways

  • Pivoted from software development to digital marketing after discovering greater long-term value in recurring services.

  • Built three niche-focused agencies with distinct brands to balance risk and maximize focus.

  • Developed a repeatable playbook to launch new agencies: leader + niche + first customer.

  • 91% of current revenue is recurring—key for private equity interest.

  • Created Proxa Brands as the platform-level entity to unify and eventually exit the portfolio.

  • Plans to grow via both organic launches and targeted acquisitions of $500K–$1M agencies.

  • Implemented strong process automation (e.g., Asana templates, Zapier) to streamline onboarding and operations.

  • Culture and post-sale leadership retention are essential in structuring for a PE-ready business.

Contact Information:

Bruce Eckfeldt
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26: How to Sell the Same Company Twice — And Exit With More Every Time