{"id":114,"date":"2026-03-24T15:43:48","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T15:43:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.herringbonedigital.com\/blog\/?p=114"},"modified":"2026-06-09T17:05:23","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T17:05:23","slug":"post-19-of-24-misconceptions-about-private-equity-buyers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.herringbonedigital.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/24\/post-19-of-24-misconceptions-about-private-equity-buyers\/","title":{"rendered":"Post #19 of 24 \u2013 Misconceptions About Private Equity Buyers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This is my favorite topic and one that I have been speaking about.

If you\u2019re an agency owner, chances are the phrase \u201cprivate equity<\/a>\u201d triggers one of two reactions:

\ud83d\udcad \u201cThey\u2019re ruthless \u2014 they\u2019ll gut my company for profits.\u201d
\ud83d\udcad \u201cThey only care about spreadsheets, not people.\u201d

It\u2019s one of the most persistent misconceptions I hear from founders \u2014 and one of the biggest opportunities they overlook.
Because while some PE firms deserve that reputation, many don\u2019t.

1\ufe0f\u20e3 What private equity actually does
Private equity firms don\u2019t buy companies just to slash costs and resell them.
They invest capital, resources, and expertise to build value over a 3\u20137 year period to achieve it\u2019s sustainable growth. That’s what creates value.

That means helping agencies improve operations, build leadership depth, modernize tech stacks, and cross-sell services across portfolios.

2\ufe0f\u20e3 \u201cThey\u2019ll take over my business.\u201d
Not necessarily.
Most PE investors want founders to stay. They know your relationships, your culture, and your expertise are what make the agency valuable.
They don\u2019t want to replace you \u2014 they want to amplify you.
You bring the creative vision; they bring scale, systems, and capital.
It\u2019s a partnership \u2014 not a takeover.

3\ufe0f\u20e3 \u201cThey\u2019ll force us into cookie-cutter corporate culture.\u201d
Again \u2014 not true for most modern PE firms in the digital marketing space.
The smart ones know that creativity, autonomy, and brand identity are what make agencies thrive.

In many cases, they protect your brand and independence, while adding back-office support (finance, HR, legal, operations) to make your life easier.
The best PE groups act like architects, not bulldozers \u2014 building on your foundation rather than tearing it down.

4\ufe0f\u20e3 Why it\u2019s worth keeping an open mind
Private equity is one of the main engines driving agency M&A right now.
If you rule them out entirely, you might miss your best-fit partner.

Yes, you still need to do diligence on them: talk to other founders they\u2019ve invested in, ask how they handle post-acquisition<\/a> life, and understand their fund timeline.

But don\u2019t assume \u201cPE\u201d automatically means \u201cbad.\u201d Some of the happiest founders I know sold to PE-backed platforms. Ask Jason Hennessey<\/a>.

So before you dismiss the idea, remember: not all private equity firms are created equal.

The right one can give you the financial<\/a> backing, strategic firepower, and operational support to take your agency further than you ever imagined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact us\u00a0<\/a>if you\u2019re and agency owner and have considered selling or joining something bigger.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is my favorite topic and one that I have been speaking about. If you\u2019re an agency owner, chances are the phrase \u201cprivate equity\u201d triggers one of two reactions: \ud83d\udcad \u201cThey\u2019re ruthless \u2014 they\u2019ll gut my company for profits.\u201d\ud83d\udcad \u201cThey only care about spreadsheets, not people.\u201d It\u2019s one of the most persistent misconceptions I hear […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-private-equity"],"yoast_head":"\nMisconceptions About Private Equity Buyers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Private equity buyers aren't out to gut your agency. 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