11: How Alan McLaren Scaled Two Agencies, Built a Personal Branding Powerhouse, and Prepped for Exit

Alan McLaren, co-founder of Strata Originals, shares his journey from corporate leadership to entrepreneurial success. In this episode, he reveals how he scaled two marketing agencies, built a powerful personal branding firm, and supports founders preparing for strategic business exits. Alan discusses M&A readiness, founder well-being, and how personal branding plays a crucial role in business growth and exit strategies.

Key Takeaways

• Corporate experience builds foundational skills, but entrepreneurship demands creativity and flexibility.
• Aligning values is critical to sustaining long-term business partnerships.
• Business exits are emotionally complex—founders must prepare mentally, not just financially.
• Personal branding helps founder-CEOs drive visibility, valuation, and thought leadership.
• Successful M&A requires operational performance and expectation management through the entire deal.
• Founders must prioritize health, relationships, and purpose to avoid post-exit burnout.
• Defensible calendars protect time and focus across business and personal priorities.
• Leaders who invest in people—not just transactions—enjoy deeper, lasting success.

Links & Resources

• Alan McLaren

  • www.strataoriginals.com

    LinkedIn - Alan McLaren

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