Sarah Patterson

Certified M&A and Exit Board Advisor

Helping agencies scale through strategic roll-ups and exit planning.

About Sarah

I've been a Fractional CFO for agencies for the past 15 years, and I'm passionate about supporting founders so they can flourish. I believe the ones doing M&A (the right way) are the ones with the highest potential for flourishing.

I'm driven by the ability to have a massive impact in the lives of founders, the people who work in their agencies, and those who work for their acquired agencies. I believe that programmatic M&A done with integrity and in the zone of fairness creates not only a win/win for all but also unlocks enterprise value growth that is transformational on so many levels.

I graduated with a degree in Finance from UConn, became a Financial Analyst at Fidelity Investments, and then moved into private equity, where I spent 4 years as an Asset Manager. Those were my Boston corporate years, which I fled at the age of 30 to travel the world and dance tango for 18 months.

After that, I started consulting, which quickly morphed into the Fractional CFO role, finding my niche in agencies early on. I've found agency founders to be professionals who are an uncanny combination of intelligent, curious, interesting, multi-talented, feisty, rebellious, and kind.

Specialties

Roll-up Strategy

Negotiating

Deal Structuring

Post-merger Integration

Due Diligence

Design Firms

DTC Marketing

Post-Acquisition Integration

Roll-up Strategy

SBA Financing

Creative Deal Structures

Exit Preparation

Creative Agencies

Design Firms

DTC Marketing

Post-Acquisition Integration

Who Sarah Works Best With

Agency founders doing $3m–$30m fee income who want to scale without losing control of quality, culture, or cashflow

Owner-operators looking to grow through acquisitions, integration, and smarter operating models

Founders preparing for investment or an exit who want to improve value, resilience, and deal readiness

First-time acquirers who need practical support on sourcing, diligence, valuation, earn-outs, and negotiation

Serial acquirers building a programmatic M&A engine, including governance, incentives, and post-deal integration

Leadership teams who want direct, candid input from someone who has sat on both sides of the table with boards, PE firms, and lenders

How We Can Work Together

1:1 Advisory

High-touch, execution-first support as you build and run your acquisition strategy. You get direct access to Sarah for deal screening, structure, negotiation posture, and next-step clarity.

$150,000K/year

M&A Mastery Course

Get the full course and the guidance to apply it. You’ll move through the curriculum with structured check-ins, live support calls, and direct help connecting the dots so you don’t get stuck in “information mode.”

$9,700

M&A Mastermind

Weekly accountability + a room of serious agency owners working toward the same goal: buying businesses and building a holdco. You’ll get ongoing guidance, peer feedback, and consistent execution pressure.

$55,000/year

FAQ

When should I bring an advisor in?

Earlier than you think. The best time is before you send an LOI or spend money on full diligence — when structure, risk, and deal momentum are still in your control. If you already have a live deal, we can jump in immediately and triage what matters most first.

What does advisory include?

Typically: weekly calls, live deal reviews, document/LOI feedback, diligence prioritization (so you don’t burn time and fees), negotiation prep, and integration planning. You’ll also get access to DAB tools/templates and referrals to the right specialists (legal, tax, lending) when needed.

How is working with M&A & Exit Board Advisor different from other advisors?

You’re not just getting advice, you’re getting an execution system. We use the Lang acquisition methodology, templates, and a repeatable process to help you move from strategy → outreach → LOI → diligence → close, with an integration plan that protects EBITDA. The goal is speed with discipline — not “learning M&A,” but building the capability to do deals.

How do we get started?

Apply on this page. We’ll schedule a discovery call to understand your goals, your current situation, and whether advisory is the right next step (or whether you’d be better served by the course/community first).

Ready to work together?

Apply below and we'll schedule a discovery call to discuss your goals.

Apply to Work With Sarah

Apply to work with Sarah