BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Punctuation - ECPv6.16.2//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://punctuation.com
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Punctuation
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20220313T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20221106T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20230312T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20231105T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20240310T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20241103T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250109T083000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250110T143000
DTSTAMP:20260607T005404
CREATED:20241008T175015Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241008T175015Z
UID:10000017-1736411400-1736519400@punctuation.com
SUMMARY:Pipeline Kickstarter (2025)
DESCRIPTION:Okay\, 2024 hasn’t shaped up exactly like you were hoping it would. You could hire those Punctuation folks to work with you individually in a New Business Audit for $18k\, but you need quicker and cheaper answers. Plus\, you want to do it with peers. \nJoin us for a pop-up seminar\, then\, and explore the same three things: positioning\, service offering design\, and lead gen. You may very well get everything you need to make 2025 kick ass. If you need some individualized help\, you can tack on some individual help\, after the event\, where we’ll apply this specifically to you. But only if you need it. \nTiming\nStarts at 8:30a on Thursday\, January 9. If that’s too early\, you aren’t serious about solving this. So arrive the night before. We’ll facilitate attendees getting together for drinks/dinner (via a WhatsApp group). We’ll meet through 3:30p the first day and then have an open bar before open groups gather for dinner and celebrate or commiserate or both. \nSecond day (Friday\, January 10) will go from 8:30 to 2:30p\, and then you’re free to fly back home and put some distance between your firm and any competitors who didn’t come. \nDetailed agenda to come\, but essentially we’ll work through the topics below. \nAgenda\n\nQuick Assessment of Your Current Positioning\nTests We’ll Use to Evaluate Your New One\nVertical vs. Horizontal: the Pros/Cons\nDefining a Qualified Client: Keeping ICP as a North Star\nHow to Articulate Your New Positioning\nWhat Your New Positioning Does (and Does Not) Mean for Current Clients\nThe Three Eternal Principles of Service Offering Design\nStarting Relationships w/ Diagnostics or Roadmaps\nAligning Your Offerings As a Fixed Prix Menu Rather than a Cafeteria\nSticking Around Forever Without the Client Resenting It\nHow Many New Clients Do You Need\nCrafting the Right Mix of the Four Big Options to Surface Opportunity\nArriving At a Simple\, Specific Plan that Fits Your Personality\n\nWhat To Expect\nExpect no more than 32 people\, all principals (i.e.\, decision makers). Less lecture and more useful\, guided discussion. As much relationship-building as you want\, or time to think without interruptions. Fearless raising of all the critical decisions\, honest feedback on your courage or wimpiness\, and “glass half full” encouragement to solve this. \nFine Print\nYou’ll get as much out of this as you put in it. There will be a few things for you to do beforehand\, and you’ll get lots of questions answered at the event. But no follow-up or personalized advice/feedback is included. That will be available if you need it\, but this isn’t designed as a “hold your hand at every turn” sort of event\, but rather a kickstarter from someone who has most of the answers and who loves you.
URL:https://punctuation.com/event/pipeline-kickstarter-2025/
LOCATION:Monday Night Garage\, 933 Lee St\, Atlanta\, GA\, 30310\, United States
CATEGORIES:Seminar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cdn.punctuation.com/uploads/2023/12/punctuation.finally.fixing.our_.positioning.and_.lead_.gen_.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20241203
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20241205
DTSTAMP:20260607T005404
CREATED:20240710T144645Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240710T144645Z
UID:10000015-1733184000-1733356799@punctuation.com
SUMMARY:Succession Planning: Valuation and Your Exit via Internal Transfer\, Merger/Acquisition
DESCRIPTION:Seminar Synopsis\n\n\n\nWe are thrilled to be able to reprise our Succession Planning seminar on December 3-4 in Atlanta\, focused on valuation and your exit via internal transfer\, merger\, or acquisition. This year’s seminar will maintain an intimate format (limited to 35 agency principals\, with plenty of networking opportunities. \nWe are bringing in an outside perspective to bolster our content in the form of Chris Handy. He has gone through the process of selling his agency and is now helping to build the agency towards another exit. His bio is below. \nThe content we cover is hard to find elsewhere\, particularly for the marketing and creative industry. If you’re even remotely considering a sale at some point\, we hope you’ll join us. You’ll walk away with valuable information\, contacts\, and (hopefully) more direction. \n\n\n\nTiming\n\n\n\nDecember 3-4 2024. We will end with lunch on Wednesday. Optional networking and socializing events will be scheduled Tuesday afternoon and evening. \n\n\n\nLocation\n\n\n\nMonday Night Garage in Atlanta\, GA \n\n\n\nPrice\n\n\n\n$2\,300 per attendee. \n\n\n\nAgenda (subject to change)\n\n\n\nTuesday\, December 3\n\n\n\n\n08:30a Registration and Coffee\n\n\n\n09:00a Introductions\n09:30a When and why succession surfaces\n\n\n\n10:00a What is your firm worth? Valuation theory and real-time application to your firm\n\n\n\n12:00p Networking Lunch\n\n\n\n01:00p What are your options? Buyer/seller scenarios\n\n\n\n02:00p The typical sales process\n\n\n\n03:15p What do buyers look for?\n04:00p Q&A and open bar\n\n\n\n07:00p Networking Dinner Private dining at local favorite Miller Union\n\n\n\n\nWednesday\, December 4\n\n\n\n\n08:30a Coffee\n09:00a How do you navigate a deal? Dealing with that first offer\n\n\n\n10:00a Earn outs: the good\, the bad\, the ugly\n11:00a The ins and outs of an internal sale\n\n\n\n\n\n12:oop Networking Lunch\n01:00p Q&A and wrap-up discussion\n\n\n\n01:30p Seminar Ends\n\n\n\n\nSpeakers\n  \n\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Chris Handy\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Jonathan Baker\, Punctuation\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				David C. Baker\n				\n		\n\nSpeaking will be split between David C. Baker\, Jonathan Baker (bios here) and Chris Handy. Chris Handy is the CEO and co-founder of Engine Shop\, the experiential marketing agency for brands needing a breakthrough.  Engine Shop\, formed in 2012\, grew to be one of the more prominent\, independent experiential agencies before being acquired in 2015.  Chris has remained with the agency post-acquisition\, post-earnout and post-pandemic as he works to take the company to another exit.  A former CPA\, corporate lawyer and sports agent\, Chris considers the sale of his agency one of the most rigorous challenges to personal identity\, character and values he experienced in his career. \nAccommodations\n\n\n\nNot included\, but suggested booking at Bellyard Hotel\, within walking distance of dinner (and stumbling distance back). Note: Lunches\, dinner\, snacks\, and all beverages (alcoholic and otherwise) are included. \nAdditional Details\n\n\n\n\n\nA core belief that informs our advisory work with independent\, expert marketing firms is this: firms fail or thrive based almost entirely on the quality of their business decisions. However creative you are\, unless your business is run on sound principles you’re not going to be around long\, and your actual and potential clients won’t benefit from your expertise. \n\n\n\nA prime example of this challenge is the fact that very few firms succeed past the original owner group. While we have led 200+ equity transactions of all types\, it’s still rare. Do you want to be one of the firms that maximizes your investment? Do you want to know how buying and selling works\, where the buyers come from\, how they evaluate a firm like yours\, and what they’re willing to pay? And would you like to run your firm so that it’s far more likely that you’ll benefit from succession? \n\n\n\nIf so\, this 1.5 day intensive is for you. It’s only for principals or employees who want to buy a firm\, but you’ll be amazed at what you can learn in a solid day and a half. \n\n\n\nEvery firm that attends is not for sale\, and few of them will be\, but you’ll learn as much from fellow attendees–their struggles and triumphs–as you do from the material. \n\n\n\nWe’ll talk about when and why you are most likely to begin thinking about this. Oddly enough\, it’s not tied directly to your age but one particular financial obligation and two challenges that tend to wear principals out. \n\n\n\nWe’ll then put our science hats on and walk through valuation theory and application. You’ll learn about weighting\, multiples\, EBITDA adjustments\, normalizing principal compensation\, inverse multiples\, equity vs. goodwill\, client concentration penalties\, and standard deviation. You’ll be able to play with the formulas and get a rough idea of your firm’s value as we build a valuation from scratch together. \n\n\n\nThen we’ll put a buyer’s hat on and look at your firm like they will. What’s important and what isn’t. You’ll be surprised by a few things\, like how unimportant (to them) your employee base is and how important other things are. \n\n\n\nThen you’ll craft your own plan for dealing with that inevitable offer that will come your way. What do you tell them and when\, and what’s should you do on your own before bringing a professional into the picture? We’ll describe the story (only in part financial) that you’ll craft to maximize the value of your firm. \n\n\n\nA significant amount of time will reveal the major buyer/seller scenarios\, like holding companies\, equal mergers\, acqui-hires\, non-traditional buyers\, strategic purchases\, buying capacity\, selling only the accounts\, and of course the intricacies of transitioning the firm to one or more key employees. \n\n\n\nWe hope you can join us in Atlanta. Feel free to bring a significant other with you to join for dinner. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n 
URL:https://punctuation.com/event/succession-planning-valuation-and-your-exit-via-internal-transfer-merger-acquisition-2/
LOCATION:Monday Night Garage\, 933 Lee St\, Atlanta\, GA\, 30310\, United States
CATEGORIES:Seminar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/gif:https://cdn.punctuation.com/uploads/2023/12/5j6kDBuZ-dcb_8-financial-gauges-redo_v2.gif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20241021T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241023T150000
DTSTAMP:20260607T005404
CREATED:20240710T134708Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240710T134708Z
UID:10000014-1729533600-1729695600@punctuation.com
SUMMARY:MYOB 2024
DESCRIPTION:Making the transition to someone good at the craft to successful principal can be challenging. Establishing your business\, achieving growth\, and balancing your roles as CEO\, CFO\, New Business guru\, and HR director…it’s a stark contrast to the blue sky culture of doing the work itself. Get the business savvy you need from speakers and authors who specialize in working with leaders like you. Your adventure in the creative-services space can be fulfilling and lucrative. Come learn from experts…and from each other. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFor every event\, we invite the top business minds to speak in an inspiring location\, and limit the number of attendees so you can comfortably network with speakers and peers during your mini-sabbatical.  \nThe result is 3 incredibly productive days\, from which you’ll emerge with a clearer picture of your company\, its potential and a specific plan for reaching it. We hope to see you in Atlanta in October. We know you won’t be disappointed. \nPlease register at the MYOB website.
URL:https://punctuation.com/event/myob-2024/
LOCATION:Monday Night Garage\, 933 Lee St\, Atlanta\, GA\, 30310\, United States
CATEGORIES:Conference
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cdn.punctuation.com/uploads/2023/12/Yc195ksQ-MYOBOctober252022135.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240910T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240910T140000
DTSTAMP:20260607T005404
CREATED:20240724T185740Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240916T210107Z
UID:10000016-1725973200-1725976800@punctuation.com
SUMMARY:The Current State of the M&A Market
DESCRIPTION:Join Jonathan Baker as he gives an overview of what we are seeing in the current M&A market\, including: \n\nIs this generally a favorable or unfavorable selling environment?\nWho is buying firms right now?\nWho is selling firms right now?\nWhat multiples we are seeing\, and how are those impacting firm values?\nWhat trends are we seeing in M&A?\nWhat can you do to prepare for an eventual sale?\nQ&A\n\nHere is an example of the type of content we covered: \n \nEnter your email to unlock this webinar for free
URL:https://punctuation.com/event/the-current-state-of-the-ma-market/
LOCATION:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85694415727
CATEGORIES:Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cdn.punctuation.com/uploads/2023/12/Dcb_what-buyers-look-for_v2.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240418T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240418T153000
DTSTAMP:20260607T005404
CREATED:20240329T172008Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240329T172008Z
UID:10000013-1713430800-1713454200@punctuation.com
SUMMARY:Benchmarking Your Firm's Financial Performance (Atlanta 2024)
DESCRIPTION:Seminar Synopsis\nOur reworked “Benchmarking Your Financial Performance” seminar is a must for principals who want to understand what metrics they need to pay attention to and how to impact those metrics to make their firms stronger. We are holding a 1-day intimate seminar in Atlanta\, GA to help you understand\, track and act on your financial statements and benchmarks. If you are a principal or responsible for your firm’s finances\, consider joining us. Lunch is included. \nAgenda (subject to change)\n\n\n\n\n\n9:00: Introduction + Introductions\n9:45: Crafting Industry-Standard Financial Statements\n11:00: Measuring and Tracking the Benchmarks that Matter Most\n12:45: Lunch (provided)\n1:45: Funding Growth | Structuring Employee Compensation | Software Choices\n3:00:  Profit-Based Systems for Profit\, Quality\, Scalability\, and Client Experience\n3:30: Break\n\n\n\n\n\nAccommodations\nNot included\, but suggested booking at Bellyard. \nDetail\nFirst\, we will walk through how to craft industry-standard financial statements so that we are working with the same set of numbers and definitions. Next\, we will dive into Performance Benchmarking\, including the following elements: \n\nMonthly Overhead.\nCash Cushion appropriate for your client base.\nRatio of Obligations to Assets.\nClient Concentration and Client Distribution: minimum size\, maximum size\, and optimum size.\nNumber of Qualified Clients on your roster.\nIdeal Yearly Client Spend.\nIdeal Facility Size for your employee load\, including minimum and maximum optimized space.\nIdeal Facility Expense (Burdened) for your employee load\, including minimum and maximum allowance.\nNet Profit: actual and expected.\nUnburdened Compensation Allowance for employees.\nAccounts Receivable Outstanding measured in turnover days.\nUtilization/Realization\, measuring your financial opportunity vs. your financial output.\nFee Billings Per FTE\, with an expected range for your specific type/size of firm.\n\nAfter leading with this benchmarking data and a clear explanation of how to apply it to your situation\, we’ll also cover some important aspects of agency management. \nWe’ll examine how to manage and fund growth. How much growth is safe? What are the signs that growth is out of control? How do you tame it? How do you prioritize growth decisions? Where does the money come from? How far out should the troops be from the supply lines? \nWe’ll look at employee compensation\, benefits\, and incentives. Without critical guidance from you folks\, managers lack the guidelines that help them make smart decisions in the short-term that won’t cripple the firm in the long-term. \nWe’ll evaluate the best software solutions to run your firm\, from accounting to project management to timekeeping. \nAnd finally\, we’ll focus on the processes that every firm can adapt to preserve their commitment to quality\, profit\, scalability\, and a favorable client experience. \nThis has typically been our most attended seminar. \n\n\n\n\nIs this a fit for me?\nThat’s the question I’d ask in your shoes\, so let me take a stab at giving you a candid answer. Most everyone here will be a partner/principal or the firm’s accountant. Either way\, you’ll get the most benefit if two things are true. \n\n\n\nFirst\, you have access to the firm’s financial data.\nSecond\, you are in a position to impact the firm’s performance\, either directly (by making changes) or indirectly (by making recommendations to someone who can).\n\n\n\nThere will be no forced disclosure of your firm’s financial performance\, but it will be useful if you can run the calculations on your own numbers. We’ll illustrate how to calculate them and then guide you in doing it for yourself. \n\n\nIf you don’t have those numbers with you\, you can do them on the sample financial statements that we’ll provide. As with all of our seminars\, there will be an open environment of helpful sharing\, but that’s certainly voluntary on your part. \nWe’ve priced this one-day seminar so that a principal and the accountant can come together (it’s the least expensive event we do). Depending on where you live\, you could easily fly in the night before and leave the same day of the seminar\, minimizing your time away from the office.
URL:https://punctuation.com/event/benchmarking-your-firms-financial-performance-atlanta-2024/
LOCATION:Monday Night Garage\, 933 Lee St\, Atlanta\, GA\, 30310\, United States
CATEGORIES:Seminar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/gif:https://cdn.punctuation.com/uploads/2023/12/5j6kDBuZ-dcb_8-financial-gauges-redo_v2.gif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240312T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240313T120000
DTSTAMP:20260607T005404
CREATED:20231213T141549Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240201T162642Z
UID:10000009-1710230400-1710331200@punctuation.com
SUMMARY:Leading Your Firm's Growth With Account Management
DESCRIPTION:Seminar Synopsis\nWe have further focused and expanded our popular Account Management seminar this year\, adding content and bringing in experts Jenny Plant and Jack Skeels as speakers. The result is an intensive two-day crash course on all things account management. Those just starting to explore the subject and those who have been steeped in it will both benefit greatly. \nThis seminar is designed for the account management team and the project management team that works alongside them. Strong client and project management is no substitute for great work\, but it is key to the success of growing client relationships\, and therefore growing a successful practice. \nAgenda (subject to change)\nTuesday \n\n\n\n\n\n9:00: Introduction\n9:30: History and Best Ecosystem for Account Management\n10:15: Agency Theory\n11:30: Essential Principles of Great Account Management\n12:45: Lunch (provided)\n1:30: Mastering a Project-Driven World\n2:45:  How to Grow an Account\n3:45: Networking and Happy Hour\n\n\n\nWednesday \n\n9:00: A Little Detour on Project Management and People Types\n10:00: How AMs and PMs Work Best Together in the Real World\n11:00: Client Conflict Role-Playing\n11:30: Q&A\n12:00: Break\n\n\n“I went to the seminar with the goal of being able to find where the line is between AM and PM role. What I got out of it was so much more! Most importantly I realized exactly how much money we’re leaving on the table by not continually engaging our clients and actively building those relationships.”\n\n\n\nSpeakers\n  \n\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Jenny Plant\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Jack Skeels\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				David C. Baker\, Punctuation\n				\n		\n \nJenny Plant\n\n\n\nJenny Plant is the owner of Account Management Skills. She has 30 years of experience working mostly in account management\, and has worked as a consultant for over 10 years. Jenny now coaches agency account managers to keep and grow business through her account accelerator program\, providing a step-by-step process to help them adopt the right mindset and skill to create a client-centric plan to increase revenue. Jenny comes to us from London.\nJack Skeels\nJack Skeels is a former RAND senior analyst and agency executive. He is the CEO of AgencyAgile\, an operations consulting and coaching firm that has helped over 200 agencies\, consultancies\, and other project-driven organizations go better\, faster and happier. Jack’s new book is Unmanaged: Master the Magic of Creating Empowered and Happy Organizations. \nDavid C. Baker\n\nDavid C. Baker is an author\, speaker\, and advisor to entrepreneurial creatives worldwide. He has written 5 books\, advised 900+ firms\, and keynoted conferences in 30+ countries. His work has been discussed in dozens of international publications. The NY Times referred to him as the expert’s expert. He co-hosts the most listened to podcast in the creative services field (2bobs).\n\n\n\n\nAccommodations\nNot included\, but suggested booking at Bellyard Hotel. \nDetail\n\n\n\n\nSavvy firms know that clients are far more likely to notice poor customer service long before they notice subpar effectiveness. It’s no excuse for sloppy work\, of course\, but if you can wrap great work inside strong client management\, you’ll have the best of both worlds. \nHere’s a simple three-part test for effective account managers. These three scenarios—if handled well— point to a strong account executive who can effectively do what may be the most difficult in an agency: straddle the fence between advocating for the client and advocating for the agency. \n\nHow early can the new business department hand off a warm lead to an account manager to close the first project in a long and prosperous relationship?\nHow effectively do the account people grow their accounts over time?\nHow well do account managers manage tense situations with presence and grace?\n\n\n\nThis two-day seminar will change how you see the account management role. We’ll start with understanding the overall structure of the role and how to interface effectively with other departments\, noting the nuances that help build cooperation. \n\n\nWe’ll examine personality profiles and how they map to effective account managers – and project managers. Many firms are leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars and the table and letting things slip through the cracks\, simply by not having the right people in the right seats. There are best practices related to this that are helpful to understand. \n\n\nThen we’ll flip to the other side and review the very specific elements of treating clients the way they say that want to be treated. This data is based on thousands of client interviews\, compiling the clearest signals for top-performing firms. \nFollowing on that theme\, and based against a background of fully satisfied clients\, we’ll look at a few key strategies to grow your best accounts. Qualified account people do grow accounts effectively\, and that’s part of what makes them so valuable to creative firms. \n\n\nFinally\, we’ll look very specifically at how to manage tension—healthy and otherwise—to maneuver personnel roadblocks and enhance your personal effectiveness. \nThis is a completely reworked seminar only offered once per year. It is also limited to 130 attendees to improve the quality of the interaction and leave as much time for discussion and questions as possible.
URL:https://punctuation.com/event/leading-your-firms-growth-with-account-management/
LOCATION:Monday Night Garage\, 933 Lee St\, Atlanta\, GA\, 30310\, United States
CATEGORIES:Seminar
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240227T083000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240228T143000
DTSTAMP:20260607T005404
CREATED:20240116T205715Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240116T210626Z
UID:10000010-1709022600-1709130600@punctuation.com
SUMMARY:Pipeline Kickstarter (2024)
DESCRIPTION:Okay\, 2024 is looking a little too much like 2023 and fixing your new business problem is job one. You could hire those Punctuation folks to work with you individually in a New Business Audit for $18k\, but you need quicker and cheaper answers. Plus\, you want to do it with peers. \nJoin us for a pop-up seminar\, then\, and explore the same three things: positioning\, service offering design\, and lead gen. You may very well get everything you need to make this year kick ass. If you need some individualized help\, you can tack on some individual help\, after the event\, where we’ll apply this specifically to you. But only if you need it. \nTiming\nStarts at 8:30a on Tuesday\, February 27. If that’s too early\, you aren’t serious about solving this. So arrive the night before. We’ll facilitate attendees getting together for drinks/dinner (via a WhatsApp group). We’ll meet through 3:30p the first day and then have an open bar before open groups gather for dinner and celebrate or commiserate or both. \nSecond day (Wednesday\, February 28) will go from 8:30 to 2:30p\, and then you’re free to fly back home and put some distance between your firm and any competitors who didn’t come. \nDetailed agenda to come\, but essentially we’ll work through the topics below. \nAgenda\n\nQuick Assessment of Your Current Positioning\nTests We’ll Use to Evaluate Your New One\nVertical vs. Horizontal: the Pros/Cons\nDefining a Qualified Client: Keeping ICP as a North Star\nHow to Articulate Your New Positioning\nWhat Your New Positioning Does (and Does Not) Mean for Current Clients\nThe Three Eternal Principles of Service Offering Design\nStarting Relationships w/ Diagnostics or Roadmaps\nAligning Your Offerings As a Fixed Prix Menu Rather than a Cafeteria\nSticking Around Forever Without the Client Resenting It\nHow Many New Clients Do You Need\nCrafting the Right Mix of the Four Big Options to Surface Opportunity\nArriving At a Simple\, Specific Plan that Fits Your Personality\n\nWhat To Expect\nExpect no more than 32 people\, all principals (i.e.\, decision makers). Less lecture and more useful\, guided discussion. As much relationship-building as you want\, or time to think without interruptions. Fearless raising of all the critical decisions\, honest feedback on your courage or wimpiness\, and “glass half full” encouragement to solve this. \nFine Print\nYou’ll get as much out of this as you put in it. There will be a few things for you to do beforehand\, and you’ll get lots of questions answered at the event. But no follow-up or personalized advice/feedback is included. That will be available if you need it\, but this isn’t designed as a “hold your hand at every turn” sort of event\, but rather a kickstarter from someone who has most of the answers and who loves you.
URL:https://punctuation.com/event/pipeline-kickstarter-2024/
LOCATION:Monday Night Garage\, 933 Lee St\, Atlanta\, GA\, 30310\, United States
CATEGORIES:Seminar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cdn.punctuation.com/uploads/2023/12/punctuation.finally.fixing.our_.positioning.and_.lead_.gen_.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20231204
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20231206
DTSTAMP:20260607T005404
CREATED:20230925T152433Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231115T132711Z
UID:10000006-1701648000-1701820799@punctuation.com
SUMMARY:Succession Planning: Valuation and Your Exit via Internal Transfer\, Merger/Acquisition
DESCRIPTION:Seminar Synopsis\n\n\n\nWe are thrilled to be able to reprise our Succession Planning seminar on December 4-5 in Atlanta\, focused on valuation and your exit via internal transfer\, merger\, or acquisition. This year’s seminar will maintain an intimate format (limited to 35 agency principals\, with plenty of networking opportunities\, but with two big changes: \n\nWe are stretching it from 1 day to 1.5 days in order to cover more ground and allow for more networking and Q&A.\nWe are bringing in an outside perspective to bolster our content in the form of Chris Handy. He has gone through the process of selling his agency and is now helping to build the agency towards another exit. His bio is below.\n\nThis year\, we will spend more time walking through the process of building a valuation (which you’ll be able to do for your own firm live)\, talking through the pros and cons of an internal transfer to an employee\, and what to expect out of the entire M&A process.  \nThe content we cover is hard to find elsewhere\, particularly for the marketing and creative industry. If you’re even remotely considering a sale at some point\, we hope you’ll join us. You’ll walk away with valuable information\, contacts\, and (hopefully) more direction. \n\n\n\nTiming\n\n\n\nDecember 4-5\, 2023. We will end with lunch on Tuesday. Optional networking and socializing events will be scheduled Monday afternoon and evening. \n\n\n\nLocation\n\n\n\nMonday Night Garage in Atlanta\, GA \n\n\n\nPrice\n\n\n\n$2\,300 per attendee. \n\n\n\nAgenda (subject to change)\n\n\n\nMonday\, December 4\n\n\n\n\n08:30a Registration and Coffee\n\n\n\n09:00a Introductions\n09:30a When and why succession surfaces\n\n\n\n10:00a What is your firm worth? Valuation theory and real-time application to your firm\n\n\n\n12:00p Networking Lunch\n\n\n\n01:00p What are your options? Buyer/seller scenarios\n\n\n\n02:00p The typical sales process\n\n\n\n03:15p What do buyers look for?\n04:00p Q&A and open bar\n\n\n\n07:00p Networking Dinner Private dining at local favorite Miller Union\n\n\n\n\nTuesday\, December 5\n\n\n\n\n08:30a Coffee\n09:00a How do you navigate a deal? Dealing with that first offer\n\n\n\n10:00a Earn outs: the good\, the bad\, the ugly\n11:00a The ins and outs of an internal sale\n\n\n\n\n\n12:oop Networking Lunch\n01:00p Q&A and wrap-up discussion\n\n\n\n01:30p Seminar Ends\n\n\n\n\nSpeakers\n  \n\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Chris Handy\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				Jonathan Baker\, Punctuation\n				\n			\n				\n			\n				\n				David C. Baker\n				\n		\n\nSpeaking will be split between David C. Baker\, Jonathan Baker (bios here) and Chris Handy. Chris Handy is the CEO and co-founder of Engine Shop\, the experiential marketing agency for brands needing a breakthrough.  Engine Shop\, formed in 2012\, grew to be one of the more prominent\, independent experiential agencies before being acquired in 2015.  Chris has remained with the agency post-acquisition\, post-earnout and post-pandemic as he works to take the company to another exit.  A former CPA\, corporate lawyer and sports agent\, Chris considers the sale of his agency one of the most rigorous challenges to personal identity\, character and values he experienced in his career. \nAccommodations\n\n\n\nNot included\, but suggested booking at Bellyard Hotel\, within walking distance of dinner (and stumbling distance back). Note: Lunches\, dinner\, snacks\, and all beverages (alcoholic and otherwise) are included. \nAdditional Details\n\n\n\n\n\nA core belief that informs our advisory work with independent\, expert marketing firms is this: firms fail or thrive based almost entirely on the quality of their business decisions. However creative you are\, unless your business is run on sound principles you’re not going to be around long\, and your actual and potential clients won’t benefit from your expertise. \n\n\n\nA prime example of this challenge is the fact that very few firms succeed past the original owner group. While we have led 200+ equity transactions of all types\, it’s still rare. Do you want to be one of the firms that maximizes your investment? Do you want to know how buying and selling works\, where the buyers come from\, how they evaluate a firm like yours\, and what they’re willing to pay? And would you like to run your firm so that it’s far more likely that you’ll benefit from succession? \n\n\n\nIf so\, this 1.5 day intensive is for you. It’s only for principals or employees who want to buy a firm\, but you’ll be amazed at what you can learn in a solid day and a half. \n\n\n\nEvery firm that attends is not for sale\, and few of them will be\, but you’ll learn as much from fellow attendees–their struggles and triumphs–as you do from the material. \n\n\n\nWe’ll talk about when and why you are most likely to begin thinking about this. Oddly enough\, it’s not tied directly to your age but one particular financial obligation and two challenges that tend to wear principals out. \n\n\n\nWe’ll then put our science hats on and walk through valuation theory and application. You’ll learn about weighting\, multiples\, EBITDA adjustments\, normalizing principal compensation\, inverse multiples\, equity vs. goodwill\, client concentration penalties\, and standard deviation. You’ll be able to play with the formulas and get a rough idea of your firm’s value as we build a valuation from scratch together. \n\n\n\nThen we’ll put a buyer’s hat on and look at your firm like they will. What’s important and what isn’t. You’ll be surprised by a few things\, like how unimportant (to them) your employee base is and how important other things are. \n\n\n\nThen you’ll craft your own plan for dealing with that inevitable offer that will come your way. What do you tell them and when\, and what’s should you do on your own before bringing a professional into the picture? We’ll describe the story (only in part financial) that you’ll craft to maximize the value of your firm. \n\n\n\nA significant amount of time will reveal the major buyer/seller scenarios\, like holding companies\, equal mergers\, acqui-hires\, non-traditional buyers\, strategic purchases\, buying capacity\, selling only the accounts\, and of course the intricacies of transitioning the firm to one or more key employees. \n\n\n\nWe hope you can join us in Atlanta. Feel free to bring a significant other with you to join for dinner. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n 
URL:https://punctuation.com/event/succession-planning-valuation-and-your-exit-via-internal-transfer-merger-acquisition/
LOCATION:Monday Night Garage\, 933 Lee St\, Atlanta\, GA\, 30310\, United States
CATEGORIES:Seminar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/gif:https://cdn.punctuation.com/uploads/2023/12/5j6kDBuZ-dcb_8-financial-gauges-redo_v2.gif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20231016T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20231018T120000
DTSTAMP:20260607T005404
CREATED:20230721T172752Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231004T132513Z
UID:10000001-1697479200-1697630400@punctuation.com
SUMMARY:MYOB 2023
DESCRIPTION:Mind Your Own Business (MYOB) Conference is back after a successful return in 2022. Making the transition from writer or designer to successful business owner can be challenging. Establishing your business\, achieving growth\, and balancing your roles as CEO\, CFO and HR director… it’s a stark contrast to the blue sky culture of marketing and communications. MYOB was built specifically to address the business side of your creative-service business. \n\n\n\nGet the business savvy you need from experts who specialize in working with creatives. Conference sessions cover everything from recruiting and keeping talented employees to managing your finances to winning new business—all geared specifically for principals and directors of design and creative-service firms. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n 
URL:https://punctuation.com/event/myob/
LOCATION:Monday Night Garage\, 933 Lee St\, Atlanta\, GA\, 30310\, United States
CATEGORIES:Conference
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://cdn.punctuation.com/uploads/2023/12/Yc195ksQ-MYOBOctober252022135.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230831T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230831T150000
DTSTAMP:20260607T005404
CREATED:20230925T151925Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230925T152033Z
UID:10000005-1693490400-1693494000@punctuation.com
SUMMARY:How to think about that client-side department you work with
DESCRIPTION:You can’t view them as the enemy\, anymore\, but you sure do need to understand them. That includes why they think they exist versus why they actually exist\, what they think of you\, how to work with them effectively\, what they appreciate and hate about you\, and where the trends are going in this space.
URL:https://punctuation.com/event/how-to-think-about-that-client-side-department-you-work-with/
LOCATION:https://vimeo.com/861259786?share=copy
CATEGORIES:Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cdn.punctuation.com/uploads/2023/12/Dcb_scope_v2.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230712T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230712T160000
DTSTAMP:20260607T005404
CREATED:20230830T175921Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231004T132628Z
UID:10000004-1689174000-1689177600@punctuation.com
SUMMARY:Quick New Business Wins Without Begging
DESCRIPTION:There are certain tactics you could use that would undermine your carefully crafted reputation\, like having an intern wear a sandwich board on the sidewalk out front. Or call a bunch of people and ask for work\, but then pretend that you’re busy. But there are a few ways to get faster results without undoing all that hard work\, and I’ll give you a half dozen ones and then take questions. \n 
URL:https://punctuation.com/event/quick-new-business-wins-without-begging-2/
LOCATION:https://vimeo.com/punctuation/quicknewbusinesswins?share=copy
CATEGORIES:Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cdn.punctuation.com/uploads/2023/12/punctuation.how_.a.good_.referral.strategy.improves.your_.service.offering.design.png
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR