From Startup to Search Fund: Buying and Scaling a Digital Marketing Agency with Grant Hensel

Oct 17, 2025

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In this episode of the M&A Launchpad Podcast, hosts Casey Minshew and Feras Moussa sit down with Grant Hensel — a seasoned entrepreneur and acquisition professional who transitioned from starting companies to buying and scaling them. Grant shares his journey from founding and exiting Nonprofit Megaphone to launching a self-funded search that led to the acquisition of a digital marketing agency specializing in SEO for personal injury attorneys. Together with his wife Julia, Grant built upon their prior entrepreneurial experience to acquire, operate, and grow the business while implementing EOS and exploring bolt-on opportunities.

Throughout the episode, Grant discusses the lessons learned from acquiring a service-based business, navigating due diligence for digital assets, managing client retention, and building operational structure with EOS. The conversation dives into how Grant and Julia identified the right target, financed the deal through seller notes, and created growth through sales, marketing, and a bolt-on acquisition. He also touches on his fund, Entrepreneurial Capital, which supports other ETA operators, and his perspective on growth, transparency, and building long-term client trust.

In this podcast episode, we discuss:

Self-Funded Search and Finding the Right Business
Due Diligence in Digital Acquisitions
Operating and Growing a Marketing Agency
Implementing EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System)
Structuring Seller Financing and Building Trust with Clients
Bolt-On Acquisitions and Expanding Services
Investing in Other ETA Entrepreneurs

Guest Contact Info:

You can connect with Grant on LinkedIn or X (Twitter): @GrantHensel

Learn more about his fund: Entrepreneurial Capital

M&A Launchpad Conference:

The next M&A Launchpad Conference is happening in October 2025 in Chicago. Date and location details coming soon.

This is the premier event for entrepreneurs, investors, and dealmakers in the lower-middle market.

Get your ticket at https://www.malaunchpad.com and use code LAUNCH for $200 off.