EP 320: The elements of good partnership agreements with Drew McLellan

As part of our succession planning work, we have seen and worked with owners going through every stage of agency life. We’ve seen agencies evolve and dissolve and there are complexities along the way regardless of the journey. One of the most complicated relationships can be between partners, whether that be partners who own and run an agency together, or an agency owner who is transitioning to selling his agency to one or more employees. In this solocast, we’re going to look at the important elements that make a strong partnership agreement. These documents can be created internally or developed with outside guidance but regardless of how it comes together, it must clearly define how all opportunities and challenges will be met as the agency moves forward. Think of it as a prenuptial agreement. You want to write it when things are good and the future is bright so you have a rulebook to turn to when things get difficult.

Agency partnership is a thrilling but complicated relationship. If you take the time to clearly define the rules of the game, you set a solid foundation on which the agency can grow. AMI is here to help you make the most of this adventure.

A big thank you to our podcast’s presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They’re an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Who benefits from a Partnership Agreement
• The need to outline out the company is established and divided
• If and how ownership percentages can change
• The importance of spelling out each partner’s contributions and responsibilities
• Why you need to specify how money is handled
• What it means to have partnership authority
• Outlining conflict resolution
• The important clauses of partnership agreements
• The need to include incapacitation, divorce, and death language in these agreements
• Explaining the methodology by which you will define valuation
• Defining how the business can be dissolved