From Agency Owner to Fund Investor: Grant Hensel on Buying Enduring Businesses

In this episode of Retained Trust, host Karl Hughes speaks with Grant Hensel, founder of Nonprofit Megaphone and managing partner at Entrepreneur Capital. Grant shares how he built a highly specialized agency serving nonprofits through the Google Ad Grant program, why niche focus and EOS transformed the business, and how he transitioned into acquiring and investing in small, enduring companies. They examine entrepreneurship through acquisition, common mistakes buyers make, and what agency owners often overlook when scaling or preparing for a sale.

Key Points From This Episode:

[00:00:00] Grant’s entrepreneurial journey and building Nonprofit Megaphone into a 60+ person niche agency.

[00:03:00] Why specialization and claiming “best in the world” positioning changed everything.

[00:03:34] Implementing EOS and shifting from working in the business to improving the machine.

[00:04:28] Hiring sales leadership early due to constraints and building process from the start.

[00:06:13] The simple survey that validated the Google Ad Grant market opportunity.

[00:09:51] Market size realities, customer lifetime value, and expanding services strategically.

[00:13:13] Founder strengths, hiring great people, and not getting in their way.

[00:17:43] Transitioning from agency operator to buyer and investor in small businesses.

[00:20:43] Traditional vs. self-funded search funds explained.

[00:23:40] Launching Entrepreneur Capital and forming a fund to invest in acquisitions.

[00:26:30] Why investing in operators beat acquiring everything personally.

[00:30:04] Types of businesses they invest in, from tombstone engraving to industrial distribution.

[00:33:31] Working capital mistakes and why cash at close is critical.

[00:34:34] Risk factors in acquisitions: family involvement, customer concentration, and capital expenditures.

[00:37:25] The realities of adjusted EBITDA and questionable add-backs.

[00:42:28] Entrepreneurship, work habits, and setting boundaries with a weekly Sabbath.

[00:44:45] Book recommendations: The Goal and other works on Theory of Constraints.

Links:

Grant Hensel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/granthensel

Nonprofit Megaphone: https://nonprofitmegaphone.com/

Karl Hughes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karllhughes

Production and editing by The Podcast Consultant: https://thepodcastconsultant.com