Market Trends

“Not yet. Multiples are down.” “Let’s wait until the market’s hot.” It sounds sensible. It’s also how founders postpone the only thing that actually changes outcomes: buyer confidence. Markets move, but windows don’t save you if the business can’t survive scrutiny. The best exits aren’t timed, they’re engineered. This post explains the timing trap, what “good timing” really looks like inside a buyer room, and how to build optionality so you can move when opportunity appears, instead of hoping it arrives on schedule.

As we enter 2026, founders are hearing two messages at once: “M&A is back” and “deals feel harder than ever.” Both can be true. Activity is there, but the bar has moved. Buyers are taking longer to get comfortable and paying premiums only when the evidence is obvious. This post explains what’s actually happening in UK agency M&A right now, why the market feels more selective, and the common misreads that quietly turn leverage into concessions.