When the Owner Is the Business, Value Collapses

When a business depends on the owner for every client relationship, growth stalls and exit options vanish. Marketing agencies are some of the worst offenders, and with AI offering faster, cheaper alternatives, that dependency risk is only magnified.

New analysis from Value Builder Analytics, composed of insights from business owners who’ve completed their Value Builder Score Report, reveals that one in three agency owners say every client expects them personally, making agencies 42% more likely than other businesses to be fully owner-dependent. That level of reliance doesn’t just strain the owner, it drags down growth and erodes business value when it’s time to sell.

The most important move an agency owner can make is reducing the business’s dependence on them personally. Every step in that direction builds a stronger, more valuable company.

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📅 New Keynote! John Warrillow, author of the best-selling book Built to Sell, will reveal new data and insights detailing how AI is reshaping owner attitudes and company value, at the 2026 Value Builder Summit.

📘 Strengthen (don’t change) your advisory practice. Value Builder fits seamlessly into how you already work, helping you measure, grow, and communicate value. Learn More

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Advisor News is brought to you by The Value Builder System^TM, a value assessment platform that helps advisors start strategic conversations with business owners.

This Issue’s Contributors: Jason Reilly, Editor; Michael Sarkis, Director of Value Builder Analytics; Deanne Kong Ting, Director of Customer Success; Jen Chou, Senior Graphic Designer