Ryan Debenham’s Post

The symbolism of the closing bell resonates deeply with me during this transformative phase of my career. Much like the closing bell marks the end of a trading day and offers a moment of reflection, my transition to the role of Managing Director marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. This shift is a significant milestone, highlighted by the recent £4 million seed investment our company has received. As I step into this new leadership role, I am reminded that the market, much like business, is always in a state of flux. The ups and downs, the challenges and triumphs, all contribute to the dynamic environment we operate in. This substantial investment is not just a financial boost; it is a testament to our vision, potential, and the hard work of our dedicated team. The closing bell's symbolism serves as a reminder that each day brings new opportunities and challenges. As Managing Director, my goal is to lead with resilience, adaptability, and a forward-thinking mindset. I am committed to navigating our company through the ever-changing landscape, fostering innovation, and driving sustainable growth. This is a moment of reflection and anticipation. The path ahead is filled with possibilities, and I am excited to embark on this journey with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. Together, we will strive to achieve our goals, create value for our stakeholders, and make a lasting impact in our industry. Here's to embracing new horizons and ringing in a future of success and growth.

What makes me proud as we approach our first anniversary at B. Partners? The incredible community of leaders, innovators, and change-makers we've built who are boldly building a better future. And we’re just getting started! 🚀 Ariana and I originally set out to "B." the change we wanted to see. We wanted B. Partners to be the place where: 🔮 Bold new ideas rooted in solid business growth strategy were fearlessly explored, therefore generating unprecedented returns 🔮 Collaboration, creativity and excellence were the norm--not ego or status quo 🔮 People with new/different perspectives (𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘴) felt supported to be their authentic selves rather than pressured into assimilation Sometimes at first, it felt like an impossible task. Now almost year in, I can attest to the fact that there ARE many folks out there who share these values. 🌟 They're leading top-tier organizations boldly into the future and assembling allstar teams to make it happen. 🌟 They're the undersung rockstars already leading internal divisions to new heights. 🌟 They're tomorrow's workforce full of energy, brilliant insights, new skills and passion to see the status quo change. It's incredible what can happen when you are true to yourself, especially when that's not the "norm". 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿: 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲. Here's to the future! 🥂

✨ New Owner Highlight: Molly Georgia, Chief Operating Officer ❤️ What I love about DPG: Nothing beats getting to work with a smart, savvy, caring, and driven group of young people. "Always Challenge the Old Ways" is a core belief for us and keeps me inspired everyday to find inefficiencies and seek out opportunities in everything from our processes to our products and our people. Always having something new to work on with our every evolving company makes the job so interesting and can't wait to see what the next few years of ownership bring us! 🚀 What I’m most excited for about DPG: Getting to have a front row seat to building a business, especially one that intersects so many different industries, from marketing, digital, political, and more. Some highlights would be bringing on new staff and integrating them into our culture and helping them grow over time, developing more strategic ways of operating internally, and expanding our partnerships with others in the space through technology and products. It's an exciting time for us and eager to keep things moving.

Wheels up for the 42nd Annual IDEA Conference in St. Louis! Excited to get there and connect with everyone tonight, but even more excited about speaking tomorrow morning on a subject we're all passionate about in our industry...and that's executing BIG, crazy, weird ideas. Ahead of the session we polled our attendees asking "What is holding you back from going BIG?" 50 out of 270 registered attendees have submitted answers so far and we're seeing some interesting results! 50% - Time: not enough time in a season to plan and execute. 20% - Buy-In: my leadership/ownership doesn't see the value or the vision. 14% - Resources: not enough budget or physical assets to execute BIG ideas. 10% - Lacking "A Why": we have awesome ideas but they're just shiny and not authentic. 6% - Talent/Know-How: myself or my team don't quite have the chops to pull it off. We'll be presenting multiple solutions to all 5 of the roadblocks/reasons listed above, and I'm really looking forward to the open dialogue and productive ideation. Special thanks again to Seth Tanner ™️ for the opportunity to present on this topic, and the chance to bring solutions to the table for our colleagues.

Yesterday, the stars aligned.  Again. In business and in life, there are moments when the stars align, and everything becomes crystal clear. These moments of clarity have guided me through my career, shaping my journey and leading me to new heights. They helped me: • Start 7 businesses • Generate over $750 million in revenues • Work on 60+ Brand projects • Raise $30 million+ in capital Yesterday, I experienced another one of those transformative moments. The vision, the direction, and the purpose all came into sharp focus. While I can't share the details just yet, rest assured that something exciting is on the horizon. Stay tuned for the reveal when the time is right—this one is going to be special.

Earlier this year, I met a CEO at a founder retreat. She wasn’t sure if she had the right Head of Sales and asked me, ‘How do you really know if you’ve got the right people?’ It’s a question I get a lot from founders and investors. My answer tends to be the same: you have to start with the company, not the people, to really know. Assessing if you’ve got the right people in the right roles isn’t something you do only when things go wrong. By then, you’re already bleeding capital and losing momentum. Start with clarity on the journey ahead: the mission—why are we doing this? The three-year vision and one-year plan—where are we going, what do we need to do, and how are we going to do it? Only after you’re clear on the Why, Where, What, and How can you really assess the Who. Long story short—as it turns out, the Head of Sales was the right person for the job, but the Head of Product was not. >>>

We celebrated our 10th anniversary on July 10th! To help mark this milestone, we've compiled a list of our Top 10 Lessons from 10 Years in Business. Up next,   Lesson 8️⃣ : Ballast Doesn’t Slow You Down, It Gives You Stability. One way we help foster collaborative success with our clients is by building a process to periodically review our collective Course and Speed. Whether a short-term assignment or a years-long engagement, it’s important to have a forum—separate from a status meeting—for everyone to discuss our trajectory, results (or lack thereof), where things are going well, where we need to pivot, etc. It helps ensure that we are informing strategic decision-making throughout rather than just sprinting to complete whatever tasks everyone thought were correct at the beginning of a project. This approach won’t necessarily work for all brands or clients, which is just fine by us. We didn’t build our business to serve every need for all types of organizations, just like we didn’t build it with the ultimate goal of selling it. These decisions have been the result of intentional and honest conversations we’ve had over the years about our own Course and Speed. It can be easy to get lost in the slog of entrepreneurship while you’re busily pursuing a long list of SMART goals. If you’re not clear on what you’re even working toward, or haven’t been thoughtful about how to make your journey sustainable, you’ll look up one day to find that you’ve gone too far in the wrong direction, likely with the wrong team. You need ways of redirecting along the route to curb burnout, ensure everyone’s wellbeing, and keep from getting lost. You need ballast to help keep things steady. We are relentless in our focus, we’d stake our reputation on our work ethic, and we hold ourselves accountable to our commitments. But if we don’t have clarity and alignment, both internally with our team and externally with our clients, those efforts will be aimless. Who cares how rapidly you’re moving if you’re not actually going anywhere?

The Best Part of My Journey Reflecting on my career over dinner with the woman I love as major change is upon me, I noted how the greatest wins aren’t in numbers or accolades, they’re the people I’ve had the privilege to work alongside and serve. It’s always been about the people, the connections, and a deep sense of purpose. Everything in my life, everyone I’ve crossed paths with, is connected, and over time, I’ve felt a guiding clarity that’s only grown stronger. Early in my career, I found myself working with street kids and ex-cons, young people everyone else had counted out. I saw something in them - potential, grit, and hunger. I shared my own formula for success, showed them how to enter the trades, build careers in landscaping, even own companies and invest in real estate. Over time, I watched them transform, stepping up as leaders and tradespeople with pride, some even becoming business owners themselves. That clarity of purpose was something I knew I had to follow. As the years went on, I saw the same spark in young grads joining my software business. Many came in fresh, green, uncertain of what they’d bring to the table. Watching them flourish, some of them growing into executives, others launching their own startups, has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I gave them a foundation, but they took that and soared, each one stepping into their own power and potential. And as I helped others grow, I found myself growing right along with them. The more I poured into their success, the more they gave back to me - not just in gratitude, but by challenging me to be a better leader, a better guide. They forced me to continually push my own limits, to expand my vision, and to become someone worthy of guiding an empire. Helping others rise, seeing them reach heights they once thought impossible - that’s been my greatest challenge and my greatest joy. It’s what connects everything I do, all of it woven together by purpose and clarity. And, through all the ups and downs, the wins and losses, I’ve learned that the more I serve, the more I grow. If you’re on this path, know that you’re not just building a career or a business. You’re building people, connection, and purpose. And in that, you’re building a legacy that no one can take away❤️

During my 35-year career as an executive and decision-maker, I've realized the importance of seeking diverse perspectives to make better decisions and achieve superior results. Working in isolation often led to tunnel vision and suboptimal choices. However, investing in myself and joining a Vistage Peer Advisory Group transformed my approach. With the support of Edward Russnow, Matt Montellione, Ryan Goor, and others in the group, I gained invaluable outside perspectives that fostered personal growth, improved business outcomes, and set the path to becoming a Vistage Chair. If you're a CEO or business owner aiming for growth and learning, surround yourself with diverse viewpoints to enhance your decision-making and drive better results. #ExecutiveDevelopment #LeadershipInsights #BusinessGrowth #VistageMVP

I was 26 when I first stepped into the board room. It was the scariest moment of my career. In the room was: ➡ A CEO with €100M exit ➡ The ex-CEO of Ireland’s largest bank ➡ The MD of Ireland’s top VC ➡ Another top early-stage VC ➡ My two co-founders and my CFO I was 26. My own CEO had told me I was going into the board meeting 90 minutes previously. In hindsight, that was smart. Too much time to think, and I might have bolted. I had 9 months of BDR under my belt. And 3 years of AE. I was preparing for a transition into a VP Sales role. And my time had come to present our most recent quarterly numbers for the first time. I remember vividly standing at the back of the room, waiting to present. Questioning my own sanity. Wondering how many words it would take for them to figure out how far out of my depth I was. Even my internal voice was quivering. As I spoke, one board member stood up. He paced the room. Now I was palpably sweating. Knees shaking. He asked me tough questions. I stumbled through. And then silence. Nobody else asked questions. Maybe they’d heard enough. Maybe they kept their scepticism to themselves. But that was it. It was over in the blink of an eye. Every board meeting after that one got easier. Even when results weren’t there. I began to settle. I grew in confidence. I even began to enjoy them. Nowadays, I often tell myself that story before I take a leap. Moments like that are formative. Next time you’re nervous, think about that moment as formative. As the door to the next level. I hate the phrase “get comfortable being uncomfortable”. It doesn’t make sense. Instead, be thankful you’re uncomfortable. You’re levelling up.