Progress Partners Advises on Sale of LocalBizNow (LBN) to Ansira Partners

Ansira, a portfolio company of Advent International, enables SMBs and national brands to reach local consumers through integration of LBN platform

BOSTON, MA and NEW YORK, NY ? September 12, 2017 ? Progress Partners, a Boston and New York-based M&A advisory firm, is pleased to announce that it has advised on the sale of LocalBizNow, an all-in-one local digital marketing platform to Ansira Partners, Inc., a leading data-driven, technology-enabled marketing solutions provider.

Ansira, which is majority owned by global private equity firm Advent International, is one of the largest independently owned CRM and direct marketing agencies in the United States. With over 850 team members across 14 office locations, Ansira was built to align brands, consumers, and channel partners in today’s complex, rapidly changing business environment, ensuring that all three win in the marketplace. Through its unique approach to one-to-one customer engagement, national-to-local expertise and retail partner empowerment, Ansira establishes and strengthens profitable customer relationships for its clients. Ansira offers integrated and stand-alone marketing solutions that are focused on optimizing CRM programs and customer acquisition platforms and strategies. Its work includes data analytics, campaign management, strategic planning, digital, web development, integrated media/search, creative, trade promotion, and experiential marketing.

?We are pleased to be partnering with such an impressive and growing company,? said Todd Webber, Chief Executive Officer of LBN. “Ansira’s extensive experience with brands and channel partners provides a strong industry-leading platform from which to best serve clients. Together, both LBN and Ansira clients will benefit from enhanced capabilities and offerings. This is an exciting time to be joining Ansira and we look forward to contributing to the company’s bright future.”

The integration of LBN will further enhance Ansira?s position as a leader in the integration of local and national marketing programs between brands, channel partners and local, interested consumers. LBN?s platform and services remove the complexity of local digital activation for multi-location companies and provides clients with a scalable, efficient marketing solution. LBN?s innovative group-search offering enables clients to get achieve the highest converting traffic at the lowest cost with location-based targeting across search engines and devices. The LBN platform optimizes budgets at the national, regional or store level for multi-location brands.

?The acquisition of LBN aligns with Ansira?s growth strategy of pursuing companies that share its vision of being a leading marketing solutions provider,? noted Andy Arnold, Executive Vice President at Ansira. ?We see the LBN platform adding substantial value to our long list of multi-location clients who wish to connect to the consumer at a local level.?

?Progress Partners is excited to announce the close of this transaction and we look forward to watching as Ansira and LBN move forward into their next stage of growth,? said Nick MacShane, Senior Managing Director at Progress Partners. ?We see Ansira and Advent as a perfect strategic fit for LBN, and it has been a pleasure working with all three teams over the last several months. We wish them all the best of luck going forward.?

 

About LocalBizNow

LBN removes the complexity of local digital activation for multi-location companies, and provides clients with a scalable, efficient marketing solution. LBN?s innovative group-search offering enables clients to get the highest converting traffic at the lowest cost with location-based targeting across search engines and devices. The LBN platform optimizes budgets at the national, regional or store level for multi-location brands. LBN offers a comprehensive, effective and efficient set of digital tools that cover SEM, SEO, Social Media, Listings, Reviews, Attribution, Native Advertising, Display and more. LBN has offices in Auburn Hills and Los Angeles. For more information, please visit www.localbiznow.com

About Ansira

Ansira, a leading data-driven, technology-enabled marketing solutions provider, specializes in the integration of local and national marketing programs through marketing automation, data analytics, CRM and integrated media. Marketing intelligence is infused across all disciplines and executed through digital, direct, social, mobile, integrated media and creative execution, marketing automation, co-op and trade promotion. The agency enjoys long-term client relationships with Fortune 500 companies spanning a broad range of industries, including automotive, dining, retail, consumer packaged goods, fitness, technology and specialty services.  With the acquisition of LBN, Ansira has offices in St. Louis, Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Atlanta, Cedar Rapids, Houston, Portland, OR, and Newport Beach, CA. Ansira is majority owned by Advent International, one of the largest and most experienced global private equity investors, who is highly supportive of Ansira?s business and future growth initiatives. For more information, please visit www.ansira.com

About Advent International

Founded in 1984, Advent International is one of the largest and most experienced global private equity investors. The firm has invested in over 325 private equity transactions in 41 countries and as of June 30, 2017, it had $43 billion in assets under management. With offices on four continents, Advent has established a globally integrated team of 190 investment professionals across North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. The firm focuses on investments in five core sectors, including business and financial services; healthcare; industrial; retail, consumer and leisure; and technology, media and telecom. After more than 30 years dedicated to international investing, Advent remains committed to partnering with management teams to deliver sustained revenue and earnings growth for its portfolio companies. For more information, please visit www.adventinternational.com

About Progress Partners

Progress Partners is a Boston and New York-based M&A advisory firm working with emerging technology companies within media, marketing, advertising sectors, serving SMB through Enterprise. Progress Partners works with buyers and sellers of high growth companies to complete M&A transactions, raise debt or equity capital, as well as, develop and implement strategic growth plans. The firm’s high standards of excellence, deep industry experience, extensive network, and entrepreneurial background give Progress Partners the ability to build
and realize superior value for its clients. Securities offered by Applied Capital, LLC, member of FINRA and SIPC. For more information, please visit www.progresspartners.com.