As the business community debates whether AI valuations are spiralling into bubble territory, two founders are charting a new course that puts people back at the core of growth and value creation.
The newly launched Unusual Group, founded by Luke Tobin and Ali Newton-Temperley, introduces a “super-structure” ecosystem crafted to help founder-led agencies grow sustainably, scale efficiently, and exit successfully. Combining the disciplines of consultancy, investment, M&A, and operational support, the model provides the advantages of a corporate framework without compromising independence.
Emerging from a shared conviction that business expansion and exit planning are two sides of the same coin, the partnership brings together Tobin—who led Digital Ethos to an eight-figure exit—and Newton-Temperley, a seasoned strategist and author of Agency Exits. The pair joined forces after recognising they were tackling the same industry challenge from different vantage points.
“Growth without exit planning leaves value on the table, and exit planning without growth will fail,” Ali Newton-Temperley said.
Together with Daniel Rose and Paul Allen, they’ve built a “super-structure” model that combines consultancy, investment, M&A support and operational infrastructure, giving independent founders access to the same advantages as major holding groups, without losing control.
The launch of Unusual Group comes amid a 34% year-on-year drop in agency M&A activity (Trading View) in the first half of 2025, even as AI valuations soared to unprecedented heights – OpenAI at $500 billion and Anthropic at $170 billion. Some investors, like veteran fund manager James Anderson, have compared today’s AI frenzy to the dot-com bubble.
Luke Tobin, CEO and serial exit specialist said: “AI can supercharge tactical execution, but strategic thinking, cultural intuition, and relationship capital remain irreplaceable.”
Unusual Group’s strategy focuses on acquiring minority stakes in standout founder-led agencies and supporting them with capital, infrastructure, and expertise, helping them scale and prepare for higher value future exits.
Positioning itself as a new category in the agency landscape, Unusual Group is a modern holding company built for the age of AI. Members gain access to institutional-grade finance, legal, HR, and operations support, along with proven scale-to-sale playbooks and peer collaboration. Agencies can pursue three exit paths, trade sale, private equity roll-up, or IPO, all designed to maximise founder outcomes.
“Growth is harder, capital is tighter, and founders need more support than ever,” Tobin added. “Our model gives them leverage without losing independence.”
As AI transforms the industry, Unusual Group stands for a more balanced approach, one that blends technology with human ingenuity.
For agencies not yet ready to join the group, Agency Growth Pad by Unusual Group offers tailored consultancy to support early-stage scaling with whether or not they have the intention to sell one day.
