Allison Imre's path to owning Grapevine Communications did not start with a business plan. It started at dinner in 2016, after a glass of wine, when she told the agency's owner she would simply buy it. The deal actually closed, and Imre walked away owning both the agency and its building, a story she tells with the same directness she brings to the rest of the conversation.
Since then, Grapevine has grown through a merger with Demand Exposure in April 2024, adding automotive marketing specialization to its portfolio. Imre is generous with specifics that most marketing guests keep vague. She walks through an HVAC company case study where Grapevine helped drive 300 percent volume growth over two years, a company that was later sold to a private equity firm, and a separate client that used Grapevine's work to help raise $6 million in capital.
Real Advice for Small Business Owners
Imre spends a meaningful chunk of the episode giving away tactical advice on SEO, Google Guaranteed listings, and how small Sarasota businesses can win earned media, awards and speaking opportunities without a massive ad budget. It is presented less like a sales pitch and more like a workshop, which is likely why the hosts frame it as required viewing for anyone running a small business locally.
Roundabouts and Recommendations
Imre is a fan of Sarasota's roundabouts, calling them one of the few things Europe has genuinely done right, and floats an idea for elevated pedestrian walkways downtown to further ease traffic. Before the Rapid Fire Gauntlet closes things out, she recommends a slate of future guests, including Robert Milligan of Preferred Shore, Lata Taylor of Elevation, David Honahan of Lee Wetherington Homes, and Bill Kenny of Paragon Festivals.
From a wine-fueled buyout to a merger and a string of measurable client wins, Allison Imre's episode doubles as both a Sarasota business origin story and a practical marketing masterclass. Small business owners in the audience walk away with more usable tactics than most guests offer, which is exactly why the hosts treat this conversation as one worth revisiting, and one worth bookmarking before the next marketing budget gets set.
What you'll take away
- Imre became CEO of Grapevine Communications by offering to buy the agency at dinner in 2016.
- Grapevine merged with Demand Exposure in April 2024, adding automotive marketing expertise.
- An HVAC client case study saw 300 percent volume growth over two years before being sold to a private equity firm.
- Grapevine's work helped one client raise $6 million in capital.
- Imre calls Sarasota's roundabouts one of the few things Europe has done right and proposes elevated pedestrian walkways downtown.
“I basically said, I'll buy the agency.”
Places mentioned: Downtown Sarasota