About

Gord Carley is the ‘GC’ of GC Media Brokers.

“Over the last 4 years, I have completed 24 different media transactions and advised many other Canadian media companies—from some of Canada’s largest media companies to smaller media businesses with just a few employees.  There is no one in North America who has sold more Canadian media businesses since 2015.

Some of the best lessons I have learned are from selling on four different occasions, media businesses that I had personally started and operated. I am very familiar with the emotions of being the seller—and also the challenges of balancing running a business with all the work involved with selling.

In 2005, my partner and I sold a MN-based business. We hired a media broker—and that helped us both on the process of finding buyers, getting a better price and also it allowed me to operate the business as usual—while the sale process went on.

Having a background in media has been a tremendous asset both in terms of helping businesses strategize an exit plan and in many cases, prepare to sell—as well as finding buyers through my personal network or industry knowledge.

I got into media by jumping off the deep end—I had an idea and lots of energy after graduating with a business degree from the University of Western Ontario—so I decided to start a media business with zero publishing knowledge.

It spawned a 25+ year career launching employment newspapers, B2B directories, and later a website as noted below.
Some ventures have been incredibly rewarding and exhilarating to produce—while others have been highly stressful. I can recall one venture where it felt like I was always writing cheques instead of receiving them. All the experiences have been invaluable.”

Selected Achievement Highlights

• Launched and then sold Employment News GTA East in 1989
• Created and sold a directory in Quebec in 1994
• Created and sold a trade directory Ontario Design in 1995
• Published and helped revive Canadian Architect for Southam from 1994 through 1998
• Launched and managed The Employment News Minnesota, the largest employment paper in the United States. In 2005, the business was sold to Knight Ridder.
• Author of two books, Surviving Adversity—The Collection, and Surviving Adversity—Living with Parkinson’s disease (motivated by his mother’s battle with the disease).
• Published Canadian Architect for Southam from 1994 through 1998
• Was acting CEO for an employment company in Indiana through 2008-2010
• Worked developing US sales for NetHire—an internet based Employment services provider
• Launched a website, www.tipmine.com
• Honors Business Administration: University of Western Ontario, London, ON

If you have a B2B or B2C magazine, event, conference, or digital brand that you are considering selling or buying—I would look forward to discussing with you how I could assist in maximizing your return.