Birmingham digital marketing agency targets £2.1m revenue mark after management buyout

Sam Hufton has led the management buy out of Pull the Pin from well-known magician and entertainer Ben Hanlin and is immediately targeting the £2.1m revenue mark over the next three years.

The Solihull-born digital specialist has put together a senior management team of sector experts to support growth plans and build on the demand from clients in manufacturing, property, professional services, software and technology. 

He believes his agency has created a unique digital marketing service, which builds brands by seamlessly bringing together organic search and socials, paid media and customer acquisition.

Sam, who has been involved in marketing for more than 15 years, said: "Ben and I set up the business four years ago and what a journey it has been so far.

“We’ve taken an agency working from our kitchen table to a business that employs 11 people and is supporting some major clients, including Cheshire Jewellers, iGolf (part of England Golf), Hogarth Hotels, MAN Commercial Protection and Wright Hassall.

“The way we’ve grown and the people we’ve now got into the team meant it was the perfect time to complete the management buyout, giving Ben the opportunity to sell his shares and focus on his commitments as an innovator and entertainer.

“We have become a feature of Birmingham’s digital community, and we’re excited to embark on the next chapter.

Ben Hanlin added: “I never thought I’d run a business with my best mate, so to create Pull the Pin and see it flourish is a fantastic feeling.

“We’re at a stage where the company no longer needs me and the team Sam has assembled is ready for the next stage of its growth, whilst I’ve got plenty of amazing opportunities in the pipeline helping corporates with leadership training.”

Pull the Pin, based in the Assay Studios in Birmingham city centre, is on course to achieve revenues in excess of £1.1m in 2025.

Its senior management team all have significant global agency experience working across digital strategies, building client relationships and demonstrating positive results.

“I’m very proud of the team we’ve built and that is one of our biggest selling points,” continued Sam.

“Companies can tap into all of our specialist expertise at a fraction of what it would cost to employ multiple people in-house and several agencies - when you combine that with our creativity and our ability to leverage AI to support client acquisition, it’s a powerful combination.”

PTP is investing heavily in leveraging AI technology to support the marketing and sales generation activities of its varied client base and it is currently testing anew platform that will streamline sales processes, freeing up resources to focus on higher-margin offerings and driving greater revenue growth.