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How to Decode an Acquirer’s Maximum Offer

June 10, 2022 No Comments

Imagine walking into a car dealership knowing the lowest price the dealer will accept. That knowledge would give you an unfair advantage in negotiating. Instead, buying a car from a dealer often leaves us wondering if we could have pushed for a better deal.

Now imagine selling your business knowing exactly how far you could push an acquirer. Knowing an acquirer’s upper limit is challenging unless you have a bug planted in their board room. However, suppose your potential acquirer is a publicly-traded

How to Get the Attention of an Acquirer (Without Looking Too Eager)

May 24, 2022 No Comments

Even if you have no plans to sell your business, it’s nice to be approached by an acquirer. Having acquirers court you can help identify which parts of your business are most attractive and where any weak points might be. That way, you can shore them up before putting your company on the market.

You Want Fries With That?

May 17, 2022 No Comments

There are lots of reasons big companies buy little ones. Maybe a strategic acquirer wants to enter a new geographic market or thinks owning your company will give them more pricing authority.

One of the most compelling reasons a large corporation would acquire a seven-figure business is to give their sales reps another product to sell. A sales team is one of the most expensive investments a large corporation can make. Good salespeople cost money to recruit, years to train, and a small fortune to keep happy.

How to Build a Personal Brand Without Compromising the Value of Your Business

May 10, 2022 No Comments

When building a valuable company, social media is a double-edged sword.
On the one hand, creating a personal brand can be an inexpensive way to funnel leads to your business.

Paul Graham first introduced the distinction between a maker and a manager in a 2009 blog post.

The Maker vs. The Manager

April 25, 2022 No Comments

How much time are you getting for creative work these days? If you don’t have time to think, it may be worth understanding the framework of the maker vs. the manager.

Paul Graham first introduced the distinction between a maker and a manager in a 2009 blog post.

This Two-Step Way for Harvesting the Value in Your Business Is Not for Everyone

April 19, 2022 No Comments

If a big goal feels unachievable, it can be tempting to break it down into smaller steps.

For example, if your goal is to gain admittance to an elite four-year college in America, rather than apply out of high school, you may find it easier to attend a two-year junior college (JUCO) and then transfer to a four-year school upon graduation.

How Your Moat Impacts the Value of Your Business

April 12, 2022 No Comments

What makes you tough to compete with?

It’s that thing that customers value but competitors can’t seem to match.

4 Things Led to a Doubling of This Company’s Value

March 29, 2022 No Comments

Sue Bryce had always dreamed of selling her photography education membership website, so when she received an inquiry offer from a private equity group doing a rollup in her industry, Bryce was excited.

Along with the website, Bryce’s company had several other revenue sources, including conferences, awards, and accreditations for photographers. All told, they were doing almost $7 million in revenue, and Bryce figured she had a shot at hitting her number.

The Hidden Dangers of Bundling

March 22, 2022 No Comments

Have you ever felt frustrated when scrolling through your television guide and seeing hundreds of channels you pay for but never watch?

You’re not alone.

The Two Reasons Owners Sell May Surprise You

March 8, 2022 No Comments

Sandy and Randy Hansen had only been married for a few months when Randy was diagnosed with leukemia. The doctors

You Get to Decide When to Sell

March 1, 2022 No Comments

It may happen when your business is worth $1 million. Perhaps it will happen at $5 or $10 million.
But eventually it happens to just about all founders.

How Hotjar™ Used a Beta Group to Bootstrap Their Way to $40 Million in ARR

February 23, 2022 No Comments

There’s a well-trodden path to building a successful technology company: Develop an idea, raise a bunch of money, and sell your baby for a truckload. Most founders who chose this route are down to single-digit stakes of equity by the time they sell, but if the acquisition price is large enough, it works out just fine for everyone.

But it’s a high-stakes racket, and for every winner, there are probably dozens of losers in the ditch.

There is an alternative to jumping on the fundraising hamster wheel.

It looks like there is no more content available.

How to Decode an Acquirer’s Maximum Offer

June 10, 2022 No Comments

Imagine walking into a car dealership knowing the lowest price the dealer will accept. That knowledge would give you an unfair advantage in negotiating. Instead, buying a car from a dealer often leaves us wondering if we could have pushed for a better deal.

Now imagine selling your business knowing exactly how far you could push an acquirer. Knowing an acquirer’s upper limit is challenging unless you have a bug planted in their board room. However, suppose your potential acquirer is a publicly-traded

How to Get the Attention of an Acquirer (Without Looking Too Eager)

May 24, 2022 No Comments

Even if you have no plans to sell your business, it’s nice to be approached by an acquirer. Having acquirers court you can help identify which parts of your business are most attractive and where any weak points might be. That way, you can shore them up before putting your company on the market.

You Want Fries With That?

May 17, 2022 No Comments

There are lots of reasons big companies buy little ones. Maybe a strategic acquirer wants to enter a new geographic market or thinks owning your company will give them more pricing authority.

One of the most compelling reasons a large corporation would acquire a seven-figure business is to give their sales reps another product to sell. A sales team is one of the most expensive investments a large corporation can make. Good salespeople cost money to recruit, years to train, and a small fortune to keep happy.

How to Build a Personal Brand Without Compromising the Value of Your Business

May 10, 2022 No Comments

When building a valuable company, social media is a double-edged sword.
On the one hand, creating a personal brand can be an inexpensive way to funnel leads to your business.

Paul Graham first introduced the distinction between a maker and a manager in a 2009 blog post.

The Maker vs. The Manager

April 25, 2022 No Comments

How much time are you getting for creative work these days? If you don’t have time to think, it may be worth understanding the framework of the maker vs. the manager.

Paul Graham first introduced the distinction between a maker and a manager in a 2009 blog post.

This Two-Step Way for Harvesting the Value in Your Business Is Not for Everyone

April 19, 2022 No Comments

If a big goal feels unachievable, it can be tempting to break it down into smaller steps.

For example, if your goal is to gain admittance to an elite four-year college in America, rather than apply out of high school, you may find it easier to attend a two-year junior college (JUCO) and then transfer to a four-year school upon graduation.

How Your Moat Impacts the Value of Your Business

April 12, 2022 No Comments

What makes you tough to compete with?

It’s that thing that customers value but competitors can’t seem to match.

4 Things Led to a Doubling of This Company’s Value

March 29, 2022 No Comments

Sue Bryce had always dreamed of selling her photography education membership website, so when she received an inquiry offer from a private equity group doing a rollup in her industry, Bryce was excited.

Along with the website, Bryce’s company had several other revenue sources, including conferences, awards, and accreditations for photographers. All told, they were doing almost $7 million in revenue, and Bryce figured she had a shot at hitting her number.

The Hidden Dangers of Bundling

March 22, 2022 No Comments

Have you ever felt frustrated when scrolling through your television guide and seeing hundreds of channels you pay for but never watch?

You’re not alone.

The Two Reasons Owners Sell May Surprise You

March 8, 2022 No Comments

Sandy and Randy Hansen had only been married for a few months when Randy was diagnosed with leukemia. The doctors

You Get to Decide When to Sell

March 1, 2022 No Comments

It may happen when your business is worth $1 million. Perhaps it will happen at $5 or $10 million.
But eventually it happens to just about all founders.

How Hotjar™ Used a Beta Group to Bootstrap Their Way to $40 Million in ARR

February 23, 2022 No Comments

There’s a well-trodden path to building a successful technology company: Develop an idea, raise a bunch of money, and sell your baby for a truckload. Most founders who chose this route are down to single-digit stakes of equity by the time they sell, but if the acquisition price is large enough, it works out just fine for everyone.

But it’s a high-stakes racket, and for every winner, there are probably dozens of losers in the ditch.

There is an alternative to jumping on the fundraising hamster wheel.

It looks like there is no more content available.

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