Kaelon Egan on Selling AccelaSchool to PowerSchool

In this week’s episode of Built to Sell Radio, John Warrillow interviews Kaelon Egan, the founder of AccelaSchool, who successfully sold his company to PowerSchool—a giant in the K-12 education technology space. 

For most founders, the ultimate dream is to sell to a strategic acquirer: a well-funded, industry leader with deep pockets. Egan shares exactly how he positioned his company to become a natural acquisition target, avoiding common pitfalls along the way. 

You’ll discover how to: 

• Position your business to attract a strategic acquirer. 

• Sell to large, bureaucratic organizations by understanding their decision-making processes. 

• Identify when a partnership discussion is really a veiled acquisition conversation. 

• Build your business to fit seamlessly into a suitor’s ecosystem. 

• Decide whether to focus on one perfect buyer or broaden your appeal to multiple acquirers. 

• Avoid earn-outs while still creating a deal that works for both sides. 

If selling your business to an industry powerhouse is part of your long-term vision, this episode offers a practical blueprint for how to get there. 

Show Notes & Links

AccelaSchool

PowerSchool

Connect with Kaelon on LinkedIn

Definitions

Due-Diligence: This is a comprehensive appraisal of a business or investment undertaken before a merger, acquisition, or investment. It seeks to validate the information provided and uncover any potential risks or liabilities.

Earn-out: This is a financing arrangement for the purchase of a business, where the seller must meet certain performance goals before receiving the full purchase price. It reduces the buyer’s risk and aligns the interests of both parties post-acquisition.

Letter of Intent (LOI): This document outlines the basic terms and conditions of a deal before a formal agreement is drawn up. It serves as a mutual commitment between the buyer and the seller to move forward with the transaction on the agreed-upon terms.

TAM: “Total Addressable Market.” It’s a business term that represents the overall revenue opportunity available for a product or service in a specific market. To put it simply, TAM is the maximum amount of money a company could potentially make if they captured every single customer in a given market who might be interested in what they’re selling.

About Our Guest

Kaelon Egan

Kaelon Egan is an accomplished entrepreneur who founded, expanded, and sold his first company before turning 35. Despite feeling like a misfit during his school years, he discovered his niche in entrepreneurship. Egan began his career in the public school sector at 19 and later worked with school districts worldwide for a Student Information System technology company. This experience led him to establish AccelaSchool LLC, where he served as CEO, aiming to enhance data collection processes in education. His journey exemplifies resilience and innovation in the face of challenges.