Startup Acquisition Stories

Matt Brenton didn’t build BigPawShop to scale aggressively. He built it to work for real customers, with real margins, and a clear brand identity. What started as a side hustle became a profitable niche eCommerce business selling bold, custom dog collars. In this episode, Matt shares how he grew the brand without paid ads, structured his operations with intention, and successfully sold the business through Acquire.com. He walks through what made the brand attractive to buyers, how he managed the listing, and what a clean, founder-first exit really looks like. You’ll learn: * How to run a lean eCommerce brand with strong retention * Why emotional products can still be strategic assets * What buyers look for in simple, documented Shopify stores * How to prep your business so it sells fast and clean * Why timing and founder clarity make all the difference 3 lessons from Matt’s exit: 1. Keep it focused: a niche product with loyal buyers has real value 2. Document everything before you list 3. A buyer who respects your work makes the exit easier Whether you’re running an eCommerce brand or thinking about your own exit, Matt’s story shows how to prepare, sell, and move on with clarity. Follow Matt's journey on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bretonmatthew/]

At just 18 years old, Siyabend Özdemir bootstrapped and sold Gen PPT, an AI-powered presentation generator used by students, marketers, and solopreneurs across the globe. What started as a school-night experiment turned into a viral hit driven by indie hacker hustle, programmatic SEO, and a killer demo shared on X. Siyabend listed the business on Acquire.com and closed a smooth acquisition just days later. In this episode, he shares how he built, scaled, and exited Gen PPT and what comes next for a founder just getting started. You’ll learn: ► How Siyabend validated the idea using a real SEO dataset ► Why building in public on X was key to early growth ► What made Acquire.com the best fit for a solo founder exit ► How he handled burnout, due diligence, and buyer negotiation ► What to do after your first big win, including gold bars and Range Rovers 3 takeaways from Siyabend’s exit: 1. Organize everything—docs, access, financials—for a fast handoff 2. Structure your business and taxes early, even if you're young 3. Use the right platform to streamline the acquisition process Whether you’re 18 or 38, bootstrapping solo or building in public, this conversation is proof that you can build something valuable and sell it on your terms. Listen now to hear how Siyabend pulled off his first exit and what he’s building next. Follow Siyabend on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/siyabend-oezdemir/]

Christopher Schwab didn’t build Inova Local to chase scale. He built it to solve a real problem: how to support home service businesses with reliable, high-quality remote admin help. What started as a side project quickly became a profitable VA agency—and a company built for flexibility, documentation, and clean operations. In this episode, Christopher shares how he grew the business with intention and sold it through a fast, strategic acquisition. You’ll learn: * Why lean, recurring models outperform traditional staffing * What made remote operations hard to sell before the pandemic * How to prepare your company for a fast, low-friction exit * What buyers actually care about—and what catches them off guard * How to balance growth, team care, and long-term personal goals 3 lessons from Christopher’s exit: 1. Simplicity and documentation make due diligence easy 2. Know what the business means to you—and what’s next 3. Take care of your team through the transition Whether you're scaling a remote service or considering your own exit, this conversation is a playbook for founders who want to build—and exit—with clarity. Listen now to hear how Christopher structured his acquisition and what he's building next. Follow Christopher on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cschwab1⁠]

What started as a side project during business school became a profitable, product-led SaaS used by finance teams, and was successfully acquired through Acquire.com. In this episode, Trevor Lee, founder of Genius Sheets, shares how he scaled a lean SaaS through smart distribution partnerships, kept operations efficient, and exited on his own terms to build a new company: Myko, a voice-to-CRM tool for sales teams. In this episode, you’ll learn: * * How to grow a financial SaaS using Product-Led Growth (PLG) * * Why partner distribution can outperform outbound sales * * What to expect during buyer calls, due diligence, and app store transitions * * How pricing your listing well leads to stronger, faster offers * What matters most when evaluating potential buyers Trevor’s 3 tips for founders planning an exit: 1. Build around scalable, low-cost acquisition channels 2. Reduce manual ops to make your SaaS more attractive 3. Don’t wait for perfection—launch, and learn from real users Whether you're growing a SaaS or thinking about selling, this episode is full of tactical advice from a founder who exited profitably to pursue his next big idea. 🎧 Listen now and discover what Trevor’s building with Myko ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Follow Trevor on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorlee20/] https://www.linkedin.com/company/acquiredotcom https://twitter.com/acquiredotcom https://www.facebook.com/acquiredotcom https://www.instagram.com/acquiredotcom/

If Christopher Lier could give three key pieces of advice to SaaS founders planning an exit, they would be: 1. Build a focused product that solves a specific problem 2. Be fully transparent during the acquisition process 3. Never settle for a deal you’re not comfortable with Christopher is the co-founder of LeadGen App, a form builder optimized for lead generation. What began as a side project between an SEO expert and a developer in the UK quickly evolved into a profitable micro-SaaS. No venture capital. No big team. Just strong SEO, clear systems, and consistent execution. In this episode, host Andrew Gazdecki talks with Christopher about: * How to launch and grow a lean SaaS product from scratch * The importance of SEO, Facebook groups, and direct outreach for acquiring your first users * What the acquisition process on Acquire.com looks like, from listing to closing * How documented SOPs and a reliable team streamlined due diligence * Why selecting the right buyer is about shared vision, not just price Whether you're bootstrapping, scaling, or preparing to sell a SaaS company, this episode offers actionable insights and hard-earned lessons from someone who’s successfully done it. Listen now and learn what it really takes to build, grow, and exit a micro-SaaS. Follow Christopher’s journey: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-lier/⁠]