In this episode of Founders Weekly, Heini Zachariassen and Theis Søndergaard explore acquisitions with guest Brian Dean, founder of Backlinko and Exploding Topics. They discuss the differences between lifestyle businesses and startups, and the three possible outcomes for startups: retention, IPO, or acquisition. They explain various types of acquisitions—strategic, tuck-in, and acqui-hire. Brian Dean recounts selling Backlinko to SEMrush, starting from the initial email that began the acquisition talks. He provides insights into the valuation process and his role after the acquisition. Dean advises founders on the importance of transparency with buyers, considering higher initial valuations, and having an experienced acquisition lawyer and advisor. 

Host: Heini Zachariassen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heini/

Co-Host: Theis Søndergaard

LinkedIn: https://dk.linkedin.com/in/theissondergaard

Guest: Brian Dean

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianedean/

Backlinko: https://backlinko.com/

Exploding Topics: https://explodingtopics.com/

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