Growing fast isn’t the only way to succeed. For Jordan Richards, staying consistent was what made his exit possible.
His founder story shows how discipline and documentation can turn a small agency into a clean, profitable acquisition.
As the founder of Local Comets, a digital-marketing agency serving home-service businesses across the U.S., Jordan built steady revenue, lean systems, and predictable results.
When the time came to sell, his organized SOP library made due diligence effortless and buyer trust immediate.
You’ll hear:
3 lessons from Jordan’s exit:
Whether you’re running an agency or building SaaS, this episode is your blueprint for creating clarity, value, and a smooth startup sale.
Follow Jordan’s journey:
LinkedInLocal Comets
Running small projects may not be glamorous. But for Thomas Ulman, it was the smartest way to scale and sell.
His founder story shows how improving what already works can lead to clean, profitable exits.
He took over Waitlist.email, a launch waitlist tool for founders, and Text.run, a minimalist personal-site builder. Instead of starting from scratch, he improved both products, rebuilt user trust, and sold them through Acquire.com, turning side projects into successful exits.
Simplicity shaped the outcome. By removing free tiers, listening to users, and leveraging SEO, Thomas grew revenue with no paid ads. Both products were sold within weeks after listing.
You’ll hear:
3 lessons from Thomas’s exits:
Whether you’re building SaaS or managing side projects, this episode is your blueprint for lean growth, focus, and smart exits.
Follow Thomas’s journey:
Running two startups sounds ambitious. But for Nikita Danilov, it became a signal to focus. His startup exit story shows why knowing when to sell and finding the right buyer matters most.
He built SwiftNet, a subscription internet service for RV travelers, into steady revenue and hundreds of loyal users. At the same time, his second venture, Upside, demanded more of his energy. The solution was clear: sell SwiftNet, focus fully on Upside, and keep building in one direction.
Patience shaped the exit. Nikita spent months talking to buyers, refining his pitch, and waiting for the right fit. When Star Holdings appeared, the acquisition closed in just 30 days.
You’ll hear:
How founders know the right time to sell a startup
Why patience during the acquisition process protects valuation
What preparation can be done to speed up due diligence and build trust
3 lessons from Nikita’s exit:
Whether you’re balancing two ventures or planning your first startup exit, this founder story is your playbook for timing, focus, and patience.
Follow Nikita’s journey:
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Tanmay Kejriwal didn’t plan to build a company.
What started as a class project at TCU, a simple Shopify script to fix order issues, grew into Editify, a Shopify app with hundreds of users and steady revenue.
Once listed on Acquire.com, it attracted multiple offers and was acquired in a profitable exit.
In this episode, Tanmay shares how starting small, preparing well, and choosing the right buyer turned a side project into a real acquisition.
You’ll hear:
3 lessons from Tanmay’s exit:
Whether you’re building your first product or managing a growing SaaS, Tanmay’s story shows how clarity, preparation, and focus can turn a student project into a successful exit.
Follow Tanmay’s journey:
Ion-Alexandru Secara didn’t chase flashy markets.
He built GovCon in a Box to help small contractors cut through government red tape, simplify proposals, and win more deals. Thousands of paying customers followed, and within weeks of listing, the startup was acquired in a life-changing exit.
In this episode, Ion shares how overlooked markets, smart validation, and clean preparation led to an acquisition most founders never expect.
You’ll hear:
3 lessons from Ion’s exit:
Whether you’re building in a competitive niche or tackling a complex market, Ion’s story proves that clarity, focus, and discipline can turn obstacles into exits.
Follow Ion's journey:
Itay Elgazar didn’t wait years to find his exit.
He launched Superdev in early 2025, an AI tool that let developers build full-stack apps in minutes. Within months, it went viral, gained hundreds of paying users, and just two weeks after listing on Acquire.com, it was acquired in a life-changing exit.
In this episode, Itay shares how he built, listed, and closed his exit faster than most founders think possible.
You’ll hear:
3 lessons from Itay’s exit:
Whether you’re building to scale or preparing for a future acquisition, Superdev’s story shows that the right mix of timing, preparation, and traction can lead to a fast, clean deal.
Follow Itay’s journey:
Said Korkmax and Esra Sinmaz built Appify Mobile, lean and bootstrapped. Without ad spend, they focused on App Store Optimization (ASO) to grow AI apps that caught fire in crowded app stores.
Small tests soon turned into real traction. Their AI apps in beauty and effects gained organic installs, reviews confirmed demand, and revenue doubled in months. With momentum strong, they decided it was the right time to sell.
Listing on Acquire.com brought buyers fast. By the second week, serious conversations were underway. Clean documentation, clear differentiation, and organic growth positioned Appify Mobile as a low-risk, high-potential acquisition.
The exit gave Said and Esra both freedom and resources to focus on new projects.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How ASO can drive traction without ad spend
Why documentation builds buyer trust
How timing can turn growth into a clean exit
3 lessons from Said & Esra’s exit:
Preparation and clarity build credibility
Differentiation makes products stand out
Timing your exit is everything
Whether you’re building to keep or selling to move on, Said & Esra’s story shows that preparation, clarity, and timing make all the difference.
Follow our guests:► Esra Sinmaz – LinkedIn► Said Korkmax – LinkedIn► Appify Mobile
Teemu Raitaluoto had sold before.
His first exit on Acquire.com was small, but it taught him exactly what slows buyers down. Two years later, with AIContentfy, he applied those lessons from day one — scaling to $1M ARR and selling in a clean, all-cash deal.
This time, preparation made the difference. Clear documentation, systems that worked without him, and competitive listings turned the process into a life-changing acquisition.
In this episode, Teemu shares:
Here are 3 lessons from Teemu’s exit:
Whether you’re scaling for growth or considering an exit, Teemu’s story proves that preparation from day one changes the outcome.
Follow Teemu’s Journey:LinkedInAIContentfy
Umar Khan didn’t plan to sell.
Bootstrapped and lean, his AI side project ChatFAI went viral: 1M users in a year and MRR jumping from $500 to $2,000 in two months. Its edge? Long-term memory that kept conversations alive.
Despite traction, Umar chose focus over scale. He listed on Acquire.com, where verified buyers, clear documentation, and fast communication turned the process into a clean, stress-free exit.
In this episode, Umar shares:
How viral growth shaped a bootstrapped exit
Here are 3 lessons from Umar’s exit:
Whether you’re scaling for the long run or considering an exit, Umar’s journey proves that timing, preparation, and focus define the outcome.
Follow Umar's Journey:
JJ Englert didn’t start in SEO. He built Trade Backlinks, a profitable SEO marketplace for buying and selling backlinks safely and transparently.
He launched it lean, listened to user feedback, and kept adding features that mattered: automated link tracking, performance analytics, and verified member checks. The platform became the go-to in its niche.
When the excitement to keep building faded, JJ prepared for a clean exit. Organized financials, documented processes, and a business that ran without him meant buyers could move fast.
He listed on Acquire.com. Verified buyers, streamlined communication, and a short due diligence window led to a fast, fair deal, fully on his terms.
In this episode, JJ shares:
How early preparation made the sale easier
Why losing passion can be the right signal to sell
3 lessons from JJ’s exit:
Whether you’re building to keep or selling to move on, JJ’s story shows that preparation, clarity, and timing make all the difference.
Follow JJ's Journey:
Alex Carroll didn’t build Alpine Rings. He acquired it and scaled it to a $2.4M run rate.
Once inside, he fixed what mattered: product pages, offer structure, and one $300 upgrade that drove 40% more revenue.
When it was running lean and strong, he listed it on Acquire.com.
No brokers. No earn-out. Just a clean, all-cash exit.
In this episode, Alex shares:
3 lessons from Alex’s exit:
Whether you’re buying to flip or scaling to exit, Alex’s story shows that clarity, execution, and timing are what make a great deal close fast.
Follow Alex's Journey:
Rich J. Yun didn’t build Jet Designs to sell it. He built it to solve a real need: on-demand design support for early-stage startups.
But once it was running smoothly, he listed it on Acquire.com. No brokers. No outside capital. Just a clean listing and the right buyer.
Within days, the deal was done. All cash. No earn-out. No complications.
In this episode, Rich explains how he prepared for a fast exit using Acquire.com templates, recording walkthroughs on Loom, and managing multiple buyers without letting things drag.
He also shares how to structure your data room, what buyers really look for in service businesses, and how to stay flexible to close faster.
You’ll learn:
3 lessons from Rich’s exit:
Whether you’re running a solo service or a small SaaS, Rich’s exit shows that simplicity, clarity, and preparation are all you need.
Follow Rich’s journey:→ LinkedIn→ Twitter→ Jet Designs
Omar Zouhair didn’t build PageCrafter to flip it. He built it to fix a bottleneck in his own team. But once it worked, he listed it on Acquire.com with no expectations.
Seven days later, the deal was done. All cash. No earn-out. No back-and-forth.
In this episode, Omar breaks down what made the deal so fast: clean documentation, transparency, and flexibility.
He also shares the exact files he created, how he managed buyer calls, and why being clear about handoff terms makes everything easier.
You’ll learn:
3 lessons from Omar’s exit:
Whether you're running a side project or a small SaaS, Omar’s story proves that speed comes from preparation.
Follow Omar’s journey:→ LinkedIn→ Twitter→ PageCrafter
Chanakya Yerneni didn’t want another promotion. He wanted freedom—and the chance to build something of his own.
After a decade in enterprise SaaS, he quit corporate, browsed Acquire.com, and bought a small AI grading tool for teachers. It had $5K MRR, no SEO, and no real growth engine.
Twelve months later, that product—EssayGrader—is on track to hit $1M ARR.
In this episode, Chanakya shares how he evaluated listings, rebuilt the product from scratch, and scaled an EdTech SaaS with product-led growth and word of mouth.
You’ll learn:
3 lessons from Chanakya’s exit journey:
Whether you’re buying your first startup or scaling your next, this episode is a playbook in clarity, conviction, and customer-first growth.
Follow Chanakya’s journey on LinkedIn.
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:
3 lessons from Matt’s exit:
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
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:
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
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:
Simplicity and documentation make due diligence easy
Know what the business means to you—and what’s next
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
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:
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
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Follow Trevor on LinkedIn
If Christopher Lier could give three key pieces of advice to SaaS founders planning an exit, they would be:
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:
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:
If Johann Sathianathen could give two key pieces of advice to founders who want to sell a startup fast, he’d say:
Build and sell early—even while working full-time
Johann Sathianathen was just 20 years old when he made his first bootstrapped exit, selling his startup Jars Global through Acquire.com. Before that, he dropped out of college, became the youngest full-time software engineer at Cisco, and used his salary to fund a small team and launch multiple startup projects.
Jars began as a side hustle focused on competitive intelligence for e-commerce businesses. As traction grew, Johann listed it on Acquire.com. The selling process was smooth, the deal closed quickly, and Johann walked away with both capital and momentum to go full-time on his founder journey.
But for Johann, selling Jars was just the beginning. He believes that a portfolio founder approach reduces risk and multiplies opportunity. By building multiple SaaS startups with lean teams, he maximized his chances of success—and today, he’s scaling a growing portfolio, focused on solving real problems and moving fast.
Tune in to the Acquire podcast with Andrew Gazdecki and Johann Sathianathen to discover:
How Johann built and sold his startup while still a teenager
Why becoming a "portfolio founder" changes everything
How to leverage your salary to bootstrap and scale faster
What happens emotionally and financially after your first startup exit
Johann is just getting started, and you can follow his journey below.