What happens when a buyer emails you out of the blue? Not all offers are what they seem. Learn how to spot legit interest, protect your time, and maximize your leverage when inbound offers roll in.

It’s a question we hear all the time: “Is my business sellable?” In most cases, the answer is yes. But there are a few factors that can make selling your company harder than it should be or even impossible. In this episode of They Got Acquired, Lexi shares the four biggest reasons a company might be unsellable, and how to correct them before you’re ready to exit.

How do you know when it’s the right time to sell your business? The answer might surprise you. Lexi Grant breaks down the three real factors that determine when to sell — and why waiting for perfect market timing could actually cost you.

They Got Acquired is back! In this new season, host Lexi Grant shares insider insights every founder should know before selling a business.

We’re launching something new at They Got Acquired — and we’re back with a short bonus episode to tell you about it. We usually focus on stories of other entrepreneurs and how they're building their businesses. But today, we explain what we're working on. To see the reports we reference in this episode, visit: http://TheyGotAcquired.com/reports For more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter: https://TheyGotAcquired.com/newsletter For the transcript, go to: https://theygotacquired.com/podcast/bonus-season-1/

From a young age, Donald Spann wanted to become an entrepreneur because he wanted two simple things: time freedom and financial stability. Thanks to an over seven-figure exit from Vicky Virtual Receptionists, he achieved this goal. But getting there was full of twists and turns. Listen to learn how a random Reddit thread, a cleaning business and a spinoff company led to this life-changing sale. For more stories like this one, sign up for the newsletter: https://TheyGotAcquired.com/newsletter To get the full transcript, go here: https://theygotacquired.com/podcast/donald-spann-vicky-virtual-receptionists/

Like so many founders, Lauren Gaggioli had been heads down in her Higher Scores Test Prep business for so long, she didn’t realize how valuable it was. She wanted to know: was this course business sellable? In this episode, you’ll learn how Lauren leveraged her podcast, consistent passive income, SEO traffic, list size, and course offerings to exit for $180,000. For more stories like this one, sign up for newsletter: https://TheyGotAcquired.com/newsletter For the transcript, go to: https://theygotacquired.com/podcast/lauren-gaggioli-higher-scores-test-prep

How far can seven hours a week take your business? For Anna Maste and Marianne Edwards, it led to a seven-figure deal that funded Marianne’s retirement. Learn how this mother-daughter duo bootstrapped a membership site for RVers called Boondockers Welcome — and along the way, redefined what entrepreneurship can look like. For more stories like this one, sign up for newsletter: https://TheyGotAcquired.com/newsletter To get free access to Dr. Sherry Walling's MicroConf talk, go to: https://microconf.com/endwell For the full transcript to this episode, go to: https://theygotacquired.com/podcast/anna-mast-boondockers-welcome

Sam Parr catapulted to celebrity status within the startup world when he sold a daily newsletter called The Hustle for a reported 8 figures. But how did this down-to-earth guy with no previous media experience build such a valuable company? This episode breaks down that story. You’ll hear exactly how Sam Parr went from being a scrappy college kid with a hot dog stand to one of the leading voices in entrepreneurship. Thanks to this episode’s sponsor, Chicago Partners, a team of financial advisors who specialize in wealth management: https://ChicagoPartnersLLC.com For more stories like this one, sign up for our newsletter: https://TheyGotAcquired.com/newsletter To get the full transcript of this episode, go to: https://theygotacquired.com/podcast/sam-parr-the-hustle

Is there a right time to sell your business? This was what Jon Hainstock and his co-founder, Ben Bartling, had to figure out when they were planning their exit from ZoomShift. Learn how they chose the right moment to agree to a 7-figure deal — and how they approached building one of the top small business scheduling softwares on the market. For more stories like this one, sign up for newsletter: https://TheyGotAcquired.com/newsletter

Lexi Grant didn’t start her first or second business with the goal of selling them one day. She was just doing what she does best: bootstrapping content companies from the ground up. But thanks to an acquihire that thrust her career forward, and a six-figure exit from a side project called The Write Life, Lexi knows just how meaningful an acquisition can be. Learn about her journey through both businesses — and the moment she knew it was time to create They Got Acquired. For more stories like this, sign up for our newsletter: https://TheyGotAcquired.com/newsletter

The marketing software ReferralHero wouldn’t exist if Manuel Frigerio hadn’t built his previous startup — one that ultimately failed. But thanks to Manuel’s ability to listen to customers’ needs and pivot at the right moment, he built ReferralHero and sold it for 6 figures. Learn how Manuel used each business he built to springboard to his next big opportunity. For more stories like this, sign up for our newsletter: https://TheyGotAcquired.com/newsletter

Laura Roeder didn’t use a broker, M&A advisor, or marketplace to sell the social media scheduling tool, MeetEdgar. She found her buyer the same way she’d found success throughout her career: with a gutsy cold pitch. Learn how she and her husband, Chris Williams, built and sold the platform for seven figures — and how they did it without sacrificing all their time to the business. For more stories like this, sign up for our newsletter: https://TheyGotAcquired.com/newsletter

Take a sneak peek at our They Got Acquired podcast with this Season 1 trailer. Host Lexi Grant takes you behind the scenes of companies that sell for 6, 7 or low-8 figures — the kinds of exits that don’t usually get splashy headlines but can be life-changing for founders. Over the course of this 8-episode season, you’ll learn what founders go through when they start, grow, and sell a business. We explore not only each acquisition, but everything it took to get there. These eight inspiring stories will open your eyes to what’s possible, showing you founders who don’t work themselves into the ground, yet still built something meaningful. You’ll see examples of businesses that didn’t follow the Silicon Valley narrative — and rethink what startup success can look like. Season 1 of They Got Acquired launches March 22nd. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.