Thomas Smale
@thomassmale.bsky.social
Helping tech founders get acquired. Sharing tips on buying and selling online businesses.
'Sent from my iPhone' = please forgive me for my typos
'Sent from AI' = please forgive me for sounding like a robot
'Sent from AI' = please forgive me for sounding like a robot
January 29, 2025 at 9:24 PM
'Sent from my iPhone' = please forgive me for my typos
'Sent from AI' = please forgive me for sounding like a robot
'Sent from AI' = please forgive me for sounding like a robot
"just list your business at the price you want and see what you can get”
bad idea
listing at 20x net income and hoping to get lucky isn’t a great idea - it will alienated serious buyers
bad idea
listing at 20x net income and hoping to get lucky isn’t a great idea - it will alienated serious buyers
January 26, 2025 at 2:39 PM
"just list your business at the price you want and see what you can get”
bad idea
listing at 20x net income and hoping to get lucky isn’t a great idea - it will alienated serious buyers
bad idea
listing at 20x net income and hoping to get lucky isn’t a great idea - it will alienated serious buyers
no-calls every poicy at work or for clients.
this story gets at the heart of why I love working with founders
running your business, it's yours - you can do it your way - you can break the rules - you can make new rule
this story gets at the heart of why I love working with founders
running your business, it's yours - you can do it your way - you can break the rules - you can make new rule
January 21, 2025 at 4:01 PM
no-calls every poicy at work or for clients.
this story gets at the heart of why I love working with founders
running your business, it's yours - you can do it your way - you can break the rules - you can make new rule
this story gets at the heart of why I love working with founders
running your business, it's yours - you can do it your way - you can break the rules - you can make new rule
i found this thread disturbing:
an 11-year-old is using gpt to do ALL her homework.
a teacher told me she had to change her entire lesson plan because of gpt & other tools.
how do we get the next generation to learn instead of just using ai?
i don't know but kids should at least how to add 24+7.
an 11-year-old is using gpt to do ALL her homework.
a teacher told me she had to change her entire lesson plan because of gpt & other tools.
how do we get the next generation to learn instead of just using ai?
i don't know but kids should at least how to add 24+7.
January 6, 2025 at 8:07 PM
i found this thread disturbing:
an 11-year-old is using gpt to do ALL her homework.
a teacher told me she had to change her entire lesson plan because of gpt & other tools.
how do we get the next generation to learn instead of just using ai?
i don't know but kids should at least how to add 24+7.
an 11-year-old is using gpt to do ALL her homework.
a teacher told me she had to change her entire lesson plan because of gpt & other tools.
how do we get the next generation to learn instead of just using ai?
i don't know but kids should at least how to add 24+7.
The biggest merger in history became a $100 billion disaster.
December 29, 2024 at 3:42 PM
The biggest merger in history became a $100 billion disaster.
When selling your business, please don’t do this...
December 26, 2024 at 6:17 PM
When selling your business, please don’t do this...
Don’t work over the holidays (it will make your business better)
Investors want businesses that work without their founders
A vacation is a great chance to see what works (and what breaks)
Investors want businesses that work without their founders
A vacation is a great chance to see what works (and what breaks)
December 23, 2024 at 3:17 PM
Don’t work over the holidays (it will make your business better)
Investors want businesses that work without their founders
A vacation is a great chance to see what works (and what breaks)
Investors want businesses that work without their founders
A vacation is a great chance to see what works (and what breaks)
2 hours. 1 challenge: Make a video only using AI.
That’s the challenge I threw at our marketing team yesterday.
(I got too excited playing around with Sora)
That’s the challenge I threw at our marketing team yesterday.
(I got too excited playing around with Sora)
December 18, 2024 at 5:38 PM
2 hours. 1 challenge: Make a video only using AI.
That’s the challenge I threw at our marketing team yesterday.
(I got too excited playing around with Sora)
That’s the challenge I threw at our marketing team yesterday.
(I got too excited playing around with Sora)
December 17, 2024 at 9:50 PM
Angel investing is a sport in the Bay.
Startup ecosystems grow "middle-out"—starting with seed investors before pre-seed and angel communities develop.
People in the Bay Area love investing in tech—part of why I love San Francisco.
But how do you foster that?
#investing #startups
Startup ecosystems grow "middle-out"—starting with seed investors before pre-seed and angel communities develop.
People in the Bay Area love investing in tech—part of why I love San Francisco.
But how do you foster that?
#investing #startups
December 17, 2024 at 8:34 PM
Angel investing is a sport in the Bay.
Startup ecosystems grow "middle-out"—starting with seed investors before pre-seed and angel communities develop.
People in the Bay Area love investing in tech—part of why I love San Francisco.
But how do you foster that?
#investing #startups
Startup ecosystems grow "middle-out"—starting with seed investors before pre-seed and angel communities develop.
People in the Bay Area love investing in tech—part of why I love San Francisco.
But how do you foster that?
#investing #startups
The best bagel shop in NYC just closed and no one knows why
30+ years of business, and the announcement is just a "we are closed" sign
Might be the most New Yorker way to shut down a business
30+ years of business, and the announcement is just a "we are closed" sign
Might be the most New Yorker way to shut down a business
December 13, 2024 at 5:38 PM
The best bagel shop in NYC just closed and no one knows why
30+ years of business, and the announcement is just a "we are closed" sign
Might be the most New Yorker way to shut down a business
30+ years of business, and the announcement is just a "we are closed" sign
Might be the most New Yorker way to shut down a business
How to make your first $10,000 online in 6 steps.
I did this in 2009 (and it still works today):
I did this in 2009 (and it still works today):
December 12, 2024 at 4:26 PM
How to make your first $10,000 online in 6 steps.
I did this in 2009 (and it still works today):
I did this in 2009 (and it still works today):
A $40 cereal box saved AirBnB. This is the story.
December 11, 2024 at 7:19 PM
A $40 cereal box saved AirBnB. This is the story.
Breaking:
Joe Biden has pardoned the newly announced winners of Forbes 30 Under 30 for all fraud committed in the last 2 years.
Joe Biden has pardoned the newly announced winners of Forbes 30 Under 30 for all fraud committed in the last 2 years.
December 3, 2024 at 10:59 PM
Breaking:
Joe Biden has pardoned the newly announced winners of Forbes 30 Under 30 for all fraud committed in the last 2 years.
Joe Biden has pardoned the newly announced winners of Forbes 30 Under 30 for all fraud committed in the last 2 years.
December 3, 2024 at 5:56 PM
Startups were once built of specialized founding teams.
Now, it's a solo founder wearing multiple hats.
No-code tools and AI are just further expediting this transition.
We’re witnessing this shift firsthand at FE: solo founders are building larger companies, faster.
Now, it's a solo founder wearing multiple hats.
No-code tools and AI are just further expediting this transition.
We’re witnessing this shift firsthand at FE: solo founders are building larger companies, faster.
December 2, 2024 at 2:35 PM
Startups were once built of specialized founding teams.
Now, it's a solo founder wearing multiple hats.
No-code tools and AI are just further expediting this transition.
We’re witnessing this shift firsthand at FE: solo founders are building larger companies, faster.
Now, it's a solo founder wearing multiple hats.
No-code tools and AI are just further expediting this transition.
We’re witnessing this shift firsthand at FE: solo founders are building larger companies, faster.
We sold a business for $30M all cash 💰
100% bootstrapped.
The founder worked part-time and had 5 freelance employees.
That’s generational wealth.
If you have a great product, you don’t need a huge team.
This story is far from uncommon.
100% bootstrapped.
The founder worked part-time and had 5 freelance employees.
That’s generational wealth.
If you have a great product, you don’t need a huge team.
This story is far from uncommon.
November 29, 2024 at 6:04 PM
We sold a business for $30M all cash 💰
100% bootstrapped.
The founder worked part-time and had 5 freelance employees.
That’s generational wealth.
If you have a great product, you don’t need a huge team.
This story is far from uncommon.
100% bootstrapped.
The founder worked part-time and had 5 freelance employees.
That’s generational wealth.
If you have a great product, you don’t need a huge team.
This story is far from uncommon.
after 15+ years of helping founder sell their business:
founder's 2nd exit is always bigger than their 1st
their 3rd exit is always bigger than their 2nd
founder's 2nd exit is always bigger than their 1st
their 3rd exit is always bigger than their 2nd
November 27, 2024 at 8:58 PM
after 15+ years of helping founder sell their business:
founder's 2nd exit is always bigger than their 1st
their 3rd exit is always bigger than their 2nd
founder's 2nd exit is always bigger than their 1st
their 3rd exit is always bigger than their 2nd
anything can be built into a million-dollar business
a billion-dollar business is a different story
a billion-dollar business is a different story
November 25, 2024 at 2:48 PM
anything can be built into a million-dollar business
a billion-dollar business is a different story
a billion-dollar business is a different story
November 22, 2024 at 4:38 PM
while the horrible rebrand of Jaguar is top of mind...
here are 3 more iconically terrible rebrands🧵
here are 3 more iconically terrible rebrands🧵
November 21, 2024 at 5:57 PM
while the horrible rebrand of Jaguar is top of mind...
here are 3 more iconically terrible rebrands🧵
here are 3 more iconically terrible rebrands🧵
🚨 Google is selling Chrome 🚨
(At least that's what the DOJ wants) 🧵
(At least that's what the DOJ wants) 🧵
November 19, 2024 at 4:16 PM
🚨 Google is selling Chrome 🚨
(At least that's what the DOJ wants) 🧵
(At least that's what the DOJ wants) 🧵
We sold a plagiarism checker in an 8-figure deal.
The buyer changed one thing that doubled income in a month.
They had two plans: free & $10/month.
The buyer added a $30/m and a $100/m plan.
A change that took an afternoon & DOUBLED revenue.
ALWAYS experiment with pricing.
The buyer changed one thing that doubled income in a month.
They had two plans: free & $10/month.
The buyer added a $30/m and a $100/m plan.
A change that took an afternoon & DOUBLED revenue.
ALWAYS experiment with pricing.
November 18, 2024 at 5:14 PM
We sold a plagiarism checker in an 8-figure deal.
The buyer changed one thing that doubled income in a month.
They had two plans: free & $10/month.
The buyer added a $30/m and a $100/m plan.
A change that took an afternoon & DOUBLED revenue.
ALWAYS experiment with pricing.
The buyer changed one thing that doubled income in a month.
They had two plans: free & $10/month.
The buyer added a $30/m and a $100/m plan.
A change that took an afternoon & DOUBLED revenue.
ALWAYS experiment with pricing.
Reposted by Thomas Smale
How to write great business Reddit posts:
- Be honest and transparent
- Share success stories
- Always add proof
- Get Reddit achievements and karma before posting
#buildinpublic
- Be honest and transparent
- Share success stories
- Always add proof
- Get Reddit achievements and karma before posting
#buildinpublic
November 17, 2024 at 11:45 AM
How to write great business Reddit posts:
- Be honest and transparent
- Share success stories
- Always add proof
- Get Reddit achievements and karma before posting
#buildinpublic
- Be honest and transparent
- Share success stories
- Always add proof
- Get Reddit achievements and karma before posting
#buildinpublic