My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
“great companies are bought not sold but most companies are sold not bought”
What It Means
The popular advice about companies being bought only applies to unicorns; most founders need to actively sell
Why It Matters
Sets realistic expectations that you'll need to run an active sales process rather than wait for inbound interest
When It's True
When you don't have overwhelming traction or aren't the hottest company in your space
When It's Risky
When you do have significant inbound interest and could be leaving money on the table by not being selective
How to Apply
Start building buyer relationships early, not just when you want to sell
Develop sales skills even as a technical founder
Plan for running an active M&A process
Example Scenario
“A profitable but slowly growing SaaS company realizes they need to proactively reach out to potential acquirers rather than waiting for someone to discover them.”
Related Knowledge
you need to turn your company into a giant buy button
Remove all friction from the buying decision by preparing comprehensive materials that answer every question
momentum is everything when it comes to deal making
The speed of response and follow-up in M&A processes directly impacts deal success
Four Buyer Categories Framework
A systematic way to categorize potential acquirers into four distinct types based on their acquisition motivations and strategic needs.
DENNIS System for M&A
A systematic 6-step approach to selling your company, adapted from the comedy show Always Sunny in Philadelphia's 'DENNIS System' for dating.
Startup Sale Readiness Assessment
A four-question framework to assess whether you should sell your startup by comparing your current beliefs against your founding assumptions.
Gather comprehensive intelligence on potential acquirers to position your company optimally
Having detailed insights into buyer priorities, pain points, decision makers, and internal dynamics before your first pi