Podcast appearances and mentions of thomas smale

Wendi Whitmore, SVP and Head of Unit 42 at Palo Alto Networks, joins to discuss the cybersecurity threat landscape so far this year. Thomas Smale, CEO of FE International, discusses the potential for an M&A rebound in 2024. Robert Schein, Managing Director and Partner at Blanke Schein Wealth Management, joins to talk about markets, investing, and when the Fed may cut rates this year. Zoe Peden, Partner at Ananda Impact Ventures, discusses backing startups in health, nature, and biotech as Goldman Sachs recently raised $650 million for investing in life sciences startups. Geetu Sharma, founder and investment manager at AlphasFuture, joins to discuss markets and sectors to watch. Ron Sanchez, Chief Investment Officer at Fiduciary Trust International joins to discuss the markets and his investment outlook.  Hosted by John Tucker and Molly Smith. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a SaaS exit and how can you prepare for a SaaS Exit? This is one of the topics that has been extensively discussed on the Grow Your B2B podcast, with an in-depth coverage by Nathan Latka, Thomas Smale and Andrew Gazdecki. In this podcast episode, Dirk Sahlmer, the head of origination at the SaaS group, shared valuable insights on preparing SaaS companies for successful exits. With 17 acquisitions under their belt, the SaaS group has established itself as a key player in the industry, focusing on acquiring SaaS companies with a bootstrapper mindset and driving their growth. Dirk's journey into M&A began with a background in engineering and co-founding a company, eventually leading him to his current role as head of origination at the SaaS group. His extensive experience and expertise in the industry have equipped him with unique perspectives on preparing SaaS companies for exits. Watch on YouTube: Key Timecodes (0:37) Show and guest intro (1:28) Why you should listen to Dirk Sahlmer (2:05) Dirk's definition of what bootstrapping is (2:55)  What an Exit is according to Dirk (4:30)  How Dirk evaluates a company. Is Multiples a factor? (6:11) The Key Elements Founders Should Have in Place When Preparing for an Exit (7:30)  Understanding the exit process (9:18)  What role does a Letter of Intent (LOI) play in the exit process? (10:39) The common mistakes founders or companies make during an exit process? (12:26) The ideal place to have your numbers (13:52) What companies and founders should do to get a higher valuation during an exit process.  (18:48) The future of acquisitions in SaaS (21:56) How to grow towards 10K MRR (23:17) How to grow towards 10 million ARR (25:03) Dirk's crucial advice to B2B SaaS founders

"This episode was brought to you by Reconciled.com. Helping M&A Entrepreneurs just like you with Bookkeeping, CFO & Controller Services, Outsourced Enterprise Accounting and Tax Services. Reconciled.com"About The Guest(s): Thomas Smale is the founder of F.E. International, a technology M&A firm that specializes in buying and selling tech companies. He has been in the mergers and acquisitions space since the early 2000s and has helped thousands of businesses navigate the process of selling their companies.Summary: Thomas Smale, founder of F.E. International, shares his journey in the mergers and acquisitions space and how he started his company to fill the gap in the market for selling technology businesses. He discusses the changing landscape of the industry, the importance of consistency in business, and the factors that go into valuing a company. Thomas also highlights the international nature of his business and the challenges and opportunities that come with it.Key Takeaways:F.E. International focuses on buying and selling technology businesses, filling the gap in the market for smaller tech companies.Valuation is based on comparable past deals and the specific variables of the business model.Founders today are more prepared than ever, thanks to the abundance of information and resources available.Consistency is key in business, and showing up and doing what you say you'll do sets you apart from the competition.F.E. International has a global reach and works with clients from all over the world.--------------------------------------------------Contact Thomas onLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomassmale/Website: http://www.feinternational.com/--------------------------------------------------How2Exit Joins IT ExchangeNet's Channel Partner Network!-Why IT ExchangeNet?Since 1998, IT ExchangeNet has created $5 billion in value by selling more than 225 IT businesses in 20 countries. IT ExchangeNet works exclusively with IT-enabled businesses generating between $5M and $30M who are ready to be sold, and M&A decision-makers who are ready to buy. For over 25 years IT ExchangeNet has developed industry knowledge that helps them determine whether a seller is a good fit for their buyers before making a match."Out of all of the brokers I've met, this team has the most experience and I believe the best ability to get IT service businesses sold at the best price" - Ron SkeltonThe IT ExchangeNet M&A Marketplace we partnered with has a proprietary database of 50,000+ global buyers seeking IT Services firms, MSPs, MSSPs, Software-as-a-Service platforms, and channel partners in the Microsoft, Oracle, ServiceNow, and Salesforce space.If you are interested in learning more about the process and current market valuations, complete the contact form and we'll respond within one business day. Everything is kept confidential.Are you interested in what your business may be worth? Unlock the value of your IT Services firm, visit https://www.itexchangenet.com/marketplace-how2exit and complete the contact form.Our partnership with IT ExchangeNet focuses on deals above $5M in value. If you are looking to buy or sell a tech business below the $5M mark, we recommend Flippa.--------------------------------------------------

Bootstrapping your SaaS company to a 10M+ exit is a formidable challenge that requires a strategic and disciplined approach. First and foremost, focus on achieving profitability early on, as this not only sustains your business but also makes it an attractive acquisition target. As you grow, prioritize hiring talented individuals who complement your skills and can take over key roles, allowing you to work on scaling the business rather than getting bogged down in day-to-day operations. Building a strong brand presence and a loyal customer base is crucial, and consider sharing your journey through content marketing or building in public to attract attention and potential acquirers. Ultimately, perseverance, a clear vision, and adaptability are key to bootstrapping your way to a successful 10M+ exit in the competitive SaaS landscape. In episode four of season two we were privileged to host Thomas Smale as we discussed How to sell your B2B SaaS, In this episode however, show host Joran Hofman is joined by Andrew Gazdecki, the CEO and founder of acquire.com. When it comes to bootstrapping and exits there is arguably no better industry expert in the B2B SaaS than Andrew. Andrew has built a strong reputation on LinkedIn through his insightful content and deep understanding of the B2B SaaS landscape. During this episode, Andrew imparts valuable advice to founders who are bootstrapping their SaaS businesses and have aspirations of selling them in the future. If you are in this space then this is your episode! Key Timecodes (0:28) Show and guest intro (1:23) Why you should listen to Andrew (1:44) What is bootstrapping? (2:35) The key processes or strategies of Bootstrap companies that are key to success (5:02) Andrew's Success Story (8:33) Common mistakes founders make while trying, to grow and sell their company (10:24)  The big exits success stories (13:40) key factors for pricing and valuing your business (17:03) The Must-Haves for SaaS founders to guarantee a good acquisition (22:27) The unique challenges bootstrap companies will have and how can they navigate those. (29:27) The future of valuations (33:40) SaaS growth advice How to grow to 10k monthly recurring revenue and to 10M ARR

Welcome to the Growing a B2B SaaS podcast, where we provide actionable advice on all aspects of growing a business-to-business software company. Whether it's customer success, sales, funding, bootstrapping, exits, or scaling, we've got you covered. In this episode, we'll dive into the topic of making your SaaS startup sellable and discuss the steps to selling your business successfully. Our special guest today is Thomas Smale, the founder and CEO of FE International, Inc, a tech-focused M&A advisory firm with an impressive track record of over 1 billion in closed transactions and more than 1200 deals completed worldwide. Getting Ready for an Acquisition Understanding the Path to Acquisition Thomas begins by emphasizing that the decision to sell a SaaS business should be considered early on in its journey. Once a business starts gaining traction, usually at around $1,000 monthly recurring revenue (MRR), founders should start thinking about their long-term goals. It's essential to be honest with oneself about what you want to achieve, whether it's building a billion-dollar valuation or a smaller, million-dollar valuation. Each path requires different strategies and efforts, and defining your goals early will help you align your business accordingly. Valuation Methods  Thomas explains that valuing a SaaS business is a complex process. While the most common approach is using precedent transactions (comparing the business to similar ones that have been sold), there are various valuation methodologies. These include discounted cash flow analysis (DCF) and multiples of revenue or profit. However, no single formula fits all businesses, and it's crucial to consider the specifics of each case to arrive at a fair valuation. Common Mistakes to Avoid  One of the most common mistakes SaaS founders make when preparing to sell is artificially inflating short-term profitability to improve valuation. This involves cutting costs or laying off staff to increase profit margins temporarily. Such tactics can backfire in the long run and are easily spotted by savvy buyers. Instead, focus on building a strong and sustainable business model with genuine profitability. Challenges in the Selling Process  One of the main challenges for founders is managing their expectations during the selling process. Unrealistic valuation goals can hinder the selling process, leading to wasted time and missed opportunities. Thomas advises being open to negotiations and realistic about the market value of your business. Additionally, founders sometimes try to handle the selling process themselves to save money, but this can result in suboptimal outcomes. Engaging an experienced M&A firm can lead to better deals and higher returns, making it a valuable investment. Key Timecodes (1:16) Why you should listen to Thomas (1:55) – What is M&A? (2:52) When should a SaaS founders consider acquiring themselves? (6:50) Different ways to value businesses. (8:27) The most common mistakes companies make before they try to sell their business or even while selling their business? (10:53) What are the most common challenges startups face while selling their business? (12:04) Set realistic expectations. (13:10) The acquisition process (17:41)– When to sell your SaaS (18:47) When to ask for help? (21:22)– 10k MRR advice (22:59)– Multi-Channel Marketing approach (26:36) 10million ARR Advice (27:33) What Thomas Wishes he knew 10years ago (30:00)– Get in touch with Thomas.

The image of a robust locomotive steadily traversing along a set of tracks paints a vivid picture of steadfast progress. The train, in its unwavering journey, reveals a strategic formula: the addition of more cars. This process, however, is a delicate one. Each car represents new passengers or freight, contributing to the growth and reach of the train. In much the same way, integrating a new locomotive can significantly enhance the power of the entire system. But, like the precision required in coupling the cars, a poorly executed addition can cause catastrophic derailments. This metaphor serves as a fitting parallel to the intricate process of mergers and acquisitions (M&As), which, when carried out with precision and foresight, can ensure successful growth.In the fiercely competitive realm of B2B SaaS, such precision in M&A is critical. Companies are constantly under pressure to evolve, expand, and innovate. M&As can become key strategic tools to extend product lines, capture greater market share, and streamline operations. When orchestrated effectively, these strategic integrations can give a company the necessary boost, akin to the train adding more cars. With this analogy in mind, we introduce Thomas Smale, CEO of FE International. Renowned for successfully navigating the convoluted world of M&As, Thomas has led countless founders, owners, and acquirers to success. His deep understanding of the complexities involved in M&As, combined with his rich experience, positions him as an invaluable advisor for businesses aiming for expansion.High Level Overview:Mergers and acquisitions can be an effective strategy for growth and expansion in the B2B SaaS industry, offering opportunities to increase market share and optimize operations.The M&A landscape has evolved, with smaller companies having access to top-tier talent that was previously unavailable, helping to drive industry growth and solidify its position in the market.Emotional aspects and unpredictable reactions from founders and decision-makers can pose challenges during M&A deals; employing an M&A firm can help maintain objectivity and keep negotiations on track.Retention and recruitment are crucial considerations during M&A transactions, as retaining key team members and keeping them happy plays a significant role in a successful deal.Press coverage of M&A deals can be misleading; it's essential to explore multiple options and speak with different M&A firms and potential acquirers when considering a sale.Thomas Smale's Advice to Avoid Tanking M&AMergers and acquisitions are important for businesses as they provide opportunities for growth, expansion, and increased market share. In the B2B SaaS industry, M&A deals can also lead to optimized operations and access to valuable talent. To ensure successful M&A transactions, Thomas Smale offers several insights on avoiding pitfalls that might blow apart a deal:Retain objectivity: Engaging an M&A firm can help mitigate the emotional aspects that may arise during a deal. These firms provide a neutral perspective, preventing emotions from clouding judgment and ensuring that negotiations remain focused on the best interests of both parties. This way, deals can progress smoothly and achieve the desired outcomes for all stakeholders involved.Prioritize retention and recruitment: Retaining key team members and keeping them happy is crucial to the success of a merger or acquisition. In the current market environment, finding and recruiting talent can be challenging, making it essential to prioritize employee satisfaction and engagement. By offering competitive compensation, growth opportunities, and a positive work culture, you can secure the valuable talent needed for a successful M&A transaction.Manage attorney involvement: During M&A deals, conflicts may arise between attorneys who attempt to re-trade points or impose their views on the agreement. It's crucial to carefully manage attorney involvement and ensure that their input aligns with the best interests of the parties involved. Open communication and collaboration between attorneys and other stakeholders can help prevent unnecessary conflicts and keep the deal on track.Carefully consider M&A partners: Choosing the right M&A firm and process is critical to the success of a deal. Ensure that the firm you select aligns with your vision and values and offers a process that suits your needs. Explore multiple options and speak with different M&A firms and potential acquirers before making a decision. This will help you identify the best partner for your specific situation, increasing the likelihood of a successful outcome.By following Thomas Smale's advice, businesses can navigate the complexities of M&A transactions more effectively, avoiding potential pitfalls and setting themselves up for success. This approach can lead to better outcomes for both the acquiring and acquired companies, ultimately contributing to long-term growth and stability in the B2B SaaS industry.Further LearningsFollow Thomas on LinkedIn and Twitter.

If you are thinking about buying an online business, or improving the website you have, today's interview with Thomas Smale, the CEO of FE International is absolutely perfect for you. Thomas and his team are one of the industry leaders in the buying and selling website space, specializing in seven and eight figure deals. Today, Thomas is going to share his insights into: - Why content websites have become so valuable - The 3 forces driving online businesses in the last two years - Why small content sites get the broadest range of buyers - When to test and change the monetization of your website ... and much more. If you want to learn more, then register for our upcoming masterclass to learn the digital skills that started it all at: https://www.ebusinessinstitute.com.au/dip

Allison Williams, Senior Global Banks and Asset Managers Analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence, joins us to give us the latest on Credit Suisse and how a collapse could impact US and global markets/banking systems. Dana Telsey, CEO and Chief Research Officer at Telsey Group, joins to break down the latest retail sales numbers and consumer sentiment amid financial uncertainty. Herman Chan, Senior Analyst: US Regional Banks with Bloomberg Intelligence, joins the program to discuss Silicon Valley Bank, more potential bank runs, and what it all means for regional banks and the broader economy. Arnold Kakuda, Senior Financials Credit Analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence, joins to talk bank balance sheets and credit. Nick Stadtmiller, Head of Market Research for Medley Global Advisors, joins the program to discuss emerging markets and EMEA and how they're impacted by a potential Credit Suisse collapse, as well as SVB. Thomas Smale, CEO of FE International, joins the program to discuss M&A activity in the tech sector and how it's been affected by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Josh Chapman, Managing Partner at Konvoy, a Denver-based VS firm backing some of the fasting gaming startups worldwide, joins the show to discuss venture capital and the investment landscape post-SVB collapse. Hosted by Paul Sweeney, John Tucker and Kriti Gupta. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, you will hear about a specific type of investment that you want to invest in during a recession. Tune in to hear: - Recession-proof investments - High-cash flow investment websites - Buying websites vs buying stocks Then register for our upcoming masterclass to learn the digital skills that started it all at: https://www.ebusinessinstitute.com.au/dip

This episode of the Ecommerce Coffee Break Podcast features a conversation with Thomas Smale, Founder, and CEO of FE International. We discuss what entrepreneurs should keep in mind to succeed.On the Show Today You'll Learn:How does a business become sellable?The characteristics that make a business owner or entrepreneur successfulHow can a merger acquisition work for small and medium businesses?How viable is it to sell a business now? Should entrepreneurs wait until the economy recovers?And moreThomas Smale is the CEO of FE International, an M&A advisory firm for mid-market SaaS, eCommerce, and content businesses. He's an authority on e-commerce, SaaS, and content and established the category of M&A advisory for online businesses. He has 12 years of experience, has grown FE International into a global award-winning firm and has consulted on over $1B in lifetime acquisitions.Links & ResourcesWebsite: https://feinternational.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/feinternational/Episode SponsorToday's episode is made possible by our friends at BundleBuilder.With 5 years+ in the app store, Bundle Builder is the OG bundling app for Shopify stores!Bundle Builder creates custom bundles that will help you dramatically increase your AOV. The powerful discount engine builds offers and deals like %, fixed, or tiered discounts, plus you can easily get creative with custom product kits and gift boxes.Let your customers choose their bundle contents for a personalized experience or set up pre-built bundles, one click and it's in the cart.Install today and schedule a call with our onboarding specialist. We look forward to bundling with you! More info and app download at https://www.bundlebuilder.app/Subscribe & Listen Everywhere:Listen On: ​clauslauter.com | Apple Podcasts/iTunes | Spotify | Amazon Music/Audible | Stitcher | Deezer | Google PodcastBy rating and reviewing the show in the app that you are listening to, you will enable us to invite bigger and more impactful guests.Please also remember to subscribe to our podcast and switch on the notifications to never miss an episode.Tag the podcast on Instagram @clauslauter and let me know what you like about it.If you like the content and would like to support the podcast, you can buy me a coffee hereSupport the showGet free marketing ideas to help grow your revenue on Shopify. In your inbox for free. Every Thursday. Consumed in 3 minutes or less. Join 3,500+ Ecommerce Merchants, Founders, and Marketers here: newsletter.ecommercecoffeebreak.com

When looking to exit through acquisition, what makes one SaaS company stand out from the others? The answer is...nothing definitively. It's all subjective, according to Thomas Smale, CEO and Founder of FE International, an M&A advisory firm. In this episode, Thomas and Lindsey discuss the benefits and drawbacks of a strong founder brand, common mistakes he sees companies make when positioning for an exit (like cutting the wrong expenses), and the "analysis paralysis" that prevents buyers from making an offer. Connect with Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomassmale/ Learn more about FE International: https://feinternational.com/ Connect with Lindsey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseygroepper/ Learn more about BLASTmedia: https://www.blastmedia.com/

SaaS Fuel™ is joined this week by Thomas Smale, founder of FE International, a company that specializes in preparing businesses for acquisition. Tune in to learn more about the ins and outs of M&As from an industry expert.Episode SponsorChampion Leadership Group – https://championleadership.com/Navigating Success Together 2023 Virtual Event Key Takeaways1:48 The Beginnings of FE International 4:04 VC Investors vs M&A 5:29 What makes a business buyable? 7:23 Why do deals go unannounced? 9:47 What is success? 11:51 What your business should and shouldn't be tracking, and why 19:30 Planning the perfect exit strategy25:12 How owning a business has changed over the past decade 29:25 Planning the sale of a business 37:07 Finding the right buyer43:03 Which buyers win deals? Tweetable Quotes18:39 “The most important metrics to you will and should change over time, and if you're never changing them, then I would argue maybe you're not looking critically enough at your business.” 17:07 “In my experience, if you track too much, you lose sight of what's really important.” 37:07 “The most important thing is finding a buyer who is a good cultural or value-based match for you. And that's also why it's important to not just sell to the first company that approaches you – and why you should run a comprehensive M&A process. And what we often find, well, almost all the time, is that most people have a misconception that a business always sells to the highest bidder or the highest offer. That's not necessarily the case. Sellers will often sellTo who they like the most, or who they think is the best fit for taking over and running the business, and matches their goals as a founder.” Guest Resourceshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/thomassmalehttps://twitter.com/ThomasSmale?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthorhttps://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwjPkP-86pr8AhWKi8gKHdP_A4cYABABGgJxdQ&sig=AOD64_3VEf7W57D7b9DBqNFio55uOUzDUg&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwi7zPa86pr8AhXhmHIEHcJKDjEQ0Qx6BAgKEAESaaS Fuel ResourcesWebsite - https://championleadership.com/Jeff Mains on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkmains/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jeffkmainsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/thesaasguy/Instagram - https://instagram.com/jeffkmainsThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In this episode of Startup Hustle, Andrew Morgans and Thomas Smale, CEO of FE International, talk about the process of preparing to sell your eCommerce brand. Learn everything you need to know about M and A, what to expect and how to properly prepare for a business exit.   Find Startup Hustle Everywhere: https://gigb.co/l/YEh5   This episode is sponsored by Equip-Bid: https://bit.ly/3EX4xi3   Learn more about FE International: https://feinternational.com/   Learn more about Marknology: https://www.marknology.com/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thomas Smale is the Founder and CEO of FE International. He is a serial business entrepreneur and M&A expert, having built the industry-leading firm in the $1-100M global technology sector. With experience dating back to the early 2000s, Smale offers invaluable technical, diligence and negotiation advice to early-stage and seasoned business owners alike, which has resulted in over 1,200 successful exits.Smale can be regularly found speaking at industry events where he enjoys meeting like-minded entrepreneurs and investors.Alongside his duties at FE International, Smale is a sought-after author and keynote presenter for leading industry events worldwide. He has been interviewed on top podcasts and blogs on a variety of topics, including business strategy, buying and selling businesses, negotiation tactics and more. He writes a business column regularly on entrepreneurship, growth, and business management for Entrepreneur.com and is a Young Entrepreneurs' Council member. Thank you Thomas for being on today's episode!

Post Purchase PRO Podcast - Episode Sixty - With Special Guest Thomas Smale Ceo & Founder of FE InternationalVisit Space Goat here : https://feinternational.comFollow Post Purchase PRO Follow us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/postpurchaseproFollow us on YouTub here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUBFListen to the podcast here: https://www.postpurchasepodcast.com

Your business's reputation is vital to its long-term success. And Thomas Smale is an expert in growing a brand from an idea to a multi-million dollar company. Thomas, founder and CEO of FE International, is a serial business entrepreneur and M&A expert. He's found that reputation is what makes businesses sink or swim. So what can you do to bring your business to peak performance? In this episode, Thomas shares his tips for building the right reputation, such as the importance of analyzing every transaction, how to build the right workplace culture, and why it's important to do the right thing.Show TopicsBuild a good reputationStrive for perfectionPick the right clientsDo your due diligence Invest back into your industry Don't depend on trendsBe intentional with workplace cultureLet people goDo the right thingFocus on one goalShow Links Check out FE InternationalFollow Thomas Smale on LinkedIn or TwitterPast guests on The Long Game podcast include: Morgan Brown (Shopify), Ryan Law (Animalz), Dan Shure (Evolving SEO), Kaleigh Moore (freelancer), Eric Siu (Clickflow), Peep Laja (CXL), Chelsea Castle (Chili Piper), Tracey Wallace (Klaviyo), Tim Soulo (Ahrefs), Sean Blanda (Crossbeam), Ilona Abramova (AppSumo), and many more.Some interviews you might enjoy and learn from:020: Spark Creativity and Generate Memorable Content with Ryan Law (Animalz)041: Actionable Tips and Secrets to SEO Strategy with Dan Shure (Evolving SEO)045: Building Competitive Marketing Content with Sam Chapman (Aprimo)009: The Long Game Podcast: Building Communities, Teams and Companies through Marketing with Sabel Harris019: Peak Performing, High-Earning Freelance Writing with Michael Keenan (Co-Founder at Peak Freelance)028: Purpose-Driven Leadership & Building a Content Team with Ty Magnin (UiPath)Also, check out our Kitchen Side series where we take you behind the scenes to see how the sausage is made at our agency:015: Should You Hire Writers or Subject Matter Experts?017: How Do Growth and Content Overlap?027: Is Organic Traffic the Best Traffic?Connect with Omniscient Digital on social:Twitter: @beomniscientLinkedin: Be OmniscientListen to more episodes of The Long Game podcast here: https://beomniscient.com/podcast/

Thomas Smale is the CEO and Founder of FE International.  He and his team helps entrepreneurs sell their self funded and profitable businesses.  He is sharing the details of what it takes to work through the process for a successful and profitable business exit.In this episode we will cover:Types of businesses that can be soldEvaluation elements Our role as the M&ALength of Time to sell your businessIf you are interested in a free evaluation or want to learn more about industry you can go to our Website.   We are most active on Twitter and Linkedin.The Dream Bigger Conference is coming.   Text now to be on the text list at 832-225-3164 and text me the word EVENT for the details. Legalpreneur App is LIVE!  Now is a great time to join the Legalpreneur Membership!The 5-Day Legalpreneur Challenge is back! It is going to cover everything you need to know as a small business owner; this won't be just a surface level discussion like you get in this podcast, instead we are diving deep into all the knowledge you need to run your business. Remember to use code PODCAST for a special discount!Links: Andrea's Instagram Legalpreneur Instagram Website FacebookTwitter TikTokYouTubeDisclaimer: The Legalpreneur Podcast is advertising/marketing material. It is not legal advice. Please consult with your attorney on these topics. Copyright Legalpreneur Inc 2022-----

A deep-dive into the market for SaaS businesses with Thomas Smale, founder of leading SaaS brokerage FE International. Topics in Thomas's interview: Pros & cons of SaaS SaaS valuations SaaS vs. ecommerce Competing with private equity for SaaS deals Using an SBA loan to buy a SaaS business Micro-SaaS First-time buyers doing a career pivot by acquiring a business Most common mistake among first-time buyers Passive nature of online businesses SaaS products unlikely to go zero? Acquisition strategy: converting on-premise software to cloud Proprietary outreach to find SaaS sellers How economic climate is affecting SaaS valuations & multiples Ecommerce valuations & multiples Young ecommerce businesses - dangerous? Advice for first-timer buyers Reach Thomas at: @ThomasSmale LinkedIn Get complimentary due diligence on your acquisition's insurance & benefits program:Oberle Risk Strategies - Search Fund TeamLearn more about Walker Deibel's done-with-you buy-side advisory:The Acquisition LabConnect with Acquiring Minds: Connect with host Will Smith on LinkedIn Follow Will on Twitter Links & mentions:FE International

Hey everyone, and welcome back to Eggs! Today's special guest is the founder and CEO of FE International, Thomas Smale. FE International is a leading mergers and acquisitions firm dedicated to helping software and tech companies get maximum value from the sale of their business.Thomas founded FE International in 2010 with the aim of helping entrepreneurs running self-funded and profitable businesses exit. Since then, Thomas has built FE into an industry-leading M&A advisory for on to one-hundred million dollar technology businesses. With experience dating back to the early 2000s, Thomas offers invaluable technical, diligence, and negotiation advice to early-stage and seasoned business owners alike, which has resulted in over 1200 successful exits and more than a billion dollars in lifetime acquisitions.Joining us today for a conversation about the factors that make a business attractive to buyers, the hurdles entrepreneurs encounter when looking to scale their business, how business owners can position themselves for an acquisition, and so much more. Please join us in welcoming to the show, Thomas Smale.Our Guest:Thomas SmaleFounder and CEO of FE InternationalOfficial website: https://feinternational.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomassmale/----Credits:Hosted by Michael Smith and Ryan RoghaarTheme music: "Perfect Day" by OPMThe Carton:https://medium.com/the-carton-by-eggsThe Eggs Podcast Spotify playlist:bit.ly/eggstunesThe Plugs:The Showeggscast.com@eggshow on twitter and instagramOn iTunes: itun.es/i6dX3pCOn Stitcher: bit.ly/eggs_on_stitcherAlso available on Google Play Music!Mike "DJ Ontic" shows and infodjontic.com@djontic on twitterRyan Roghaarhttp://rogha.ar 

There are differences between online and offline businesses. Although similar, each has its own perks and disadvantages. It's easy to make changes immediately overnight with online businesses. However, when it comes to financing, online businesses often have a hard time getting funds and loans. Thomas Smale is an entrepreneur who founded FE International. He is an expert in growing a business, particularly in the field of online business like E-Commerce, SaaS, and Content businesses. FE International is a Mergers & Acquisitions advisor which focuses on helping owners buy and sell their businesses. Resources: FE International Site FE International Facebook Thomas Smale LinkedIn Fe International InstagramFE Intl Twitter

The sponsor for this week's episode is Founders Podcast.   David Senra, the host of Founders Podcast, is a biography-reading machine. If you don't have time to spend 40 hours reading the full-length biography of some gilded-age entrepreneur, listening to David's high-quality recap is the next best thing.   The Founders Podcast is a paid podcast that costs $99/year or $299 for lifetime access. Subscribing gives you access to more than 200 episodes including the back catalog with episodes about Anthony Bourdain, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Elon Musk, and many more.   Visit founderspodcast.com to subscribe or listen to sample episodes. Topics:   (7:05) - Do you agree that a business is simply a nexus of contracts?   (9:07) - What is FE International?   (10:38) - What are some of the economics of being an M&A firm?   (13:12) - Do you have recurring customers or do people tend to only transact 1-2 businesses in their lives?   (15:07) - Do you think of FE as a professional services firm?   (16:33) - Did you bootstrap this business?   (19:38) - Building trust and reputation with both sides of the marketplace   (21:15) - What's your long-term vision for this business?   (23:34) - How did you come to start FE International?   (30:46) - Who are the people behind the businesses and the buyers?   (35:37) - How do you as an investor look at this variety of businesses and decide what to buy?   (48:33) - Thinking about different ways to create Alpha and what defines a “good deal”   (55:38) - How does an FE International Prospectus' differentiate from an ameteur?   (1:02:49) - Is there a massive database you've collected over the years?   (1:06:03) - How do you discuss valuations with sellers?   (1:08:12) - What would you say your multiples are for content businesses, SAAS and E-comm?   (1:17:09) - What percent of deals get publicly listed for sale vs. the private transactions?   (1:20:25) - The post-sale transition process   (1:23:18) - How do you monitor your buyer alumni and their success? Links:    FE International   FE International Whitepapers   Client Case Studies   Thomas on Twitter   Thomas on IG   Thomas on Facebook   Join our Fund at Rolling.Fun   Support our sponsor: founderspodcast.com          Other Episode You'll Like:   Andrew Finn: WaitButWhy and G64 C-Founder on How to Acquire a Free Company   Codie Sanchez: Drug Cartels, Vanguard, And Goldman Sachs       To support this costs of producing this podcast:  >> Buy a copy of the Navalmanak: www.navalmanack.com/  >> Sign up for my online course and community about building your Personal Leverage: https://www.ejorgenson.com/leverage  >> Invest in early-stage companies alongside Eric and his partners at Rolling Fun: https://angel.co/v/back/rolling-fun >> Join the free weekly email list at ejorgenson.com/newsletter >> Text the podcast to a friend >> Give the podcast a positive review to help us reach new listeners  >> Name-your-price subscription monthly, annual, or one-time: https://app.omella.com/o/9Bufa  >> Follow me on Twitter: @ericjorgenson >> Get in touch about sponsoring this podcast by replying to an email or DMing me on Twitter. Important quotes from Naval on building wealth and the difference between wealth and money:   How to get rich without getting lucky. - Naval Ravikant   Making money is not a thing you do—it's a skill you learn. - Naval Ravikant   I came up with the principles in my tweetstorm (below) for myself when I was really young, around thirteen or fourteen. I've been carrying them in my head for thirty years, and I've been living them. Over time (sadly or fortunately), the thing I got really good at was looking at businesses and figuring out the point of maximum leverage to actually create wealth and capture some of that created wealth. - Naval Ravikant   Seek wealth, not money or status. - Naval Ravikant   Wealth is having assets that earn while you sleep. - Naval Ravikant   Money is how we transfer time and wealth. - Naval Ravikant   Ignore people playing status games. They gain status by attacking people playing wealth creation games.    You're not going to get rich renting out your time. You must own equity—a piece of a business—to gain your financial freedom.  - Naval Ravikant   The most important skill for getting rich is becoming a perpetual learner. You have to know how to learn anything you want to learn. The old model of making money is going to school for four years, getting your degree, and working as a professional for thirty years. But things change fast now. Now, you have to come up to speed on a new profession within nine months, and it's obsolete four years later. But within those three productive years, you can get very wealthy. - Naval Ravikant     Important quotes from the podcast by Naval on Leverage:   “Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand, and I will move the earth.”  —Archimedes    To get rich, you need leverage. Leverage comes in labor, comes in capital, or it can come through code or media. But most of these, like labor and capital, people have to give to you. For labor, somebody has to follow you. For capital, somebody has to give you money, assets to manage, or machines. - Naval Ravikant   Fortunes require leverage. Business leverage comes from capital, people, and products with no marginal cost of replication (code and media). - Naval Ravikant   Capital and labor are permissioned leverage. Everyone is chasing capital, but someone has to give it to you. Everyone is trying to lead, but someone has to follow you. - Naval Ravikant   Code and media are permissionless leverage. They're the leverage behind the newly rich. You can create software and media that works for you while you sleep. - Naval Ravikant   If you can't code, write books and blogs, record videos and podcasts. - Naval Ravikant   Leverage is a force multiplier for your judgment. - Naval Ravikant   Apply specific knowledge, with leverage, and eventually you will get what you deserve. - Naval Ravikant   “We live in an age of infinite leverage, and the economic rewards for genuine intellectual curiosity have never been higher. Following your genuine intellectual curiosity is a better foundation for a career than following whatever is making money right now.” - Naval Ravikant   Important Quotes from the podcast on Business and Entrepreneurship   There is no skill called “business.” Avoid business magazines and business classes. - Naval Ravikant   You have to work up to the point where you can own equity in a business. You could own equity as a small shareholder where you bought stock. You could also own it as an owner where you started the company. Ownership is really important.     Everybody who really makes money at some point owns a piece of a product, a business, or some IP. That can be through stock options if you work at a tech company. That's a fine way to start.    But usually, the real wealth is created by starting your own companies or even by investing. In an investment firm, they're buying equity. These are the routes to wealth. It doesn't come through the hours. - Naval Ravikant

FE International works with founders and business owners to value, exit plan and ultimately sell their businesses on the best terms. FE uses hundreds of thousands of internal data points, accumulated from over a decade of successful exits to market and position businesses to the right buyers from day one. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/business-of-software/message

In today's episode, Arthur discusses M&A with Thomas Smale. Thomas is the CEO of FE International, an award-winning global M&A advisor of SaaS, e-commerce, and content businesses that has completed over 1000 acquisitions. Thomas began building and selling online companies in his early 20s and now has over a decade of experience in the SaaS Space.In this episode of Leaders of Growth, we cover:5:00 The acquisition process11.20 Do's and don'ts of the acquisition process13:40 Strategic acquires vs PE acquisitions20:00 Deal Structures27:00 Drivers in exit valuationsLike the episode? Subscribe and don't miss out on the next one!

This is Vested Capital episode 32, featuring Thomas Smale, the founder of FE International, a leading M&A firm.   I first interviewed Thomas 9 years ago (https://yaro.blog/11850/thomas-smale/).  At the time his company had helped to facilitate over $5 Million in deals. Now that number is over a billion dollars in business acquisitions.   I asked Thomas what led to the growth and how his team has expanded. We also talked about what business models leads to the biggest exit prices, what types of businesses are popular with buyers and more. Enjoy the podcast. Yaro Podcast: https://www.yaro.blog/pod/ Blog: https://www.yaro.blog/

Thomas Smale is the CEO of FE International which has completed hundreds of millions of deals in SaaS, e-commerce, and content business acquisitions since 2010. In our Candid discussions, Saurabh & I spoke with Thomas about his worldview on the evolving SaaS business models, self-funded and bootstrapped entrepreneurs in emerging markets, M&A advisory, and how the business landscape has evolved. Thomas provides an excellent free valuation resource for Startups here. More details at: https://www.republicofsaas.com/m-a-advisory-in-the-saas-landscape/

Are NFT's the future of selling online? What do you need to know about selling your Shopify Business with FE International? How to create an eCommerce strategy beyond 2021? These are the big-picture questions we answer in our season 3 highlights episode with the very best from our own Leonardo Garcia-Curtis, David Yu and Thomas Smale. It's an exciting time for the eCommerce industry but it's important for merchants to keep moving forward and prioritise your ecommerce strategy, a cookie cutter approach will no longer cut the mustard. Leo, CEO at Zyber runs through how to master your strategy beyond 2021. Digital collectables, virtual vaults and augmented reality - the future is here. Despite completely blowing up in the last 6-12 months, NFT's aren't actually a new thing. They've been around for years and David Yu founder of Veve, has been around since the very beginning so sheds some light on the situation. Thomas Smale is an authoritative source on eCommerce, and established the very category of M&A advisory for online businesses. He founded FE International in 2010, and began the business straight out of uni buying and selling domains. Looking to get ahead this year? This episode is a must-do for your planning! Show notes: Find out more about Veve: Website: https://www.veve.me/ Article: https://www.marvel.com/articles/gear/veve-marvel-month-premium-captain-america-spider-man-nft Thomas Smale Twitter: @ThomasSmale - https://twitter.com/ThomasSmale LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomassmale/ FE International Website: https://feinternational.com/ Facebook: @FEinternational - https://www.facebook.com/FEinternational/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/feinternational/ Instagram: @fe_international - https://www.instagram.com/fe_international/ For more information about Zyber Digital Visit our website - https://www.zyber.co.nz Follow us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/zyberwebdesign/ Follow up on LinkedIn - https://nz.linkedin.com/company/zyber Join our exclusive Facebook insider groups Shopify NZ - https://www.facebook.com/groups/shopifynz/ Shopify VIP - https://www.facebook.com/groups/shopifyvip Follow us on Instagram - zyberhq Full episodes: S3E1 - Future Proofing Your Business Beyond 2021 with Leo S3E7 - NFT's and eCommerce - David Yu from VeVe S3E8 - Everything you need to know about selling a Shopify Business with Thomas Smale

Thomas Smale is the Founder and CEO of FE International. He is a serial business entrepreneur and M&A expert, having built the industry leading firm in the $1-100M global technology sector. Smale is an authority source on e-commerce, and in fact established the very category of M&A advisory for online businesses. Smale began building and selling online companies in his early 20s as an interest. When he proved to have a natural talent for increasing the value of these businesses, this became his full-time career. Over the last decade, Smale has grown FE International into an award-winning global M&A advisor of SaaS, e-commerce, and content businesses, completing acquisitions for thousands of founders, owners, and acquirers and advising on over $500MM in lifetime acquisitions. In this episode you will learn: What are Aggregators. What to expect when you hire an M & A firm. Why bother with a broker? Who is buying? Difference between selling timescale aggregator vs broker Brokers - start with due diligence/audit process Buyer due diligence Types of buyers The characteristics of desirable buyers

Thomas Smale is the Founder and CEO of FE International. He is a serial business entrepreneur and M&A expert, having built the industry leading firm in the $1-100M global technology sector. Smale is an authority source on e-commerce, and in fact established the very category of M&A advisory for online businesses. Smale began building and selling online companies in his early 20s as an interest. When he proved to have a natural talent for increasing the value of these businesses, this became his full-time career. Over the last decade, Smale has grown FE International into an award-winning global M&A advisor of SaaS, e-commerce, and content businesses, completing acquisitions for thousands of founders, owners, and acquirers and advising on over $500MM in lifetime acquisitions. In this episode you will learn: What are Aggregators. What to expect when you hire an M & A firm. Why bother with a broker? Who is buying? Difference between selling timescale aggregator vs broker Brokers - start with due diligence/audit process Buyer due diligence Types of buyers The characteristics of desirable buyers

Thomas Smale is the Founder and CEO of FE International. He is a serial business entrepreneur and M&A expert, having built the industry leading firm in the $1-100M global technology sector. Smale is an authority source on e-commerce, and in fact established the very category of M&A advisory for online businesses. Smale began building and selling online companies in his early 20s as an interest. When he proved to have a natural talent for increasing the value of these businesses, this became his full-time career. Over the last decade, Smale has grown FE International into an award-winning global M&A advisor of SaaS, e-commerce, and content businesses, completing acquisitions for thousands of founders, owners, and acquirers and advising on over $500MM in lifetime acquisitions. In this episode you will learn: The elements that drive value/price. Reliability and consistency. Find out the things that people don't care about such as SKUs. Approach relationship between revenue/gross profit and # SKUs. Preparing for a sale the best way to increase the value of your business. What to do when buyers come in and look at everything. Things you do to exit your business. The middle ground between no planning and a plan. Difference between Brokers vs Aggregators.

Thomas Smale is the Founder and CEO of FE International. He is a serial business entrepreneur and M&A expert, having built the industry leading firm in the $1-100M global technology sector. Smale is an authority source on e-commerce, and in fact established the very category of M&A advisory for online businesses. Smale began building and selling online companies in his early 20s as an interest. When he proved to have a natural talent for increasing the value of these businesses, this became his full-time career. Over the last decade, Smale has grown FE International into an award-winning global M&A advisor of SaaS, e-commerce, and content businesses, completing acquisitions for thousands of founders, owners, and acquirers and advising on over $500MM in lifetime acquisitions. In this episode you will learn: The elements that drive value/price. Reliability and consistency. Find out the things that people don't care about such as SKUs. Approach relationship between revenue/gross profit and # SKUs. Preparing for a sale the best way to increase the value of your business. What to do when buyers come in and look at everything. Things you do to exit your business. The middle ground between no planning and a plan. Difference between Brokers vs Aggregators.

This episode's guest on the SaaS Revolution Show is Thomas Smale, CEO at FE International. Thomas discusses planning a long term exit with Alexander Theuma, CEO of SaaStock. Become a SaaStock Founder Member - join a private community of ambitious SaaS founders scaling to $10M ARR. Apply now: https://cutt.ly/2ECKuDW

Thomas Smale is the Founder and CEO of FE International, an award-winning global M&A advisor of SaaS, e-commerce and content businesses.  On this podcast, we talk about the 3 main types of people who buy websites, the 3 types of websites that FE International is interested in buying, why you should be careful in listening to growth advice, and so much more! To learn more, visit: http://honestecommerce.co Resources: Connect with Thomas @ThomasSmale linkedin.com/in/thomassmale Sell your online business with a Professional M&A Advisor you can trust feinternational.com Get a free valuation of your website feinternational.com/sell-your-website Scale your business with electriceye.io Download Mesa at the Shopify App Store apps.shopify.com/mesa Respond to any of Rewind's welcome emails and mention HONEST ECOMMERCE to get 1 month free rewind.io/honest Level up your customer support gorgias.grsm.io/honest Get started with a free account at klaviyo.com/honest

Thomas Smale is the CEO of FE International, Inc. He founded FE International in 2010, growing the business with zero funds from the ground up and consistently doubling annual revenue, as well as the average deal size. He specializes in advising in the M&A of SaaS, e-commerce, affiliate, and content businesses. In this interview, we discuss with him how FE International works and SaaS valuation. How does Thomas manage 1100 successful e-commerce deals? Explore the goals, ambitions, and the beginning of FE International. What is the good timing for an exit for your business? How has the graph of the SaaS industry changed due to Covid? How does the complete valuation process take place? Tips to increase the valuation of a company.

What you need to know about selling your Shopify Business with FE International. This week's guest joins us all the way from San Francisco, and we couldn't be more excited about it. This week, Thomas Smale, Founder of FE International sat down with Leo and Waldo to talk about all things selling and acquiring online businesses. Thomas founded FE International in 2010, and began the business straight out of uni buying and selling domains. Smale is an authoritative source on e-commerce, and in fact, established the very category of M&A advisory for online businesses. Smale began building and selling online companies in his early 20s as an interest. When he proved to have a natural talent for increasing the value of these businesses, this became his full-time career. Over the last decade, Smale has grown FE International into an award-winning global M&A advisor of SaaS, e-commerce, and content businesses, completing acquisitions for thousands of founders, owners, and acquirers and advising on over $500MM in lifetime acquisitions. Thomas Smale Email: thomas@feinternational.com Twitter: @ThomasSmale - https://twitter.com/ThomasSmale LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomassmale/ FE International Website: https://feinternational.com/ Social media: Facebook: @FEinternational - https://www.facebook.com/FEinternational/ Twitter: @FEIntl - https://twitter.com/FEIntl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/feinternational/ Instagram: @fe_international - https://www.instagram.com/fe_international/ For more information about Gorgias, the Number 1 rated helpdesk for eCommerce merchants click here for 2 months FREE - https://gorgias.grsm.io/zyberpodcast To find out about Okendo and for a FREE extended 60 day Trial click here www.okendo.io/forms/demo/?affiliate_id=zyber.co.nz Custom Neon Sign: https://www.neonsigns.co.nz/ For more information about Zyber Digital Visit our website - https://www.zyber.co.nz Follow us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/zyberwebdesign/ Join our exclusive Facebook insider groups Shopify NZ - https://www.facebook.com/groups/shopifynz/ Shopify VIP - https://www.facebook.com/groups/shopifyvip Follow us on Instagram - zyberhq

Thomas has sold hundreds of businesses in his 10 years in M&A and understands what it takes to hit your target valuation – but you have to know where you're headed if you want to draw a roadmap to get there. We discuss company benchmarks and how companies can decide on which areas of the business to focus on and when it's best to bring in outside help. In this episode we cover: What founders can do to prepare for an acquisitionGoal setting and making the right hiresCommon distractions to scaling startupsHow the team at FE International helps businesses find areas of focusHow to grow an M&A company and market trendsLinks and Resources:Thomas Smale on LinkedInFE InternationalListen, subscribe, and share wherever you enjoy podcasts.

Thomas is the CEO and founder of FE International, an M&A firm that advises SaaS, e-commerce and content businesses. Thomas has consulted thousands of entrepreneurs on exit strategy, growth and business development. Check out the show notes and get links to all the resources mentioned in this episode here: https://aaronzakowski.com/podcast-thomas-smale/

In this interview with Thomas Smale, you will learn:Smale's process for scaling your business up successfullyTips on how to maintain credibility and authenticity with your client baseThe benefits of tracking your customer's movements early on in the sales funnelHow important a strong support team is for keeping clients long-termHow to prioritize and delegate as the founder of a company 

Whatever stage your business is at these days, having an exit strategy is always super important, and today we have an expert in the field to not only explain why this is, but also to share his valuable advice on how to go about it successfully. Serial business entrepreneur, Thomas Smale, is the CEO of FE International, an industry-leading firm that offers technical, diligence, and negotiation advice to business owners to help ensure successful exits for them. This is such an important aspect of your business that doesn't always get the attention it deserves, but we're definitely putting it under the spotlight today.   Thomas starts us off by explaining a bit about his company and what they do, and then sharing his background and how he got to where he is today. Together, we then look at the importance of starting with the end in mind, growth rates, how long you should be in business before considering selling it, and the perspective that buyers have regarding a business' revenue growth vs. their actual profit. We also explore the help that EF International provides business owners in getting the price they want for their business, what buyers are looking for today when acquiring Amazon FBA businesses, and the steps involved in preparing for an exit. I can't stress enough that you are building a sellable asset as you run your business, and it's crucial to keep this fact in mind as you progress. It is undeniable that Thomas Smale and his team have a vast amount of expertise and experience to share in this critical area, making this episode, truly, a ‘must listen' for everyone.   This week on the Amazon Files:   EF International and the work they do   Thomas' background   The importance of starting with the end in mind   Key things to do now to ensure a successful exit   Growth rates   The length of time in business before considering selling it   Buyers' perspective on revenue growth vs. actual profit in the business   How EF International helps business owners get their desired price for their business   What buyers looking to acquire Amazon FBA businesses are looking for these days   Preparing for an exit   “If you are taking care of your business, running it like a business, have some procedures that you can at least pass on to someone else and start documenting that,  you have or are building a sellable asset.”   - Kristin Ostrander   Quotes:   “We primarily work with people who want to sell their business, and we will help them prepare the business for sale, increase the value and then, ultimately, what we get paid for is physically selling the business.”   “I'd be buying a domain for like $50, and then maybe putting a website on it or doing various things, and then maybe at the end of the month, I'd sell it for $200.”    “When you're first starting something, you have no idea what you're doing, and you just keep doing it and keep improving upon it until you can turn it into something,”   “So if you think of it like that you're making 250,000 a year, you also have an asset worth seven figures. If we think about that from the start, then you're always thinking about what you can potentially do with that sort of money.”   “That's definitely the way to go into it looking. It's not just the cash that you're making, it's the asset value building as well.”   “What I love about building a business is that at the end, whatever that is...I can sell this business and invest that into my next endeavor, or I could retire or I could pay off my mortgage, or whatever it is.”    “Buyers only want to buy a business that's consistently making money.”    “I would say, rule of thumb, at least for me, businesses should be making about a 20%. net margin or, or better, on average.”   “We'll figure out where you are now and where you need to get to.”    “Almost any business making over a million dollars in sales is probably going to be popular at the moment.”   “There's a huge amount of demand out there at the moment for Amazon FBA businesses. There's never been a better time in history to launch an FBA business. There's so much demand out there.”   “Your business does not have to be making seven figures to sell it. Your Business has to be profitable. It has to have some profit in there and you have to have some pretty plain and simple procedures for someone who is going to take it over for them to follow so that they can keep this same growth that you have.”   “Say you want to exit in six months, now is the time to get your books in order and start writing down the different procedures that you do so that when you present your business for a potential sale...it's very appealing to someone who wants to acquire it, because you have all of your duckies in a row.”   Related Content:   Confident Wholesale Bundlers Workshop - Coupon code: workshop50 Wholesale Bundle System Email questions Learn With Us Coaching FE International Homepage FE International Blog FE International Facebook FE International Twitter FE International LinkedIn FE International Instagram     Grow Your Amazon Business!   Thanks for tuning into this week's episode of The Amazon Files, the show to help Amazon sellers along their business journey one step at a time with Amazon expert and your host, Kristin Ostrander. If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show and leave us your honest review. Don't forget to share your favorite episodes with your friends on social media! Use the codeword Exit Plan to join us on Facebook. Each week, Kristin hosts a live discussion on how to grow your Amazon business. Don't forget to check out our website and subscribe to our mailing list for even more resources.

EPISODE SUMMARYIn this episode, Thomas Smale talks about how his company helps buyers and sellers of businesses with SaaS-Story in the Making host, Matt Wolach. He highlights the importance of working with an expert when undergoing the processes, how software company leaders can set up their businesses to look great to potential buyers, and shares advice about what owners can do to make sure a potential buyer grabs the opportunity to acquire their business.PODCAST-AT-A-GLANCEPodcast: SaaS-Story in the MakingEpisode: Episode 170, What to Know Before Selling Your BusinessHost: Matt Wolach, a B2B SaaS sales coach, Entrepreneur, and Investor.Guest: Thomas Smale, CEO of FE International Inc.TOP TIPS FROM THIS EPISODEAllot Time and Effort To ExitingAlways Work with an ExpertGood Businesses Attract Good AcquirersEPISODE HIGHLIGHTSThe Journey from Building to SellingHow to be a Sellable BusinessBest Time to Sell Your BusinessTOP QUOTESThomas Smale[17:40] "If you build a business in any industry, as long as it's profitable, growing, the product is good and has a possibility of being around for a long time, then there's going to be acquirers interested."[27:24] "You never know when the right time is. There's no right or wrong way to approach it. Some people love managing people, others hate it. Others figure out as they go along." Matt Wolach[09:15] “I always say, you should work with an expert, whatever you're doing.”[28:18] "Know what you're ready for. Know what you can handle. Know what you want to take on." LEARN MORETo learn more about Thomas Smale and FE International, visit: https://feinternational.com/You can also find Thomas Smale on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomassmale/ For more about how host Matt Wolach helps software companies achieve maximum growth, visit https://mattwolach.com/.

In this episode, Blair talks with the CEO of FE International about everything when buying or selling an online business. Thomas discusses how best to set your business up for sale, what areas to look at when looking to buy a business and a whole load of tips for listeners who maybe looking to buy or for those looking to exit.Website: FE International

Learn about selling your developed domain or buying an online business. Two episodes ago on the podcast, Michael Cyger talked about selling his online business iSixSigma. On today’s show, I speak with Thomas Smale, whose company FE International brokered that transaction. FE International has helped sell 1,000 businesses for a total dollar value of $1 […] Post link: Buying and selling online businesses – DNW Podcast #337 © DomainNameWire.com 2021. This is copyrighted content. Domain Name Wire full-text RSS feeds are made available for personal use only, and may not be published on any site without permission. If you see this message on a website, contact editor (at) domainnamewire.com. Latest domain news at DNW.com: Domain Name Wire.

FE International founder and CEO Thomas Smale joins me to talk about what to do before building (or buying) a SaaS.

Thomas Smale began his career in the early 2000s when he began building and selling small online companies. This turned into a full-time career when he founded FE International in 2010, growing the business with zero funds from the ground up and consistently doubling annual revenue, as well as the average deal size. Join our

Convert cold traffic into raving fans with automated nurture.Join our elite group of digital entrepreneurs hereEpisode: "How to market your SaaS without making these common founder mistakes with Thomas Smale"Welcome to Episode 027 of the Growth Hack Secrets podcast.In this episode, Thomas Smale and I discuss marketing your SaaS business without making these common founder mistakes.So, if you want to know how to constantly improve your process so you can build a very successful SaaS business, then tune in now!In this episode, you'll discover:Episode Title: "How to market your SaaS without making these common founder mistakes with Thomas Smale"Build a successful SaaS businessFind the right staffImprove your business processesAbout Thomas SmaleThomas Smale is an expert in mergers and acquisitions whose accomplishments include:Founder of FE InternationalHelped sell over half a billion dollars in online businesses across 800 separate dealsContributor on Entrepreneur MediaMember of the Young Entrepreneurs’ CouncilMore InformationLearn more about how you can improve your results with mergers and acquisitions with Thomas SmaleMergers And Acquisitions Links & Mentions From This Episode:FE InternationalTwitterFacebookSaaS MagThanks for Tuning In!Thanks so much for being with us this week. Have some feedback you'd like to share? Please leave a note in the comments section below!If you enjoyed this episode on preparing your SaaS company to be sold, please share it with your friends by using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post.Don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic episode updates for our "Growth Hack Secrets podcast!"And, finally, please take a minute to leave us an honest review and rating on iTunes. They really help us out when it comes to the ranking of the show and I make it a point to read every single one of the reviews we get.Please leave a review right now (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growth-hack-secrets/id1499857372)Thanks for listening!Follow Us:TwitterInstagramFacebook Group

Robin Copernicus's guest today is mergers and acquisitions expert Thomas Smale who will show how to market your SaaS without making these common founder mistakes. If you want to know how to constantly improve your process so you can build a very successful SaaS business, then tune in now! Download this episode now to get started!

microconfonair.com This week, we are joined by Thomas Smale, Co-Founder of FE International and Owner of SaaSMag to talk about how traditional media can be leveraged by startup foudners. We also capitalize on Thomas' expertise in Mergers and Acquisitions in this episode, talking ahout buying and selling business, available funding strategies for acquiring businesses. Tickets for MicroConf Remote are now on sale, grab your tickets at http://microconfremote.com. We had some issues with the recording, so this is a truncated version of this weeks episode.

microconfonair.com This week, we are joined by Thomas Smale, Co-Founder of FE International and Owner of SaaSMag to talk about how traditional media can be leveraged by startup foudners. We also capitalize on Thomas' expertise in Mergers and Acquisitions in this episode, talking ahout buying and selling business, available funding strategies for acquiring businesses. Tickets for MicroConf Remote are now on sale, grab your tickets at http://microconfremote.com. We had some issues with the recording, so this is a truncated version of this weeks episode.

Episode: "The Four Main Elements You Need for Your SaaS Company To Be Sold with Thomas Smale"Welcome to Episode 013 of the Growth Hack Secrets podcast.In this episode, Thomas Smale and I discuss preparing your SaaS company to be sold.So if you want to prepare your SaaS company for an exit , have the elements you need for your SaaS company to be sold, and constantly improving your process so you can how to make your business to be worthy, tune in now!In this episode, you'll discover:Episode Title: "The Four Main Elements You Need For Your SaaS Company To Be Sold"Grow and sell your SaaS companyHave the elements to get your SaaS company to be soldImprove your business processesAbout Thomas SmaleThomas Smale is an expert in mergers and acquisitions whose accomplishments include:Founder of FE InternationalHelped sell over half a billion dollars in online businesses across 800 separate dealsContributor on Entrepreneur MediaMember of the Young Entrepreneurs’ CouncilMore InformationLearn more about how you can improve your results with mergers and acquisitions with Thomas Smale.Mergers And Acquisitions Links & Mentions From This EpisodeFE InternationalTwitterFacebookSaaS MagThanks for Tuning In!Thanks so much for being with us this week. Have some feedback you'd like to share? Please leave a note in the comments section below!If you enjoyed this episode on preparing your SaaS company to be sold, please share it with your friends by using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post.Don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic episode updates for our "Growth Hack Secrets podcast!"And, finally, please take a minute to leave us an honest review and rating on iTunes. They really help us out when it comes to the ranking of the show and I make it a point to read every single one of the reviews we get.Please leave a review right now (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growth-hack-secrets/)Thanks for listening!Follow Us:TwitterInstagramFacebook Group

Robin Copernicus's guest today is mergers and acquisitions expert Thomas Smale who will share critical information with you about preparing your SaaS company to be sold. If you want to prepare your SaaS company for an exit , have the elements you need for your SaaS company to be sold, and know how to constantly improve your process then tune in now! Download this episode now to get started!

In this episode, we interview Thomas Smale, the founder of FE International, a market-leading merging and acquisition firm that focuses on SaaS, e-commerce, and content business selling. They have a presence in New York, London, and San Francisco with a 94.1% success rate after selling over 800 companies. Thomas talks about the processes they use in acquiring businesses and making it beneficial for both parties. He shares the categories of companies they work with and the ones that do not meet their standards. Listen in to learn the emerging trends in online business buying and selling due to the Coronavirus crisis. Episode Highlights: Thomas explains how the process of acquisition for internet companies works and how his company has done over 800 deals. He explains the 3 categories of buyers they work with- family-owned businesses, strategic buyers and buyers who have raised money from a group of investors. Why there are no set rules when it comes to performing SaaS transactions. How they approach the valuation of companies during the buying and selling process. Why they don't work with companies that are not profitable and how they work around it for compensation in a situation where expenses are taking up. The overall difference between getting investments for your business and selling it and how the liquidation process works. The recommendations that Thomas has for both business sellers and buyers during the Coronavirus crisis. Why online businesses are doing well during this crisis and the appealing aspect of ‘work from anywhere in the world' business. Thomas talks about how they work towards getting the best deal out of a buyer when it's a well-performing business and how the Coronavirus is affecting the value of businesses. What advice does Thomas have for both buyers and sellers during this crisis? Tweetable Quote: “As a buyer looking for really good bargains and you think you can buy a $1M business at $200k don't waste your time and if you're a seller or a business owner and your business has been affected be patient and don't make any rash decisions.” -Thomas Smale Relevant Links: Website: https://feinternational.com/about-us/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomassmale Twitter: https://twitter.com/thomassmale?lang=en

Episode: "How To Get Prepared For A Big Exit with Thomas Smale"Welcome to Episode 006 of the Growth Hack Secrets podcast.In this episode, Thomas Smale and I discuss preparing your SaaS company for an exit.So if you want to make your company look like a star, get more traction , and improve your process so you can prepare for a big exit, tune in now!In this episode, you'll discover:Episode Title: "How To Get Prepared For A Big Exit"Grow an atractive company for venture capitalGet more tractionImprove your business processesAbout Thomas SmaleThomas Smale is an expert in mergers & acquisitions whose accomplishments include:Founder of FE InternationalContributor on EntrepreneurMember of the Young Entrepreneurs’ CouncilMore InformationLearn more about how you can improve your results with mergers & acquisitions with your free copy of SaaS Mag at (www.saasmag.com)Mergers & Acquisitions Links & Mentions From This Episode:FE InternationalTwitterFacebookThanks for Tuning In!Thanks so much for being with us this week. Have some feedback you'd like to share? Please leave a note in the comments section below!If you enjoyed this episode on preparing your SaaS company for an exit, please share it with your friends by using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post.Don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic episode updates for our "Growth Hack Secrets podcast!"And, finally, please take a minute to leave us an honest review and rating on iTunes. They really help us out when it comes to the ranking of the show and I make it a point to read every single one of the reviews we get.Please leave a review right now (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growth-hack-secrets/id1499857372)Thanks for listening!Follow Us:TwitterInstagramFacebook Group

Robin Copernicus's guest today is mergers & acquisitions expert Thomas Smale who will show how to prepare for a big exit. If you want to make your company look like a star, get more traction , and improve your process then tune in now! Download this episode now to get started!

In this episode of SaaS Boss show I interview Thomas Smale of FE International. There is plenty of advice on what it takes to have a successful exit when you want to leave your business. However, before going down that road, much thought and planning should go into getting an accurate valuation so that you can have a profitable exit as well. At FE International, Thomas Smale has consulted or worked on over 800 transactions. He's pulled together some of the best practices from most experienced investors and snippets of knowledge from their acquisitions to provide some guidance for new and seasoned buyers alike to answer: how do you value a SaaS business? Things we discussed: Outlook on the market due to COVID-19 SaaS valuations What founders should know to get the best offer for their SaaS company The process of selling a SaaS Will the founder or the team need to stay after the sale? What can we do now if we consider selling a company in a year? What do buyers look for in a company they are purchasing? and much more. https://feinternational.com

Thomas Smale, founder of FE International, one the largest e-business brokerages, provides insights on his dealings with e-Commerce merging and acquisition markets.WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Background on FE International Understanding the Mergers and Acquisition market for FBA businesses Dealing with buyers Process of Selling an E-business Effect on Coronavirus on the market Tips for FBA’sKEY POINTS There is not much difference in the process of selling and buying a bigger or smaller e-business. However, bigger businesses take longer due to its complexity. A seller must be willing to work with its broker in order to get the true valuation for his company. Securing the terms of payment from the buyer is very important; most often, the consideration for the inventory is neglected. Likewise, it is also important to look into the transition period that is workable for both parties. The Coronavirus pandemic has made a lot of parties nervous. However, the market is still there as the importance of going remote is highlighted. It is important for sellers to think of his exit plan even if he has no interest in exiting. This will help guide him in making decisions for the company.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ecom-exits-podcast/message

Investors WANT to spend their money. Yes, they actually want to write big, big cheques. For years, I believed that the stories of successful SaaS businesses that attracted massive investments were just myths. Unicorns. Until 3 things happened: 1. I sold my first company (then did it two more times) 2. I became an investor in over 40 businesses. 3. I met experts who specialize in SaaS selling One thing became crystal clear to me.  Businesses get bought and sold all the time! The secret sauce is knowing what investors/buyers are looking for, and why. So let me introduce you to an expert. Thomas Smale is the founder of FE International… and he has a 94.1% success rate for selling businesses. Want to debunk those myths? Tune in to this week’s episode of Escape Velocity where I interview Thomas and you’ll get the juicy truths about buying and selling a SaaS. Thomas’ company is responsible for literally trillions of dollars worth of sales. In this ep, we discuss: - How FE International approach sales - The truth behind valuation ← You need to hear this! - Two baseline stats for explosive sales - How your pricing model is the Number 1 sign of growth - What buyers look for when acquiring a business This whole interview is a goldmine. But the best gold nugget is at minute 30 when I asked him: “Thomas, imagine that we are starting a new SaaS company – the best SaaS company. What needs to be true? What are the characteristics of this business?” Boom. Those answers are everything you need to correct in your business now! Check it out, and drop me a comment below. -- Dan Martell has advised more startups than his hometown has people and teaches startup founders like you how to scale. He previously created, raised venture funding for and successfully exited two tech startups: Flowtown and Clarity.fm. You should follow him on twitter @danmartell for tweets that are actually awesome. + Instagram (behind the scenes): http://instagram.com/danmartell + Facebook (live trainings + Q&A): http://FB.com/DanMartell + Twitter (what I'm reading): http://twitter.com/danmartell

Thomas Smale is a serial business entrepreneur and expert. In the early 2000s, he began building and selling small online companies. This turned into a full-time career when he founded FE International in 2010, growing the business with zero funds from ground up and consistently doubling annual revenue, as well as the average deal size. Smale specializes in advising in the M&A of SaaS, e-commerce, affiliate and content businesses. He has consulted thousands of internet entrepreneurs on exit strategy, growth and business development. Smale is also a weekly contributor on Entrepreneur.com and a member of the Young Entrepreneurs' Council.

Everybody dreams of living their perfect lifestyle—one where you’re earning money and doing what you want at the same time. Unfortunately, some circumstances make that dream a little hard to achieve, especially with most 9 to 5 jobs. In today’s episode, I will be talking to Thomas Smale, a big-time online entrepreneur with 20 years of experience. Thomas is one of the founders of FE International who has a very impressive background on website buying. He has been able to sell over 700 businesses in 10 years.   Here are some of the things we’ll be talking about: What are the common mistakes Thomas sees in first-time buyers? Why does Thomas stick to content, affiliate, and SaaS sites? What are two ways you would grow a content business? What would you recommend as the best online business model for a first-time buyer? Why? In a seller’s market, what type of buyers does Thomas push sellers to? What are the ideal qualities of a more preferred buyer? What are the differences in buying sites that cost $40k-$200k to buying sites worth $300k-$50 million? For listeners who want to reach a point where they are buying million-dollar businesses—what do they need to do, and how does the journey look? What are the top 5 things in Thomas’ journey that he thinks most people who buy sites would benefit from? With the knowledge that Thomas has right now, what advice would he give himself when he just started?   Episode Highlights: 0:00 - Introduction and episode overview 2:28 - What drew Thomas to the world of buying sites? How did he start buying and selling sites? 3:54 - The story of how FE International started and how it got bigger 8:22 - The difference between buying bigger businesses and buying smaller businesses—the processes you need to understand. 12:09 - It’s important to focus on buying a business that you know something about. 12:24 - The litmus test in buying a business—are you willing to make personal sacrifices to pick up that business? 13:06 - Don’t buy something just because your friend said it’s a good niche. 13:32 - Jaryd’s suggestion on what you’re supposed to do when buying a business. 15:22 - What do you need to do to cope with high-level problems you get when you buy bigger businesses? 16:30 - Why it’s essential to have an understanding of everything that’s happening in the business. 17:40 - The importance of being involved in your own business. 19:40 - One main advantage of buying a bigger business is…? 20:22 - Advantages of buying a smaller business 22:47 - Common mistakes of buyers who are buying businesses at the $20k-$250k range 24:30 - The things you need to consider when buying a business—a combination of skills and interests. 26:10 - Make the effort to build a relationship with the company you want to work with. 26:58 - Find a conference that is relevant to your niche, speak to relevant people. 30:37 - Thomas advises on what to look for when you’re trying to buy a business. 32:17 - Never change your goal; always change your strategy. 37:08 - When you’re a first-time buyer, don’t focus on the price. Focus on buying a good business. 38:13 - It’s better to buy a good business at a fair price, rather than buy a fair business at a good price. 38:48 - Is it risky to acquire businesses with high multiple? What usually happens with those deals? 40:23 - Opportunities often come in the guise of problems. 41:29 - Jaryd and Thomas are not just for selling businesses and making money. So what is their real reason for being in the business? 42:13 - You’ll realize that brokers are in business for long-term goals. They want to build relationships to establish trust. 44:24 - Long term value is what makes Thomas happy. But what does long term value mean for him?   Our Guest: Thomas Smale, the founder of FE International, is a serial business entrepreneur and expert. He has gone from building and selling small online companies worth $20k-$50k to selling big online companies that cost around $50 million. For more than 10 years now, he has been able to sell over 700 businesses. Their company, FE International, has even been awarded as Deal Maker of the Year for years 2015 and 2016. Thomas believes that building relationships is the core of a business. To get in touch with Thomas, you may visit their website, FE International. For Jaryd’s free resources, whether it be for evaluating a website, or doing your due diligence, get them by clicking here. Don’t hesitate! Join us and be a part of our Buying Online Businesses community.

Today, I’m thrilled to have my friend Thomas Smale on the show. Thomas is the founder of FEInternational, one of the largest and most prolific website business brokers on the internet. Thomas has completed hundreds of millions in SaaS, ECommerce and content business acquisitions since 2010 and he’s got a huge network of pre-qualified investors. In this episode, we break down what multiples businesses are selling for today and how to prepare your business for sale. What You’ll Learn How Thomas founded FEInternational Why and how Thomas got into the business of buying and selling businesses The online business models […] The post 280: How To Prepare Your Business For Sale And What Multiples To Expect With Thomas Smale appeared first on MyWifeQuitHerJob.com.

When Thomas Smale started buying and selling online businesses in college, Thomas discovered his knack for growing, valuing and selling them to investors. He ultimately took the leap to found FE International to advise entrepreneurs on exiting (and buying) online businesses. Flash forward nearly a decade and FE International is now the leading M&A advisory firm for mid-market SaaS, e-commerce and content-based businesses.   Connect with Thomas Smale: Website: www.feinternational.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FEinternational/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FEIntl LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/feinternational Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fe_international/   Nice Sponsors:   Get your free E-Book 5 Ways to Make Money Podcasting at www.Turnkeypodcast.com/gift Check out the “Entrepreneur's Toolkit” Giveaway   Reach The Nice Guys Here: Doug- @DJDoug Strickland- @NiceGuyonBiz   Nice Links: Subscribe to the Podcast Niceguysonbusiness.com TurnkeyPodcast.com – You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. Podcast Production, Concept to Launch   Book Doug and/or Strick as a speaker at your upcoming event. Amazon #1 Best selling book Nice Guys Finish First. Doug's Business Building Bootcamp (10 Module Course)   Nice Survey: Take our short survey so The Nice Guys know what you like.     Partner Links: Amazon.com: Click before buying anything. Help support the podcast. Acuity Scheduling: Stop wasting time going back and forth scheduling appointments   Promise Statement: To provide an experience that is entertaining and adds value to your life.   Never underestimate the Power of Nice.

When Thomas Smale started buying and selling online businesses in college, Thomas discovered his knack for growing, valuing and selling them to investors. He ultimately took the leap to found FE International to advise entrepreneurs on exiting (and buying) online businesses. Flash forward nearly a decade and FE International is now the leading M&A advisory firm for mid-market SaaS, e-commerce and content-based businesses.   Connect with Thomas Smale: Website: www.feinternational.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FEinternational/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FEIntl LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/feinternational Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fe_international/   Nice Sponsors:   Get your free E-Book 5 Ways to Make Money Podcasting at www.Turnkeypodcast.com/gift Check out the “Entrepreneur's Toolkit” Giveaway   Reach The Nice Guys Here: Doug- @DJDoug Strickland- @NiceGuyonBiz   Nice Links: Subscribe to the Podcast Niceguysonbusiness.com TurnkeyPodcast.com – You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. Podcast Production, Concept to Launch   Book Doug and/or Strick as a speaker at your upcoming event. Amazon #1 Best selling book Nice Guys Finish First. Doug's Business Building Bootcamp (10 Module Course)   Nice Survey: Take our short survey so The Nice Guys know what you like.     Partner Links: Amazon.com: Click before buying anything. Help support the podcast. Acuity Scheduling: Stop wasting time going back and forth scheduling appointments   Promise Statement: To provide an experience that is entertaining and adds value to your life.   Never underestimate the Power of Nice.

What does it take to build a business from the ground up and then sell that business for a sizeable profit? Is that goal even realistic for ecommerce sellers in today’s marketplace? Here to address these question and a lot more is Scott’s guest, Thomas Smale.  Thomas is the Founder of FE International. He is a serial business entrepreneur and expert. In the early 2000s, he began building and selling small online companies. This turned into a full-time career when he founded FE International in 2010, growing the business with zero funds from the ground up and consistently doubling annual revenue.  In his conversation with Scott, Thomas opens up about how he got started buying and selling domain names, what it takes to build a business that you plan to sell, why business owners need to have external channels, and much more. You’ll want to have pen and paper ready as Thomas shares helpful insights you don’t want to miss!  Where there is a will, there is a way Have you ever tried to do something tough that you never attempted before? How did you push past your fear to try something new? When it comes to embracing change, most people are not ready to make the leap. Entrepreneurs seem to be that crazy bunch that buck the trend and go out on a limb to start something new. If you have a strong enough will to keep you pursuing your dreams - your options are endless! So what are you waiting for? Dig deep and learn from the likes of Thomas Smale - you can hear more of his story by listening to this informative episode of The Amazing Seller!  Don’t get too ahead of yourself! How do you handle stress and challenges? Do you like to attack them head-on, or do you like to sit back and figure out the best approach? Let’s face it; business leaders can quickly find themselves sidetracked when it comes to their business. From lofty goals of selling the business to the day to day responsibilities - it’s critical to stay focused on what really matters. If you want to build a business that you sell, you’ve got to build a business that makes money! Tune into this episode of The Amazing Seller to hear from business selling expert, Thomas Smale; you don’t want to miss it!  Building external channels If you’ve been around the TAS community for very long, you know that Scott is passionate about helping sellers like you realize the value of building external channels for your brand. Time and time again, Scott has been approached by sellers who were making a profit one day and then woke up the next to find that Amazon had shut them down! If you take the time and invest in your business by building external channels like YouTube, Facebook, and others - you’ll future-proof your brand. Discover more helpful tips like this one by listening to this engaging episode of The Amazing Seller! OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast! [3:30] Scott welcomes his guest, Thomas Smale.  [9:15] How did Thomas get started buying and selling domain names?  [15:50] Start something that makes money!  [27:30] It’s all about putting your business in the best position to sell.  [32:00] How important are a business’ external channels to a buyer? [39:40] What does it look like to sell a business for one million dollars?  [44:40] Scott runs through his plan for building a business to sell.  [55:00] What would Thomas do if he were to start a business to sell today?  [58:20] Closing thoughts. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Quiet Light Brokerage FE International

  Thomas Smale is the Founder of FE International. He is a serial business entrepreneur and expert. In the early 2000s, he began building and selling small online companies. This turned into a full-time career when he founded FE International in 2010, growing the business with zero funds from ground up and consistently doubling annual revenue, as well as the average deal size. Thomas specializes in advising in the M&A of SaaS, e-commerce, affiliate and content businesses. He has consulted hundreds of internet entrepreneurs on exit strategy, growth and business development. Thomas shares his story, his business, how he connects to founders as they look for their exit with Lou Diamond on Thrive LOUD. *** Connect to Lou Diamond: www.loudiamond.net Subscribe to Thrive LOUD: www.thriveloud.com/podcast

Thomas Smale is the founder of FE International, an M&A firm that helps business owners to sell their SaaS, e-commerce and content businesses. In this episode, we're going to teach you how to make your SaaS company more sellable, so you can get the possible outcome from a future sale. The Show Notes FE International SaaS Valuations: How to Value a SaaS Business ProfitWell Baremetrics Thomas on Twitter Omer on Twitter Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to the podcast Leave a rating and review Follow Omer on Twitter Need help with your SaaS? Join SaaS Club Plus: our membership and community for new and early-stage SaaS founders. Join and get training & support. Join SaaS Club Launch: a 12-week group coaching program to help you get your SaaS from zero to your first $10K revenue. Apply for SaaS Club Accelerate: If you'd like to work directly with Omer 1:1, then request a free strategy session.

Thomas Smale is the founder of FE International, an M&A firm that helps business owners to sell their SaaS, e-commerce and content businesses. In this episode, we're going to teach you how to make your SaaS company more sellable, so you can get the possible outcome from a future sale.The Show NotesFE International SaaS Valuations: How to Value a SaaS BusinessProfitWellBaremetricsThomas on TwitterOmer on TwitterEnjoyed this episode?Subscribe to the podcastLeave a rating and reviewFollow Omer on TwitterNeed help with your SaaS?1. Join SaaS Club Plus: our membership and community for new and early-stage SaaS founders. Join and get training & support.2. Join SaaS Club Launch: a 12-week group coaching program to help you get your SaaS from zero to your first $10K revenue.3. Apply for SaaS Club Accelerate: If you'd like to work directly with Omer 1:1, then request a free strategy session.

This was a very exciting episode. I’m speaking with Thomas Smale, founder of FE International, the hands-down market leader for M&A and advisory services for SaaS and other online businesses. They’ve completed hundreds of millions in acquisitions over the years. If you own a SaaS or any small business, this is an episode you’re going to want to listen to in full. We talk about what potential buyers look for in companies, how companies can increase their valuation, the acquisition process in detail, and much much more. Oh, not to mention, FE International is fully 100% bootstrapped, which you know I love. Thomas has an awesome bootstrapping story as well. He basically started buying companies with his credit card believe it or not. You’ll hear more about that in the episode. Enjoy! Visit feinternational.com to learn more. Music by sifer2424

On today's show, we talk about the opportunity to sell your Amazon business for big money by cashing out.Our very own Traian Turcu last year sold his "one product, one-year old" Amazon business for $500,000 -- proof it can be done very profitably!To find out the best way to sell an Amazon business for top-dollar, […]

Find out how you can sell your Merch by Amazon business, who old it needs to be and how much it's worth, with this interview with FE International's Thomas Smale.

Find out how you can sell your Merch by Amazon business, who old it needs to be and how much it’s worth, with this interview with FE International’s Thomas Smale. Find apps to create t-shirts for Merch by Amazon at www.merchapps.com and get your free basic photoshop course here.  The post 50. Is it possible to sell a Merch by Amazon business? Learn how with Thomas Smale appeared first on Sell While You Sleep.

Chad is joined by Thomas Smale, founder of FE International to discuss valuations, selling SaaS businesses, and tips to make your product more attractive to potential buyers. The Developer's Path Video FE International SaaS Valuations: How to Value a SaaS Business in 2017 Become a Sponsor of Giant Robots!

Few people have seen as many companies bought and sold online as Thomas Smale has. Hear the founder of FE International explain how he started his M&A firm and share the lessons he's learned about selling your business for as much as possible.

Today's story is about a gentleman named Thomas Smale, Founder of FE International which is an M&A firm specializing in the sale of SaaS, e-commerce and content based businesses. Thomas started his career flipping online businesses. He would buy $50 to $100 websites, build them up, and then sell them for profit. Thomas started realizing that there was a huge potential market for this and people started going to him and asking for advice. He built an instructional e-course and then ended up building FE International to where it is today with his business partner, Ismael Wrixen. They have done $100 million in transactions, over 500+ deals. In today's episode, you will learn: How to grow the value of your business to get more out of your sale The importance of building recurring revenue streams The value of making your business attractive to a wide range of buyers What your IP is worth in a sale Importance of proper exit planning The three key business models The three categories of buyers Thomas and I take his wisdom and his experience from the volume of transactions and deals that he's seen to shed light on what the top online businesses are doing to grow valuable companies and sell to the people that they want to. In the episode, we discuss three different key business models in the online space and three different categories of buyers out there. Thomas talks about increasing the value of a business by systematizing operations and potentially putting a recurring revenue stream in place as a part of the owner's exit plan. Contact Information and Bio for Thomas:  Email: thomas@feinternational.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomassmale/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThomasSmale Company Website: https://feinternational.com/ Company Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FEinternational/ Company Twitter: https://twitter.com/FEIntl Thomas is the Founder of FE International. He is a serial online business entrepreneur and expert. In his early 20s, he began building and selling small online companies. This turned into a full-time career when he founded FE International in 2010, growing the business with zero funds from ground up and consistently doubling annual revenue, as well as the average deal size. Thomas specializes in advising in the M&A of SaaS, e-commerce, affiliate and content businesses. He has consulted hundreds of internet entrepreneurs on exit strategy, growth and business development.

Today’s story is about a gentleman named Thomas Smale, Founder of FE International which is an M&A firm specializing in the sale of SaaS, e-commerce and content based businesses. Thomas started his career flipping online businesses. He would buy $50 to $100 websites, build them up, and then sell them for profit. Thomas started realizing that there was a huge potential market for this and people started going to him and asking for advice. He built an instructional e-course and then ended up building FE International to where it is today with his business partner, Ismael Wrixen. They have done $100 million in transactions, over 500+ deals. In today’s episode, you will learn: How to grow the value of your business to get more out of your sale The importance of building recurring revenue streams The value of making your business attractive to a wide range of buyers What your IP is worth in a sale Importance of proper exit planning The three key business models The three categories of buyers Thomas and I take his wisdom and his experience from the volume of transactions and deals that he’s seen to shed light on what the top online businesses are doing to grow valuable companies and sell to the people that they want to. In the episode, we discuss three different key business models in the online space and three different categories of buyers out there. Thomas talks about increasing the value of a business by systematizing operations and potentially putting a recurring revenue stream in place as a part of the owner’s exit plan. Contact Information and Bio for Thomas:  Email: thomas@feinternational.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomassmale/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThomasSmale Company Website: https://feinternational.com/ Company Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FEinternational/ Company Twitter: https://twitter.com/FEIntl Thomas is the Founder of FE International. He is a serial online business entrepreneur and expert. In his early 20s, he began building and selling small online companies. This turned into a full-time career when he founded FE International in 2010, growing the business with zero funds from ground up and consistently doubling annual revenue, as well as the average deal size. Thomas specializes in advising in the M&A of SaaS, e-commerce, affiliate and content businesses. He has consulted hundreds of internet entrepreneurs on exit strategy, growth and business development.

Recently I sat down this Thomas Smale of FE International. Thomas and FE International helped me sell Sifter and made the whole process seem easy. After selling so many online businesses, FE International has the process down to a science, and they've been able to pick up on quite a few trends. So Thomas takes some time to share what they've seen and what matters when it comes to buying or selling an online business. Special Guest: Thomas Smale.

On this show I speak with Thomas Smale of FEInternational.com about how he founded the company. https://richardpatey.com/feinternational

Thomas Smale co-founded FE International in 2010. It is now the world's largest website brokerage focused on eCommerce, SaaS, and content websites! Thomas is joining me today to discuss “Buy or Build” – if you're not yet in eCommerce should you start you own business, or buy an existing one? We discuss this in depth, plus how to get started on the buying path. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

I sold Bingo Card Creator, the business I’m probably best known for, through FEI last year. Thomas Smale, the principal of that brokerage, is now a buddy of mine, and he agreed to chat with me a bit about what goes into buying and selling online businesses. I think it...

Thomas Smale, co-founder of FE International, a company with seven-figure revenues that specialises in brokering the sale of online businesses. Listen as Nathan and Thomas talk about valuing SaaS companies, brokerage models, and the importance of focus. Famous 5 Favorite Book? – The Tipping Point What CEO do you follow? —Elon Musk What is your favorite online tool? — SEMrush Do you get 8 hours of sleep?— No If you could let your 20 year old self know one thing, what would it be? — Focus. I used to jump from idea to idea - it’s far better to focus on one thing. Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:06 – Nathan’s introduction 01:50 – Welcoming Thomas to the show 02:00 – FE International started at university when Thomas was 22 02:30 – Completed just over 300 deals 02:50 – Last deal was a SaaS business 03:20 – Model: FE will value a business, put together a package, and look for buyers 04:10 – How do you value a SaaS business? The amount of time the owner spends on a business: more time = less valuable The growth prospects of a business A multiplier of 4-6 times on annual net revenue 06:10 – Why use net? 06:30 – When valuing smaller businesses, it makes more sense to use net revenue 07:05 – Business in last deal had around $200k net revenue 08:11 – Recent public deal was with PlanScope - around $100k 09:10 – The buyer was a developer looking for a safe investment project 11:00 – 7-12% churn rate is normal for businesses they deal with 11:30 – FE International charges 15% brokerage on each deal 12:00 – Currently have a team of 12 people 12:30 – Made $1.5 million in commissions in 2015 16:00 – Famous Five 3 Key Points: Focus on one thing. It’s tempting to jump from plan to plan - but focus leads to success. Small businesses need a different valuation model to large ones. Make sure you’re looking at the right numbers. Always be looking for opportunities - a start-up can expand incredibly fast with the right input Resources Mentioned: Freshbooks - The site Nathan uses to manage his invoices and accounts. Host Gator – The site Nathan uses to buy his domain names and hosting for cheapest price possible. Leadpages – The drag and drop tool Nathan uses to quickly create his webinar landing pages which convert at 35%+ Audible – Nathan uses Audible when he's driving from Austin to San Antonio (1.5 hour drive) to listen to audio books. Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives The Top is FOR YOU if you are: A STUDENT who wants to become the CEO of a $10m company in under 24 months (episode #4) STUCK in the CORPORATE grind and looking to create a $10k/mo side business so you can quit (episode #7) An influencer or BLOGGER who wants to make $27k/mo in monthly RECURRING revenue to have the life you want and full CONTROL (episode #1) The Software as a Service (SaaS) entrepreneur who wants to grow to a $100m+ valuation (episode #14). Your host, Nathan Latka is a 25 year old software entrepreneur who has driven over $4.5 million in revenue and built a 25 person team as he dropped out of school, raised $2.5million from a Forbes Billionaire, and attracted over 10,000 paying customers from 160+ different countries. Oprah gets 60 minutes or more to make her guests comfortable to then ask tough questions. Nathan does it all in less than 15 minutes in this daily podcast that's like an audio version of Pat Flynn's monthly income report. Join the Top Tribe at http://NathanLatka.com/TheTop

Thomas is an entrepreneur and Co-founder of FE International, a company which helps people buy and sell online businesses. He lives in London and is also an Entrepeneur.com contributor.

Thomas Smale joins us today to talk about how to make the most money when you sell your ecommerce business. Thomas is a broker at FE International and even if you've never thought about selling your business you should still listen to today's episode. You never know when you may decide that you'd like to sell your business and if you aren't prepared from the beginning it can dramatically impact your future sales price in a negative way. Enjoy today's episode. Get involved and ask a question about selling on Amazon and Chris may answer your question live on a future episode of Sellercast. You can read the show notes and look at the resources mentioned in this episode by clicking here. Also, if you'd like to get more reviews for your products on Amazon check out Salesbacker.

Thomas is an entrepreneur and Co-founder of FE International, a company which helps people buy and sell online businesses. He lives in London and is also an Entrepeneur.com contributor.

Thomas Smale is a website broker, who founded Flipping Enterprises. He helps connects buyers and sellers of websites and has been involved in more than $5 million in deals last year alone. The post https://yaro.blog/11850/thomas-smale/ (Thomas Smale, Professional Website Broker, Explains How To Value Your Website, How To Find A Buyer And Everything You Need To Know About Website Flipping) appeared first on https://yaro.blog (Yaro.Blog).

In episode 27, we interview website broker Thomas Smale from Flipping Enterprises and dig deep into subjects like building, buying, and selling websites and the business of brokering.

Thomas Smale of Flipping Enterprises discusses tips for buying and flipping websites. Topics include sourcing deals, business valuation, due diligence, monetization and much more.