They Got Acquired - Winning at search

May 12, 2023
​Read on web​

Brett Farmiloe managed to land his one-man SEO business, Markitors, atop the Google results in 2016 for the highly searched term “digital marketing company.”

He maintained that number 1 ranking for more than four years — and it was pure gold for growing his business.

The exposure brought in so many clients that he eventually had a team of 15. One hire was a VP of operations, a move that allowed him to focus more on growth and have time for creativity.

“I like to experiment, challenge and change things,” Farmiloe said in an interview for Mailman, a Gmail plug-in. “That chaotic nature is not good for employees, who’d like to have some stability.”

A decade after founding Markitors, in January 2022, Farmiloe sold to Elevato, another digital marketing agency based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

He didn’t join the firm after the sale, but his VP of operations did.

See the full story about how he grew Markitors into an SEO powerhouse:

​How a freelance marketer landed atop search results, which helped him grow and sell his agency​

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💥 This firm's looking to buy: software, marketplaces & more

We're trying something new: showcasing companies that are looking to buy businesses. If you enjoy this section, let us know.

Company: Tiny

Who they are: Public technology holding company with 40+ companies in its portfolio. Their tagline: "We buy wonderful businesses." Learn more here.

Looking to buy: Profitable software, platform, marketplace and community businesses.

Ideal size: At least $500,000 annual profit (though they're open to reviewing businesses with at least $2 million in revenue that are at least breaking even).

What catches their eye: Businesses that are at least three years old, have a great team with positive culture, and a unique brand, community or niche.

They like "sticky" verticals with high retention. Recurring revenue is ideal, and they'll also consider businesses with high customer retention lifetime value.

Niches they want: They have a sector-agnostic approach. A few sectors they have reviewed in the past include software in the education space, CRMs, ERPs, marine tech and productivity tools. Co-founder Andrew Wilkinson tweeted recently that he'd love to buy a New Zealand brand.

Their deals: They look to tailor acquisitions to what founders want. They aim to close in 30 days and are open to founders staying on board or exiting entirely. They offer a simple structure with cash upfront, and their valuations are typically based on EBITDA.

Companies they own: AeroPress, Dribble and MetaLab. Here's the full list.

Reach out: hi@tiny.com

If they look like a good-fit buyer for your business, get in touch, and please tell them you came via They Got Acquired. Some firms offer us a referral fee for sending you, and that helps us continue to serve founders.

See you next time,

Lexi Grant
Founder & CEO
​They Got Acquired​
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🙌 How we can help

Here's what we offer for founders looking to sell in the next year:

- Help choosing an advisor or broker you can trust

- M&A coaching if you have a potential buyer or want to approach buyers on your own

- A sounding board (free call) if you're not sure where to start

- Reports full of case studies and data about other founders who sold

- Posts covering the basics of how to sell your business​