They Got Acquired - This SaaS had 5,000 users when it sold

July 30, 2024
​Read on web​

How do you compete in a crowded space when your competitors have more resources than you?

For Thomas Gareis, who grew a suite of SEO tools called Seobility to 5,000 paid users and millions in revenue, the answer was an acquisition that would add more support to his small team of 15.

In September 2022, when a buyer approached him about selling, Gareis recognized it as an opportunity to strengthen his company’s future after running the business solo for over a decade.

He sold his German-based SEO company to saas.group, a SaaS acquisition company, in a mid-7 figure deal.

More details in our story:

​This founder sold to strengthen his company’s position in a competitive SEO tools market​

Sponsored by

When we work together, we AllRise

You want a lawyer with the expertise and knowledge to protect you from liability as you sell your business or raise a startup financing round.

But you also want a lawyer who is...

• Strong without being combative
• Cost-effective, so fees don’t eat up too much of your profit
• Supportive and approachable, rather than intimidating
• Empathetic and understanding, because running a business is hard
• Risk-aware, so you’re protected even from risks you don’t see

This type of lawyer exists! At AllRise.

Services we provide:

• M&A (for founders selling their business)
• Early-stage fundraising documentation
• HR contracts, including employment agreements
• LLC formation and operating agreements
• Co-founder, shareholder and advisory contracts
• Licensing and influencer agreements

Behind the business (of TGA)

I just got back from taking three weeks away from work to spend time with family overseas.
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It was an amazing trip! Yet I had some anxiety ahead of time about not moving the business forward during those weeks. Specifically, about not bringing in revenue.
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You see, we're just barely profitable. And while I have a team of contractors working on various parts of the business, I'm still the only one bringing in money.
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Whether it's access to our M&A data platform, sponsorships or buyers who want deal flow via First Look — those revenue sources all rely on me selling and coordinating.
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Then a friend pointed out that being able to take off three weeks is validation.
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It's validation that I've built systems and a team that can move along many things without me, even if the revenue piece stands still temporarily.

And look at all the pieces that ran without me while I was away!
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📈 Our newsletters hit your inbox (still delivering value to our audience)
📈 My LinkedIn posts published (our marketing engine kept running)
📈 Reporters wrote stories (content was being created)
📈 Researchers kept researching, and our data editor continued to review deals (so our M&A platform continued to grow)
📈 Plus much of the admin that makes this all run smoothly kept on chugging with our VA
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My brain tends to go right to all the pieces of the business that I'm still figuring out, and that I haven't yet delegated.
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But much of the business *does* move forward without me. And this is a chance to celebrate that. 🎉

See you next time,

Lexi Grant
Founder & CEO
​They Got Acquired​

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P.S. Now that I'm back, I'm looking for ways to reconnect. If you haven't replied to this newsletter in a while, I'd love to get a quick note from you!​