Most SaaS founders dream of selling their company, but few understand what makes an acquisition target attractive to buyers. What if you could learn from someone who's actually on the buying side?
In this episode, Tim from SaaS.Group breaks down how they've built an $80M ARR portfolio by acquiring 25 small SaaS companies - and reveals exactly what they look for, how they evaluate deals, and what happens post-acquisition. This is a masterclass in both building businesses buyers want and understanding the acquisition landscape.
Key Highlights:
03:44: Why they focus on 1-10M ARR companies versus larger deals05:01: The organic evolution toward product-led companies06:18: 100% ownership strategy - why they don't do minority stakes11:00: The $100M revenue milestone and why it's just another number16:05: First year struggles - why acquisition was meant to leapfrog early-stage pain22:10: The 6-7 core acquisition criteria that determine green lights28:00: The Rule of 40 framework for balancing growth and profitability33:17: Post-acquisition playbook - from pricing to AI positioning44:27: Biannual performance reviews and radical transparency culture49:17: Brand manager hiring - internal promotions vs technical generalists52:25: SaaS Academy and leadership development programs56:23: The three moats being built to become unstoppable58:26: Why $1B in 3 years would actually hurt the business
Stop building in isolation and start understanding what buyers actually want.
Whether you're planning an exit or just want to build a more valuable business, this conversation reveals the acquisition playbook from someone who's deployed $80M+ in capital.
Resources:
📧 Contact Tim -
[email protected]
💼 SaaS.Group - Acquiring profitable SaaS companies
📚 Book Recommendations - Humanocracy, Traction
🌱 Side Project - Ecosia.org (green search engine)
Ireland