Dan Fleyshman

Okay, so on the investing side, you must get bombarded over the years because you're one of the most famous, your top five most famous on social media from the business category. You get hit up nonstop left and right. How do you decide if you're going to invest into a company when you get pitched by someone online or in real life?

So you've also been buying companies.

So you've also been buying companies.

How do you decide there? Because obviously you have the pick of the litter, right? You could spend $2 million, $5 million, $10 million, $50 million, $20 million, whatever the amount is you're buying these companies for. How do you decide on the acquisition side when you can pick from any company in the category? So let's say there's 700 companies in the category.

How do you decide there? Because obviously you have the pick of the litter, right? You could spend $2 million, $5 million, $10 million, $50 million, $20 million, whatever the amount is you're buying these companies for. How do you decide on the acquisition side when you can pick from any company in the category? So let's say there's 700 companies in the category.

Are you picking the top 10, top 20, top 30, top 50? How are you making these decisions in your mind?

Are you picking the top 10, top 20, top 30, top 50? How are you making these decisions in your mind?

So your acquisition is almost free because you're kind of choosing your own adventure, right? Yeah.

So your acquisition is almost free because you're kind of choosing your own adventure, right? Yeah.

So in that example, like a $10 million business, let's say they're netting around $2 million, right? Yeah. What's the ballpark? Obviously, there's a wide scale depending on the industry. What's a ballpark you would pay for that company?

So in that example, like a $10 million business, let's say they're netting around $2 million, right? Yeah. What's the ballpark? Obviously, there's a wide scale depending on the industry. What's a ballpark you would pay for that company?

Gross $10 million, netted $2 million.

Gross $10 million, netted $2 million.

And so in that example, you brought in around $30 million in new business, but you paid $12 million, right? Correct. I like this motto. This is fun.

And so in that example, you brought in around $30 million in new business, but you paid $12 million, right? Correct. I like this motto. This is fun.

Sure. So it takes a couple years.

Sure. So it takes a couple years.

So let's say that company out there in the Middle East, they're the agency. They just heard you. They're like, wow, Neil Patel might buy us. That's interesting. NP Digital could buy us and they're doing $10 million in revenue. How does someone as a founder make that emotional decision along their journey when they get from 2 million to 5 million to 10 million to 20 million? How do they know?

So let's say that company out there in the Middle East, they're the agency. They just heard you. They're like, wow, Neil Patel might buy us. That's interesting. NP Digital could buy us and they're doing $10 million in revenue. How does someone as a founder make that emotional decision along their journey when they get from 2 million to 5 million to 10 million to 20 million? How do they know?

How do you know when it's time to sell or it's a good time to sell?