Rob Walling

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Takeaway number four is we've done some, it's really back of the napkin surveys, show of hands, where I've said, okay, the original thesis of Tiny Seed was some people will want to grow quickly, be ambitious and sell for some number they have in mind, 10, 15, 20 million or more, as we've seen, versus run a company for years, decades and take out profits. What we didn't know is what the

Takeaway number four is we've done some, it's really back of the napkin surveys, show of hands, where I've said, okay, the original thesis of Tiny Seed was some people will want to grow quickly, be ambitious and sell for some number they have in mind, 10, 15, 20 million or more, as we've seen, versus run a company for years, decades and take out profits. What we didn't know is what the

breakdown would be. Is it 50-50? Do more people want to take out profits? With my show of hands surveys that I've done in several tiny seed Zooms, it appears that it's about 15%, maybe 20, that want to grow a company for the long term and take out profits. So it is the, you know, call it the super majority that do want to have that big exit. And I think there are reasons for this, right?

breakdown would be. Is it 50-50? Do more people want to take out profits? With my show of hands surveys that I've done in several tiny seed Zooms, it appears that it's about 15%, maybe 20, that want to grow a company for the long term and take out profits. So it is the, you know, call it the super majority that do want to have that big exit. And I think there are reasons for this, right?

We are choosing from more ambitious founders. Like if you want to be a lifestyle bootstrapper and truly run a $10,000, $20,000, $30,000 a month company and pull it all out. That's great. But the numbers don't work for TinySeed to invest in you.

We are choosing from more ambitious founders. Like if you want to be a lifestyle bootstrapper and truly run a $10,000, $20,000, $30,000 a month company and pull it all out. That's great. But the numbers don't work for TinySeed to invest in you.

And so I do think a much bigger chunk of those folks, whether you call, I call them lifestyle bootstrappers, you can call them indie hackers, although I think that is actually a different definition. But you get the idea. Those folks really do want a lifestyle business and that's great. I've had some of those.

And so I do think a much bigger chunk of those folks, whether you call, I call them lifestyle bootstrappers, you can call them indie hackers, although I think that is actually a different definition. But you get the idea. Those folks really do want a lifestyle business and that's great. I've had some of those.

But the idea of joining TinySeed and taking funding and then wanting to do that is obviously a super minority of folks. I do think there's some selection bias in that for sure. And I also think that when people hear me do this analysis where I went through the whole 1K goes to 12K, ARR times five is 60 grand, and someone puts a check in front of you that you're like, I don't really want to sell.

But the idea of joining TinySeed and taking funding and then wanting to do that is obviously a super minority of folks. I do think there's some selection bias in that for sure. And I also think that when people hear me do this analysis where I went through the whole 1K goes to 12K, ARR times five is 60 grand, and someone puts a check in front of you that you're like, I don't really want to sell.

And they're like, cool, here's your relatively early stage business and here's $3 million. Yeah. Suddenly, things really shift. Things really shift. I remember the first time I saw a seven-figure number written down in an email for a potential acquirer to acquire one of my companies. And I was like, this is it. Like, if I say yes to this...

And they're like, cool, here's your relatively early stage business and here's $3 million. Yeah. Suddenly, things really shift. Things really shift. I remember the first time I saw a seven-figure number written down in an email for a potential acquirer to acquire one of my companies. And I was like, this is it. Like, if I say yes to this...

I am set for a very, very long time and this will be absolutely life-changing. I remember almost being in a weird, it's not euphoric state, but it's hair stands up on the back of your neck and you kind of lose time and even kind of can hear ringing in your ear. Like it was that, I was like, whoa, I was so shocked how in theory I had been thinking, oh yeah,

I am set for a very, very long time and this will be absolutely life-changing. I remember almost being in a weird, it's not euphoric state, but it's hair stands up on the back of your neck and you kind of lose time and even kind of can hear ringing in your ear. Like it was that, I was like, whoa, I was so shocked how in theory I had been thinking, oh yeah,

if we sell this company someday, of course, it'll sell for a lot. But the moment that I saw that number, it changed everything. I was like, that's real. Like that could really be cash in my bank account.

if we sell this company someday, of course, it'll sell for a lot. But the moment that I saw that number, it changed everything. I was like, that's real. Like that could really be cash in my bank account.

And I think that as folks think about that, especially if you're either a first time founder or a founder who's never had a big exit, you know, who has $50,000 in their bank account and a couple hundred grand in a retirement account. And you realize that, yeah, maybe I could see this for the long term. Maybe I could grow this company for 10 years.

And I think that as folks think about that, especially if you're either a first time founder or a founder who's never had a big exit, you know, who has $50,000 in their bank account and a couple hundred grand in a retirement account. And you realize that, yeah, maybe I could see this for the long term. Maybe I could grow this company for 10 years.