Built to Sell Radio

Evergreen Contact Dossier Service

Market Gap: Keeping track of professional contacts and their updates is challenging.

The Evergreen Contact Dossier Service addresses the challenges of maintaining an up-to-date understanding of professional contacts. By aggregating data from various sources, including social media and professional networks, this service creates a continually updated profile for each contact. Entrepreneurs and business owners can access these profiles to gain insights into their contacts' current positions, activities, and interests, making their outreach efforts more relevant and timely. This service would be particularly beneficial for sales professionals, recruiters, and anyone who relies on networking to drive their business, ultimately enhancing their ability to connect meaningfully with others.

From: Ep 513 Exit Story: How Dave Sifry Lost $100 Million, Lessons from Starting 9 Companies, the Dangers of Raising Money, and Why He’s Doing It Differently with Warmstart

AI-Powered Warm Outreach Platform

Market Gap: Entrepreneurs struggle to reconnect with old contacts for new business opportunities.

The AI-Powered Warm Outreach Platform leverages artificial intelligence to help entrepreneurs reconnect with their past contacts seamlessly. By analyzing email histories and social media connections, the platform identifies opportunities to reach out to individuals who may be valuable for business growth. Each day, users receive pre-written email drafts tailored to their contacts, enhancing the likelihood of engagement. This service is particularly beneficial for small to medium-sized businesses looking to expand their network without the time-consuming effort of traditional outreach. By focusing on personal connections rather than cold outreach, the platform can significantly increase response rates and facilitate new business meetings, making it a valuable tool for entrepreneurs.

From: Ep 513 Exit Story: How Dave Sifry Lost $100 Million, Lessons from Starting 9 Companies, the Dangers of Raising Money, and Why He’s Doing It Differently with Warmstart

Personalized Email Drafting AI Tool

Market Gap: Crafting personalized outreach emails is time-intensive for entrepreneurs.

This Personalized Email Drafting AI Tool aims to streamline the email outreach process for entrepreneurs by utilizing machine learning to generate tailored email drafts based on the user’s previous communications. By analyzing the user's writing style and understanding the context of their past interactions, the tool can craft personalized messages that resonate with potential contacts. Users can quickly review and edit these drafts, saving time while ensuring their outreach feels authentic. This tool would be particularly useful for startups and small businesses that rely heavily on personal connections to drive sales and growth, making it easier to initiate conversations and foster relationships.

From: Ep 513 Exit Story: How Dave Sifry Lost $100 Million, Lessons from Starting 9 Companies, the Dangers of Raising Money, and Why He’s Doing It Differently with Warmstart

Peer-to-Peer Advice Platform for Wealthy Entrepreneurs

Market Gap: Newly wealthy entrepreneurs lack platforms for unbiased financial advice.

The concept is to create a peer-to-peer advice platform specifically designed for first-generation wealthy entrepreneurs. This platform would allow members to share insights, experiences, and advice on both financial and personal matters, such as investing strategies, family wealth management, and lifestyle adjustments post-exit. By fostering a community of individuals who can relate to each other's experiences, the platform can provide a more tailored and less biased form of guidance. The target audience would be entrepreneurs who have recently gone through a liquidity event and are seeking a supportive community. Tools for discussions, webinars, and Q&A sessions led by experienced members could enhance the platform's value.

From: Ep 512 Exit Story: Selling iLab for 6× ARR, Choosing Strategic Over PE, and Life After an Eight-Figure Exit

Core Facility Management Software for Research Institutions

Market Gap: Research labs struggle to manage shared resources and billing efficiently.

The idea is to develop a comprehensive Core Facility Management Software tailored specifically for research institutions like universities and hospitals. This software would streamline the scheduling, billing, and management of shared resources, allowing researchers to focus more on their work rather than administrative tasks. Implementing features such as real-time resource tracking, integrated billing, and user-friendly scheduling interfaces can significantly enhance operational efficiency. Target customers would include research labs in top universities and hospitals, which often require robust solutions to manage their complex operations effectively. Companies like iLab have demonstrated the demand for such platforms, proving that there is a market ready for innovation in this space.

From: Ep 512 Exit Story: Selling iLab for 6× ARR, Choosing Strategic Over PE, and Life After an Eight-Figure Exit

Community-Driven Talent Recruitment Platform

Market Gap: Talent acquisition is challenging for startups and agencies in competitive markets.

The idea is to develop a recruitment platform that combines community engagement with talent acquisition. This platform would facilitate events, meetups, and workshops where potential candidates can interact with companies in a more casual setting. By creating a community around shared interests and skills, the platform would help startups and agencies connect with top talent who may not be actively looking for jobs. This approach would not only improve the quality of hires but also enhance employer branding. The target audience would include startups, tech companies, and agencies seeking to differentiate themselves in their recruitment strategies. Specific tactics could involve hosting industry-specific events, creating online forums, and utilizing social media for outreach.

From: Ep 511 Exit Story: Why Ronan Berder Walked Away from Techstars and Sold Wiredcraft for 67 Million Euros

Digital Product Development Playbook

Market Gap: Entrepreneurs struggle to document processes and systems in their businesses.

The concept revolves around creating a digital product that serves as a comprehensive playbook for entrepreneurs, guiding them through the process of documenting their business operations. This tool would help users articulate their workflows, improve communication within teams, and facilitate onboarding new employees. The target audience includes startups and small business owners who recognize the need for systematic documentation but struggle to implement it effectively. Features could include templates, step-by-step guides, and examples of successful documentation practices. By providing a structured approach to documenting processes, this product would empower entrepreneurs to scale their operations efficiently.

From: Ep 511 Exit Story: Why Ronan Berder Walked Away from Techstars and Sold Wiredcraft for 67 Million Euros

SaaS Product Development and Consulting Agency

Market Gap: Many global brands struggle to establish a digital presence in China.

The idea is to create a consulting agency that specializes in SaaS product development specifically for global brands entering the Chinese market. This agency would not only offer consulting services but also develop tailored digital products that cater to the unique needs of Chinese consumers. By leveraging local expertise and understanding market dynamics, the agency would help brands navigate the complexities of the Chinese digital landscape. The target audience would comprise international brands looking to establish or enhance their digital presence in China. Tactics could include building partnerships with local tech firms, offering workshops, and using case studies from previous successes to attract new clients.

From: Ep 511 Exit Story: Why Ronan Berder Walked Away from Techstars and Sold Wiredcraft for 67 Million Euros

Seller Financing Facilitation Platform

The concept revolves around developing a platform that facilitates seller financing arrangements in business acquisitions, especially for smaller deals where institutional financing is limited. The platform would connect sellers willing to finance part of the purchase with buyers who may lack adequate upfront capital. It could include features such as loan calculators, contract templates, and risk assessment tools to ensure that both parties are safeguarded during the transaction. Additionally, the platform could provide educational resources to help both sellers and buyers understand the implications and benefits of seller financing. The target market includes small business owners looking to sell, first-time buyers, and business brokers. By streamlining the seller financing process, this platform can enhance deal flow and facilitate successful business transitions.

From: Ep 510 Mastering the Deal: Earn-outs, Equity Rolls & Seller Notes—Risk or Reward?

Platform for Managing Earn-Out Agreements

The idea is to create a platform that simplifies the management of earn-out agreements between sellers and buyers in business acquisitions. This platform would enable sellers to track their performance against the specific targets tied to the earn-out, such as profitability goals or product milestones, while also providing insights into how to meet these goals effectively. By facilitating communication and offering tools for performance tracking, this platform can help reduce disputes and enhance trust between both parties. The target audience includes business brokers, M&A advisors, and entrepreneurs looking to sell their businesses, as well as acquirers who want to ensure that they meet their earn-out conditions. By leveraging data analytics, the platform can provide predictive insights based on historical performance metrics, thereby helping sellers strategize toward meeting future goals.

From: Ep 510 Mastering the Deal: Earn-outs, Equity Rolls & Seller Notes—Risk or Reward?