Inside Micro PE: Small Deals, Big Returns

Dev Shah
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  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Inside Micro PE explores how modern founders buy, build, and sell small digital businesses - from SaaS and newsletters to apps and content sites. Hosted by Dev Shah, founder of Pocket Fund, this podcast brings you inside the world of micro private equity- where builders are quietly turning $10K side projects into six-figure SaaS exits. Inside Micro PE covers a wide variety- from $5K SaaS buys to seven figure rollups. We break down how they sourced their deals, manage the takeover, scale lean, and create exits on their own terms. We explore the buy-then-build model from different angles- uncovering the strategies, frameworks, and play books that make acquisitions work. Each episode features raw conversations with founders, indie hackers, and investors who are redefining micro PE. So whether you’re a first-time buyer, indie hacker, or emerging fund manager, there’s something here for you. The micro PE space is evolving fast - powered by global talent, AI, automation, and marketplaces like Acquire.com. Acquisition is giving entrepreneurs a new path to success. You no longer need a fund or a finance degree - just sweat and a laptop to start buying cash flowing businesses. Small deals. Big returns. Real numbers, real lessons — no VC fluff.

Episodes

  1. #1 Seller on Acquire: How Stuart Faught Sold 19 Bootstrapped SaaS with Zero VC's

    JAN 29

    #1 Seller on Acquire: How Stuart Faught Sold 19 Bootstrapped SaaS with Zero VC's

    This podcast is packed with actionable insights for anyone looking to build, buy, or sell small SaaS businesses on Acquire.Stuart Faught, Acquire.com #1 seller, shares how he built and sold 19 bootstrapped SaaS tools with zero VC and no burnout.He breaks down his exact playbook—from spotting niche markets like dentists and HVAC to hitting $50K ARR fast and exiting at 5X multiples.You’ll learn how to move quickly without overbuilding or wasting years chasing scale.Stuart also reveals his 15-5-1 cold selling routine, how to create warm leads through partnerships, and why 12-month contracts dramatically increase buyer interest.Simple systems, repeatable results.You’ll hear how to prep a business for sale the right way - clean code, strong branding, ready data rooms, and tight buyer calls that close deals in 30–45 days. Plus, negotiation tactics to filter serious buyers and choose the easiest ones to work with.Whether you’re a non-tech founder aiming for fast, clean exits or a buyer looking for low-risk micro-SaaS deals, this episode delivers.Proven methods that beat the corporate grind and compound over time.🍁Learn more about Pocket Fund and upcoming events:Dev Shah - Founder of Pocket FundLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devlikesbizness/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devlikesbizness/Twitter: https://x.com/devlikesbiznessWebsite (Pocket Fund): https://www.pocket-fund.com/

    1 hr
  2. I Interviewed Europe’s Top 7-8 Figure M&A Entrepreneurs

    12/17/2025

    I Interviewed Europe’s Top 7-8 Figure M&A Entrepreneurs

    In this video, I sit down with some of Europe’s top 7–8 figure M&A entrepreneurs, operators, and fund managers to unpack how they source deals, close acquisitions, and build exceptional companies. These conversations were filmed at Rollup Europe, a first-of-its-kind community for serial acquirers. RollUpEurope is building the home base for Europe’s buy-and-build ecosystem: a place where operators, investors, searchers, and private equity professionals come together to share playbooks, learn from each other, and collaborate on live opportunities. Their events bring together some of the sharpest minds in acquisitions. I was fortunate to attend their event this summer, where I captured interviews with some of the attendees. We dive deep into: • What they’re building right now • Their biggest deals- acquisitions and exits • Lessons from their rich acquisition journeys • How Europe’s acquisition entrepreneurship ecosystem is evolving The insights shared at the event were exceptional from sourcing playbooks to integration strategies to operating frameworks. If you’re in M&A, search funds, private equity, or simply fascinated by buying businesses, this video is packed with practical value. A little background on Pocket Fund: We run both a holding company and a buy-side advisory practice. We’ve acquired several software businesses ourselves and now help private equity funds, searchers, and individual buyers with everything from deal flow and negotiation to due diligence and closing. This video is packed with practical insights for anyone in the acquisition ecosystem and equally valuable for founders and startup enthusiasts.

    31 min
  3. Inside Micro PE 01: College Dropout to SaaS Exit | Building a 6 Figure Software Hold Co. at 20

    10/26/2025

    Inside Micro PE 01: College Dropout to SaaS Exit | Building a 6 Figure Software Hold Co. at 20

    Welcome to the first episode of Inside Micro PE: Small Deals, Big Returns In this episode, Johann Sathianathen shares his real journey from dropping out of college to be Cisco’s youngest full-time engineer at 18, to building, scaling, and exiting his first SaaS startup at just 20 years old. Johann’s story captures the essence of a new generation of bootstrapped founders and creators who build lean, profitable software businesses without venture capital. While at Cisco, Johann invested his salary into side projects and agencies, eventually creating Qura.ai, an AI SaaS that automated high-quality social media replies. Within just 12 months, he grew and successfully sold the company through Acquire.com, achieving his first exit while running multiple ventures under his startup studio, Jars Global. He now leads a global portfolio of SaaS products from his company Jars Global with teams in India, Nigeria and Egypt helping founders build and automate scalable businesses worldwide. His experience is across building rapid MVPs, automating operations, and managing lean teams has made him a rising name in the SaaS acquisition space. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to turn technical expertise into scalable SaaS businessesPreparing your company for acquisition & working with buyersReal-world tips for valuations, negotiations & due diligenceManaging multiple startups & avoiding founder burnoutUnderstanding post-exit reinvestment and global scalingHow Johann achieved his first SaaS exit at age 20 through Acquire.comThe bootstrapping playbook for launching profitable products without fundingHow to build lean, automated teams to run multiple SaaS ventures globally Whether you’re a SaaS founder, indie hacker or operator, this episode dives into real frameworks and mindsets that help businesses grow beyond just product and code. Explore Johann’s Work: https://www.johann.fyi/ Qura.ai: https://www.qura.ai/ (SaaS Exited) Connect with Johann Sathianathen: Twitter/X: https://x.com/johann_sath Dev Shah (Host) Pocket Fund (Micro PE Firm): https://www.pocket-fund.com/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/devlikesbizness

    50 min
  • 3 Episodes

About

Inside Micro PE explores how modern founders buy, build, and sell small digital businesses - from SaaS and newsletters to apps and content sites. Hosted by Dev Shah, founder of Pocket Fund, this podcast brings you inside the world of micro private equity- where builders are quietly turning $10K side projects into six-figure SaaS exits. Inside Micro PE covers a wide variety- from $5K SaaS buys to seven figure rollups. We break down how they sourced their deals, manage the takeover, scale lean, and create exits on their own terms. We explore the buy-then-build model from different angles- uncovering the strategies, frameworks, and play books that make acquisitions work. Each episode features raw conversations with founders, indie hackers, and investors who are redefining micro PE. So whether you’re a first-time buyer, indie hacker, or emerging fund manager, there’s something here for you. The micro PE space is evolving fast - powered by global talent, AI, automation, and marketplaces like Acquire.com. Acquisition is giving entrepreneurs a new path to success. You no longer need a fund or a finance degree - just sweat and a laptop to start buying cash flowing businesses. Small deals. Big returns. Real numbers, real lessons — no VC fluff.

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