Assertion Contradicted AI assessment confidence: 95% certainty 4/5 debate potential 2/5

Smale: In 2010, no M&A firms or brokers serviced online businesses

Thomas Smale · Zero to $1.1B from Flipping Websites · Apr 17, 2023 · at 2:38

Thomas Smale, founder of M&A advisory firm FE International, describes the market landscape for buying and selling website businesses around 2010.

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“There was no M&A firms that did this. There were no business brokers. If you had a really big business, you couldn't call a big investment bank because they wouldn't return your phone call. So very much offered a service that no one else did, and really built it from there.”

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The claim, plainly

In 2010, there were no dedicated M&A firms or business brokers that brokered the sale of online businesses or websites.

a quote alone can be ambiguous, so this restates it with the references and context of the conversation around it resolved. AI-written; the tape below the player is the source.

Assessment

Thomas Smale claimed that in 2010 there were no dedicated M&A firms or business brokers facilitating the sale of online businesses or websites. However, documented public company records and operational histories show multiple dedicated online business brokerages were active well before 2010. Website Properties was founded in 2002 specifically to broker internet-based business sales, Quiet Light Brokerage was founded in 2006 focusing exclusively on internet-based business transactions, and Latona's was established as an online business and digital asset brokerage in 2008.

Website Properties was founded in 2002 as an M&A brokerage dedicated to buying and selling internet-based businesses and websites, completing hundreds of transactions prior to 2010.
Quiet Light Brokerage was established in late 2006 by Mark Daoust as an advisory and brokerage firm specializing exclusively in the sale and acquisition of online, e-commerce, and SaaS businesses.
Latona's was founded in 2008 as a boutique M&A brokerage focusing on cash flow-positive web properties, SaaS, and digital assets.

Checked against

[1] quietlight.com [2] thehowofbusiness.com [3] quietlight.com [4] quietlight.com [5] axial.net [6] windsordrake.com [7] websiteproperties.com [8] absoluteadvantagepodcast.com

"Website Properties" David Fairley founded "Website Properties" founded "2007" OR "2008" OR "2009" OR "2002" OR "2005" "Quiet Light Brokerage" founded OR history OR "2006" OR "2007" "Quiet Light" Mark Daoust founded 2006 online business brokerage "Latona's" founded website broker OR "Latonas" 2008 OR 2007 FE International founded "2010"

assessed as of 2026-09-03

This assessment is an AI reading of a public statement, made against the cited references with the confidence shown. It can be wrong. The quote, the tape and the references are all on this page; if something is off, use report an error below. full disclaimer →

Mentioned

FE International M&A firms Thomas Smale

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Smale: In 2010, no M&A firms or brokers serviced online businesses

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