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Oct 25, 2022 · 17m · startup-acquisition-stories

Startup Acquisition Stories with Connor Skelly, Founder of Fission Agency

Connor Skelly · 10m spoken Andrew Gazdecki · 5m spoken
0:00 / 0:00

gold bands on the timeline = statements, start to end. Hover to read, click to jump. CC turns on captions

In this episode of SaaS Acquisition Stories, host Andrew Gazdecki interviews Connor Skelly, founder of Fission Agency, who details his acquisition of UTM Link Manager on MicroAcquire. Connor breaks down his due diligence framework, deal structuring, integration strategies, and essential advice for buyers and sellers in the micro-SaaS ecosystem.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. Andrew holds 33.7% of the talking time here. How this is scored →

Andrew as informed peer 3.3 Guest teaching 1.3 Guest disagreement 0.0 Andrew pushing back 0.3
05100:0010:001:41–4:45 · Andrew as informed peer 2/10 Acquisition Criteria and Content Asset Discovery Connor describes his acquisition criteria and discovering an existing 9,000-word course asset with the product. Andrew primarily listens and offers a brief synthesizing summary of the strategy.4:47–9:46 · Andrew as informed peer 4/10 Due Diligence and Closing the Acquisition Connor walks through diligence and closing mechanics with a third-party developer. Andrew contributes insights from his marketplace experience on the importance of technical due diligence for non-technical buyers.9:46–13:23 · Andrew as informed peer 4/10 Acquisition Insights and Advice for Buyers and Sellers Both exchange actionable advice for buyers and sellers in micro-acquisitions. Andrew highlights the common pitfall of rushing letters of intent without sufficient upfront questioning.13:24–16:20 · Andrew as informed peer 3/10 Fission Agency Overview and Marketing Book Recommendations Connor shares his agency focus on HubSpot and recommends marketing books like $100M Offers. Andrew connects over running his business on HubSpot and recommends the book Play Bigger.1:41–4:45 · Guest teaching 1/10 Acquisition Criteria and Content Asset Discovery Connor describes his acquisition criteria and discovering an existing 9,000-word course asset with the product. Andrew primarily listens and offers a brief synthesizing summary of the strategy.4:47–9:46 · Guest teaching 1/10 Due Diligence and Closing the Acquisition Connor walks through diligence and closing mechanics with a third-party developer. Andrew contributes insights from his marketplace experience on the importance of technical due diligence for non-technical buyers.9:46–13:23 · Guest teaching 2/10 Acquisition Insights and Advice for Buyers and Sellers Both exchange actionable advice for buyers and sellers in micro-acquisitions. Andrew highlights the common pitfall of rushing letters of intent without sufficient upfront questioning.13:24–16:20 · Guest teaching 1/10 Fission Agency Overview and Marketing Book Recommendations Connor shares his agency focus on HubSpot and recommends marketing books like $100M Offers. Andrew connects over running his business on HubSpot and recommends the book Play Bigger.1:41–4:45 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Acquisition Criteria and Content Asset Discovery Connor describes his acquisition criteria and discovering an existing 9,000-word course asset with the product. Andrew primarily listens and offers a brief synthesizing summary of the strategy.4:47–9:46 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Due Diligence and Closing the Acquisition Connor walks through diligence and closing mechanics with a third-party developer. Andrew contributes insights from his marketplace experience on the importance of technical due diligence for non-technical buyers.9:46–13:23 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Acquisition Insights and Advice for Buyers and Sellers Both exchange actionable advice for buyers and sellers in micro-acquisitions. Andrew highlights the common pitfall of rushing letters of intent without sufficient upfront questioning.13:24–16:20 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Fission Agency Overview and Marketing Book Recommendations Connor shares his agency focus on HubSpot and recommends marketing books like $100M Offers. Andrew connects over running his business on HubSpot and recommends the book Play Bigger.1:41–4:45 · Andrew pushing back 1/10 Acquisition Criteria and Content Asset Discovery Connor describes his acquisition criteria and discovering an existing 9,000-word course asset with the product. Andrew primarily listens and offers a brief synthesizing summary of the strategy.4:47–9:46 · Andrew pushing back 0/10 Due Diligence and Closing the Acquisition Connor walks through diligence and closing mechanics with a third-party developer. Andrew contributes insights from his marketplace experience on the importance of technical due diligence for non-technical buyers.9:46–13:23 · Andrew pushing back 0/10 Acquisition Insights and Advice for Buyers and Sellers Both exchange actionable advice for buyers and sellers in micro-acquisitions. Andrew highlights the common pitfall of rushing letters of intent without sufficient upfront questioning.13:24–16:20 · Andrew pushing back 0/10 Fission Agency Overview and Marketing Book Recommendations Connor shares his agency focus on HubSpot and recommends marketing books like $100M Offers. Andrew connects over running his business on HubSpot and recommends the book Play Bigger.

speaking balance: gold is Andrew, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)

0:00 · Andrew 19.2% · guest 80.8%0:00 · Andrew 19.2% · guest 80.8%3:00 · Andrew 25.2% · guest 74.8%3:00 · Andrew 25.2% · guest 74.8%6:00 · Andrew 39.4% · guest 60.6%6:00 · Andrew 39.4% · guest 60.6%9:00 · Andrew 43.2% · guest 56.8%9:00 · Andrew 43.2% · guest 56.8%12:00 · Andrew 36.9% · guest 63.1%12:00 · Andrew 36.9% · guest 63.1%15:00 · Andrew 38.9% · guest 61.1%15:00 · Andrew 38.9% · guest 61.1%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 15:07 Critique of Overcomplicated B2B Marketing

In a very cordial episode, Connor offers his mildest contrarian view by pointing out how veteran B2B marketers tend to overcomplicate offer structures.

 Hardest push from Andrew ▶ 4:04 Clarifying the Acquisition Purpose

Andrew attempts to frame the acquisition as a strategic service expansion for Connor's agency, leading Connor to gently clarify that it was merely a 'nice to have' side project.

 Biggest teaching moment ▶ 10:09 Standardizing Buyer Diligence Questions

Connor explains the tactical necessity of asking every prospective seller the exact same question set to maintain an objective comparative baseline.

 Andrew holds their own ▶ 10:47 Marketplace Insight on Premature Exclusivity

Andrew leverages his extensive marketplace expertise to explain how inexperienced buyers waste time by rushing into exclusive LOIs before vetting core questions.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicAndrew as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementAndrew pushing backWhy
Acquisition Criteria and Content Asset Discovery 2101 Connor describes his acquisition criteria and discovering an existing 9,000-word course asset with the product. Andrew primarily listens and offers a brief synthesizing summary of the strategy.
Due Diligence and Closing the Acquisition 4100 Connor walks through diligence and closing mechanics with a third-party developer. Andrew contributes insights from his marketplace experience on the importance of technical due diligence for non-technical buyers.
Acquisition Insights and Advice for Buyers and Sellers 4200 Both exchange actionable advice for buyers and sellers in micro-acquisitions. Andrew highlights the common pitfall of rushing letters of intent without sufficient upfront questioning.
Fission Agency Overview and Marketing Book Recommendations 3100 Connor shares his agency focus on HubSpot and recommends marketing books like $100M Offers. Andrew connects over running his business on HubSpot and recommends the book Play Bigger.

Statements from this episode (7)

Disclosure
Skelly acquired UTM Link Manager specifically because it had terrible marketing
“And so I came across UTM link manager and which is a short link short link builder and UTM link builder and really well built product, but I really just wanted to find a company that had terrible marketing or really no marketing at all and take my marketing ex…”
Connor Skelly Oct 25, 2022 ▶ 1:18
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Skelly: UTM Link Manager's main lead gen was a 9,000-word email course
“One of the huge things that I found just, like, as I was digging into it was there was, like, this 9000 word or so, like, email course that was the main lead gen tool for the for the platform.”
Connor Skelly Oct 25, 2022 ▶ 2:25
Insight
Skelly: Small performance agencies are the ideal target customer for UTM software
“That that's really been, like, the sweet spot from a customer standpoint is, like, finding like, small agencies, like, performance agencies or paid ad agencies Cause they like live and breathe in UTM data and really specific marketing analytics.”
Connor Skelly Oct 25, 2022 ▶ 3:49
Insight
Gazdecki: Non-technical buyers should hire an agency for technical due diligence
“One of my always, the recommendation I always make if they're looking to do technical due diligence is to have agency or, you know, some Individual that is technical that can help with that side.”
Andrew Gazdecki Oct 25, 2022 ▶ 8:09
Insight
Skelly: Buyers should ask all target startups the exact same diligence questions
“Definitely, like, ask everyone the same, like, full set of questions, even if the tools are a little bit different. Cause that way, like you're just establishing that baseline. You're able to compare offers or compare companies you know, a more fair way.”
Connor Skelly Oct 25, 2022 ▶ 10:10
Disclosure
Gazdecki: MicroAcquire runs its business operations entirely on HubSpot
“We pretty much run MicroQuare entirely off HubSpot. Everything.”
Andrew Gazdecki Oct 25, 2022 ▶ 14:31
Insight
Skelly: Experienced B2B Marketers Overcomplicate Offer Structuring
“Especially, like, more modern B to B marketers that have been in the game for a while, like, tend to overcomplicate things and try to get fancy”
Connor Skelly Oct 25, 2022 ▶ 15:18
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