J.D. Graffam

Founder and Owner, Simple Focus · 1 appearance on the record.

computed by AI from the episodes · how this works → · full disclaimer →

founderoperatorexecutiveauthor@jdgraffam ↗LinkedIn ↗graff.am ↗

J.D. Graffam founded the digital product and UX design agency Simple Focus in 2009 and heads Graffam Cos. He acquires and operates a portfolio of cashflow-positive bootstrapped software businesses and agencies, and authored CSS for Print Designers.

9statements → 2claims → 0claims resolved → 3.89/5average certainty → 1.67/5average debate potential →

2 not checkable as stated how the 2 claims stand · each chip opens the sources

2 assertions · 7 disclosures · every statement was checked. The predictions and assertions are the 2 claims: statements the public record can support or contradict. 0 are resolved, and 2 name no date, number or outcome precise enough to check. Everything else (opinions, insights, what ifs, disclosures) can never be settled by the record, so it carries no assessment.

The record, in short

What the tape says about how J.D. argues and how the claims held up. Everything they said, and everything said about them, is in the tabs below.

How they sound: not measured why? →

We measure speaking style by listening to the audio itself, and a fair number needs at least 2,000 words from one person on tape we have measured. There is too little of J.D. Graffam on measured tape to publish a rate. This says nothing about how they speak.

What they said9 Episodes1

Everything J.D. Graffam said on Top Founders that made the record, most notable first. Filter by type, assessment or year in the ledger →

Disclosure

Graffam only acquires profitable SaaS making $100K–$500K with zero staff

“I'm not going to buy anything that's not profitable, which means it doesn't come with a staff. It doesn't come with any significant overhead. What I'm not looking for is anything under a 100,000 dollars a year. So that's my range. A hundred to 500.”

J.D. Graffam Dec 12, 2017 ▶ 2:34 871 Which is Smarter: Buying vs Starting Companies

Disclosure

Graffam prefers stable, plateaued software businesses over high-growth startups

“I place more of a value and emphasis on something that has stabilized or plateaued that's not shrinking than I do on something that's got one of those sharp growth curves.”

J.D. Graffam Dec 12, 2017 ▶ 6:40 871 Which is Smarter: Buying vs Starting Companies

Disclosure

Graffam waits two to three years post-acquisition before driving growth

“It's year two or three before I really start focusing on taking the product in a new direction or trying to grow it heavily.”

J.D. Graffam Dec 12, 2017 ▶ 8:23 871 Which is Smarter: Buying vs Starting Companies

Disclosure

Graffam's micro-SaaS apps deliver 60% to 80% net cash flow returns

“The returns I get on these apps are between 16, 80%.”

J.D. Graffam Dec 12, 2017 ▶ 13:11 871 Which is Smarter: Buying vs Starting Companies

Disclosure

Graffam will not sell individual apps, only his entire portfolio

“I'm buying these for the long term and somebody wants to come by a controlling stake and make that type of investment where, where I can still be running the products and still be cash flowing them and get some sort of liquidity event. Then I'll consider that,…”

J.D. Graffam Dec 12, 2017 ▶ 16:56 871 Which is Smarter: Buying vs Starting Companies

Assertion Not checkable as stated

Curated generates approximately $140,000 in annual revenue

“Well, I could pull exact numbers, but I'm going to approximate around a 140,000 dollars a year.”

J.D. Graffam Dec 12, 2017 ▶ 7:27 871 Which is Smarter: Buying vs Starting Companies

Assertion Not checkable as stated

Footer branding is the best customer referral source for Curated

“We've got our branding in the footer. That's been the best source of referrals for us.”

J.D. Graffam Dec 12, 2017 ▶ 8:40 871 Which is Smarter: Buying vs Starting Companies

Disclosure

Graffam's micro-SaaS portfolio generates $750,000 in recurring revenue

“I've got 750 in recurring revenue.”

J.D. Graffam Dec 12, 2017 ▶ 11:36 871 Which is Smarter: Buying vs Starting Companies

Disclosure

Graffam's agency business covers payroll and dwarfs his software apps

“I've got the agencies going as well, and they're much bigger than the apps. That's where the payroll gets made.”

J.D. Graffam Dec 12, 2017 ▶ 13:31 871 Which is Smarter: Buying vs Starting Companies

Appearances (1)

Episode	Date	Speaking time
871 Which is Smarter: Buying vs Starting Companies	Dec 12, 2017	9m

J.D. Graffam

The record, in short

How they sound: not measured why? →

Appearances (1)

Turn any episode into a week of clips.