ML
Michael Lynch
United States
Bootstrapper who built and sold TinyPilot, now writing Refactoring English
TinyPilot, Refactoring English, Zestful +3
exit story · 2024 · directory makers
Is It Keto acquisition (2024)
Is It Keto was built by Michael Lynch and sold in 2024 for $2K.
Key facts
- Buyer
- Undisclosed
- Year
- 2024
- Price
- $2K
- Revenue at sale
- —
- Years operated
- 6 years
- Channel
- Direct sale
Why they sold: Amazon changed how its affiliate links worked, which broke about 90% of the site's affiliate links, and Michael Lynch no longer had time to maintain the site.
The story of Is It Keto
Is It Keto is a content site that tells readers whether specific foods and products fit a ketogenic diet. Michael Lynch launched it in 2018, early in his time as a bootstrapped founder after leaving Google. He outsourced much of the writing, and in earlier yearly reviews he estimated the site was worth only $5–10K.
In July 2024 Lynch found that an Amazon affiliate-link change had broken most of the site's affiliate links. It was still earning from Google AdSense. He posted on his blog that he was looking for a buyer and would accept less than market value from another indie founder.
In his August 2024 retrospective he reported selling Is It Keto through that blog post for $2,000. The buyer was not named.
The maker
See the Is It Keto product page or Michael Lynch's full profile for everything they have built since.
Other exits by Michael Lynch
Lynch missed writing code, was worn out from juggling every part of a hardware business with several teams and vendors, and wanted to start a family. He said TinyPilot took a minority of his time but most of his stress.
by Michael Lynch
Related exit stories
Same buyer, category or sale channel as Is It Keto.
AllGPTs
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Once the custom-GPT hype faded and traffic declined, the directory and its community still needed ongoing time, and John prefers directories he can run on autopilot. He wanted it to go to someone who could invest more time in it.
by John Rush
Kanstein says he mostly loves the part of taking an idea to a finished product, and treats what comes after as a bonus, which is why he has sold most of his projects.
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DudeRanch.com
buyer undisclosed · 2025
Peter Askew said he felt he had accomplished what he set out to do with the site and that it had given him as much as he had given it.
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Podscan
→ Audiohook · 2026
Arvid Kahl said Audiohook had already been a close partner and customer, and that joining it gave Podscan resources to build the roadmap much faster than he could alone.
by Arvid Kahl
Sources
- mtlynch.io — mtlynch.io/retrospectives/2024/07/
- mtlynch.io — mtlynch.io/retrospectives/2024/08/
- mtlynch.io — mtlynch.io/bootstrapped-founder-year-4/
Facts are taken from the maker's and buyer's public statements and press coverage. Prices and revenue are shown only when publicly stated; self-reported figures are not independently verified.
Keep exploring
Is It Keto acquisition FAQ
Who bought Is It Keto?
The buyer of Is It Keto has not been publicly disclosed; the sale happened in 2024.
How much did Is It Keto sell for?
Is It Keto sold for $2K, as publicly stated.
Why did Michael Lynch sell Is It Keto?
Amazon changed how its affiliate links worked, which broke about 90% of the site's affiliate links, and Michael Lynch no longer had time to maintain the site.
How long did it take Is It Keto to get acquired?
Is It Keto was sold about 6 years after launch, through a direct sale (sold directly to a buyer, often a competitor, customer or acquirer that reached out).