Tyler Tringas
@tylertringas United States31K followers
Coined micro-SaaS, sold Storemapper, then founded Calm Company Fund for bootstrappers
Storemapper, Calm Company Fund (formerly Earnest Capital), BK UP~$40K MRR
exit story · 2017 · saas founders
How Tyler Tringas Sold Storemapper to SureSwift Capital (2017)
Storemapper was built by Tyler Tringas and sold to SureSwift Capital in 2017.
Key facts
- Buyer
- SureSwift Capital ↗
- Year
- 2017
- Price
- Undisclosed
- Revenue at sale
- —
- Years operated
- 5 years
- Channel
- Direct sale
Why they sold: Tyler Tringas wanted to diversify his income away from a single business, lock in a win, and focus full-time on his next project.
The story of Storemapper
Storemapper is a store locator app that lets e-commerce brands show a map of their retail stockists on their website. Tyler Tringas launched the first version around 2012 and ran it largely as a one-person, remote business.
His public revenue dashboard and writing brought steady inbound interest, though most early approaches were not serious. The real deal started when he met SureSwift Capital at MicroConf in March 2017; he ran talks with several serious buyers in parallel, used no broker, and closed with SureSwift about five months later. The price was not disclosed.
Tringas then published a widely shared guide to selling a bootstrapped SaaS and is credited with popularising the term micro-SaaS.
Lessons Tyler Tringas shared
- 1.Run the business as if you might sell it, because buyers rely on a long, clean track record.
- 2.Plan for financial buyers; strategic acquirers mostly come down to luck.
- 3.Not needing to sell is the strongest negotiating position, and keeping several buyers active creates leverage.
- 4.Leave buyers obvious room to improve and give them a story they can defend.
Paraphrased from the maker's public posts and interviews (see sources).
The maker
See the Storemapper product page or Tyler Tringas's full profile for everything they have built since.
Related exit stories
Same buyer, category or sale channel as Storemapper.
Docparser
→ SureSwift Capital · 2018
Moritz Dausinger said his personal situation had changed and the risk grew as the business got bigger, and he had long seen a sale of a small-to-medium SaaS as an ideal outcome.
by Moritz Dausinger
Arvid Kahl has said he was close to burnout and that the founders wanted to diversify, since nearly all of their wealth was tied up in the business.
by Arvid Kahl
Mailparser
→ SureSwift Capital · 2016
Selling had been one of Moritz's goals from the start. As the business grew, so did his personal risk, and with no outside investors he felt no pressure to go big. He also described the money as life-changing security.
by Moritz Dausinger
MeetEdgar
→ SureSwift Capital · 2021
After about seven years running MeetEdgar, Roeder wanted to focus fully on her newer company, Paperbell, a software business for coaches.
by Laura Roeder
Sources
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
Storemapper acquisition FAQ
Who bought Storemapper?
Storemapper was acquired by SureSwift Capital in 2017 from Tyler Tringas.
How much did Storemapper sell for?
The price was not publicly disclosed.
Why did Tyler Tringas sell Storemapper?
Tyler Tringas wanted to diversify his income away from a single business, lock in a win, and focus full-time on his next project.
How long did it take Storemapper to get acquired?
Storemapper was sold about 5 years after launch, through a direct sale (sold directly to a buyer, often a competitor, customer or acquirer that reached out).
What did Tyler Tringas learn from selling Storemapper?
Run the business as if you might sell it, because buyers rely on a long, clean track record. Plan for financial buyers; strategic acquirers mostly come down to luck.