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exit story · 2019 · saas founders

How Woody Hayday Sold Zero BS CRM (Jetpack CRM) to Automattic (2019)

Zero BS CRM (Jetpack CRM) was built by Woody Hayday and sold to Automattic in 2019.

acquired by AutomatticDirect sale☁️ SaaS Foundersjetpackcrm.com

Key facts

Year
2019
Price
Undisclosed
Revenue at sale
—
Years operated
3.1 years
Channel
Direct sale

The story of Zero BS CRM (Jetpack CRM)

Zero BS CRM is a free WordPress plugin that adds CRM features to the WordPress admin, backed by more than 30 paid extensions. Woody Hayday built the first version over a weekend for his father's small construction business, uploaded it to WordPress.org on June 18, 2016, and then turned it into a company with his previous co-founder, Mike Stott.

Automattic's team had been happy customers and approached the founders. Talks began in early 2019 and continued at WordCamp Europe in Berlin, and the company was sold to Automattic on August 1, 2019, with the deal announced in mid-August. The plugin had about 1,000 active installs on WordPress.org at the time, and its most popular plan made up about three-quarters of annual recurring revenue. The price was not disclosed.

The product was rebranded as Jetpack CRM, and Woody worked on it inside Automattic for about three years before leaving at the end of 2022 for a sabbatical and new projects.

The maker

Woody Hayday avatar

Woody Hayday

@woodyhayday547 followers

Multi-exit engineer behind Zero BS CRM, now building a 100% AI-run business

Profit Swarm, Strew, Zero BS CRM (Jetpack CRM)

See the Zero BS CRM (Jetpack CRM) product page or Woody Hayday's full profile for everything they have built since.

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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.

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Zero BS CRM (Jetpack CRM) acquisition FAQ

Who bought Zero BS CRM (Jetpack CRM)?

Zero BS CRM (Jetpack CRM) was acquired by Automattic in 2019 from Woody Hayday.

How much did Zero BS CRM (Jetpack CRM) sell for?

The price was not publicly disclosed.

How long did it take Zero BS CRM (Jetpack CRM) to get acquired?

Zero BS CRM (Jetpack CRM) was sold about 3.1 years after launch, through a direct sale (sold directly to a buyer, often a competitor, customer or acquirer that reached out).