First time here? Newsletter

About
Submit a Tip
Subscribe
Careers

Sarah Morgan

Sarah Morgan

Reporter

Sarah Morgan is a freelance writer and editor. She previously covered personal finance and investing for SmartMoney.com, and her work has appeared in the Village Voice, the Chicago Tribune, and the Wall Street Journal. She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, her two sons, and three cats.

Marketplace

This couple grew a remote work marketplace used by 10K software engineers

Two digital nomads created a platform they needed themselves. Moonlight paired developers with businesses that needed them. When the pandemic hit, they decided to sell.

A man and woman. The man is wearing glasses and a blue buttoned-up shirt. The woman is wearing a black top with sleeves, pose with crossed arms. Both are smiling at the camera.
Marketplace

This founder used an acquihire to keep growing her freelancer marketplace

When funding dries up, an acquihire can be a good option. That approach worked for this founder, who sold her marketplace for freelancers to a buyer in her network.

Content

How 2 laid-off journalists built a local news startup and sold to a national brand

Hayley Sperling and Sam Hoisington built the local Madison, Wisconsin newsletter they wanted to read — and partnered with a national news brand that eventually acquired them.

Services

This social worker built a psychotherapy practice, pivoted to online, and sold

“I was definitely building the plane as I was flying it,” said Gabrielle Juliano-Villani, the founder of Colorado In-Home Counseling.

A woman standing in front of a wall with colorful hearts. She is wearing a pink jacket and black tights, and has flowered socks on her feet. There are also words "Love One Another" painted on the wall, as well as blue drops and pink hearts scattered around the surface. The dominant colors in this image are white and pink.
Content

She used social media to educate parents on formula feeding, then sold via an acquihire

“I was able to build a 6-figure business putting absolutely no money into marketing,” Whitmore said, “because I leaned into social media as a valid marketing channel.”

A woman in a pink t-shirt stands in front of a marble kitchen counter scooping formula into a clear bottle. On the counter are two additional bottles of formula and a big tub of formula.
E-commerce

She used her law expertise to grow an e-commerce store selling contract templates

“I have seen so many women close their businesses down lately,” Christina Scalera said. “I just wish more people, especially women, knew that there was an alternative option.”

A woman with long brown hair sits on a yellow chair, smiling at the camera with her head resting on her hand.
Services

How one founder grew a niche photography firm through acquisitions before selling his own company

Strategic acquisitions helped this photography firm, which specialized in real estate, grow their team and market share—until they landed their own sale opportunity.

Logistics

How AirTerra went from an idea on a napkin to a sale to a retail giant in 10 months

“We had a good idea, and we had a team that had the right connections in an industry where relationships drive pretty much everything,” said Charlie Lieu, AirTerra’s co-founder.

Six businesspeople stand in a line with their thumbs up at the camera. Behind them is a whiteboard with the words "AirTerra Retreat" written down in marker.