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Owner
“The business is making money. Why would I sell it?”
FOR SALES PROFESSIONALS
Learn to negotiate with business owners
A free, one-month programme in business sale negotiations. Practise reaching owners, understanding their plans and discussing terms. Selective admission, with practical assessments throughout.
For sales professionals with English at B2 or above.
Free trainingOne monthInitial and ongoing selection
The team behind the programme
The programme is run by Indigo VC, Inc. Meet the Indigo team and explore its public game case studies.
After the programme
A possible role after training
An Acquisition Executive reaches online business owners and leads sale conversations: learning their plans, making the case for a sale, addressing objections and discussing terms. Business and financial analysis support those conversations. Selected participants may be invited to discuss a role with the team.
Learning outcomes
A conversation you will practise
A learning case shows how to connect a possible sale to the owner’s priorities.
Candidate · open question
“What are your plans for the business, and how much time do you want to spend on it?”
Candidate · proposal
“If you want to focus on a new project, we could explore what would make a sale worthwhile for you.”
The programme
Four weeks: from outreach to negotiation
Use learning cases to practise conversations with business owners: discovering their plans, making the case for a sale and responding to objections.
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Week 01 · Prepare
Review the business and draft questions about the owner’s plans and priorities.
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Week 02 · Start a conversation
Draft an opening message with a relevant reason to reach out.
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Week 03 · Respond to an objection
Practise addressing an owner’s concern and making the case for a possible sale.
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Week 04 · Follow up
Write a brief conversation summary, a follow-up option and a proposed next step.
Market acquisitions
How digital businesses change hands
Examples of completed acquisitions, from subscription apps to business platforms.
Evernote
2023 · CompletedBuyer
Bending Spoons
Bending SpoonsAcquired
Evernote
EvernoteNotes and productivity app. Bending Spoons became its new owner on 3 January 2023.
WeTransfer
2024 · CompletedBuyerBending Spoons
Bending SpoonsAcquired
WeTransfer
WeTransferBending Spoons acquired the file-sharing platform in 2024.
Brightcove
2025 · CompletedBuyerBending Spoons
Bending SpoonsAcquired
Brightcove
BrightcoveVideo-streaming SaaS. The approximately $233m all-cash deal closed on 4 February 2025, taking the company private.
Mailchimp
2021 · CompletedBuyerIntuit
Acquired
Mailchimp
MailchimpEmail marketing platform. Intuit completed the acquisition for approximately $12bn on 1 November 2021.
Loom
2023 · CompletedBuyerAtlassian
Acquired
Loom
LoomVideo messaging service; Atlassian acquired 100% of its equity on 30 November 2023.
Clearbit
2023 · CompletedBuyerHubSpot
Acquired
Clearbit
ClearbitB2B data provider; became a wholly owned HubSpot subsidiary after the deal closed on 4 December 2023.
For participants
Who this is for
Good fit
For adult sales professionals with English at B2 or above who are willing to contact owners of online businesses and discuss a possible sale.
- Sales experience — You can open conversations, ask questions and handle objections.
- English at B2 or above — You are ready for business correspondence and conversations with owners.
- Comfort with numbers — You can work through basic economics and use it to support your case.
Before you apply
- The programme runs for one month; schedule and weekly workload are shared before you confirm.
- Training prepares you for owner conversations about a possible sale; project economics supports those conversations.
Initial and ongoing assessment
Selection before and throughout the month
We first assess applications and practical skills. During the month, participants complete practical checkpoints; continuing depends on their results. If a participant does not pass an assessment, their participation may end early.
- Initial selectionWe assess the application, experience and practical task before the programme.
- Practical checkpointsDuring the month, participants complete tasks and have their skills assessed.
- Decision to continueContinuation depends on results; participation may end early.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does the programme cost?
The programme is free for selected participants and lasts one month.
Do I need acquisition experience?
No. You need sales experience and willingness to contact owners, understand their plans and discuss a possible sale. Working with numbers supports those conversations.
Could I work with the team afterwards?
Selected participants may be invited to discuss an Acquisition Executive role.
Do I need to invest my own money?
No. You learn to discuss an acquisition on behalf of a company; personal investment is not required.
When does it start, and how much time will I need?
We will share the schedule and expected time commitment before you confirm your place.
Application
Apply for selection
Selection includes an application and a practical task. Start by telling us about your experience.