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Finding Someone To Manage Selling a Software Company?

Posted by timothy on from the ignorance-not-bliss dept.

rrrrw22 writes "My company has spent the last year developing a framework for creating games on Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter. While we had originally planned to release the product to the public and take a percentage of the revenue, we have realized that we can make more money by selling the application to a funded company entering the social gaming space. Our problem is we don't have many other contacts in the social gaming space and would like to find someone to manage selling the company for us (in exchange for a percentage of the sale.) Where can we go about finding someone with the skills and contacts to sell a product like this? What experiences have others had trying to sell a company that we can learn from?"

9 of 165 comments (clear)

  1. Why not by sopssa · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You didn't tell why you came to conclusion that you would make more money that way, and it seems you haven't tested the other possibility either. Why not? If it doesn't work, then sell it. It also gives more value for the platform.

    1. Re:Why not by sznupi · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Riding on hype in the right moment might make more money though.

      --
      One that hath name thou can not otter
    2. Re:Why not by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I'd like him to consider dying.

      Well, not really dying, but just giving up.

      I HATE all these status updates for farmville or mobwars or whatever stupid game people are playing on these social media sites. Everyone has jumped on the social media band wagon, and lately, it's having these craptacular games.

      I don't care about a body in a trunk of a car, or a lonely pink cow, or lost ugly duckling. Stopping these dumb games from showing these retarded updates and wasting the time of people!

      Die social media games, dieeeeeeee!!!

    3. Re:Why not by RobVB · · Score: 4, Insightful

      2) they're YOUR friends, motherfucker. stop associating with idiots?

      Call me a cynic, but that would leave little people to associate with.

      --
      I'd rather you rationally disagree than irrationally agree.
  2. Translation to english by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Translated to truth from euphemism.

    We started a company to try to get rich off the back of other websites. After investing all of our personal money we have realized that we will never get it back and we're tired of working 80+ hours a week for nothing and we know we will never make a dime.

    We're looking for a sucker to do all the work to try to sell our craptastic software "company" that has never sold a single line of code and attempt to get some of our money back.

    1. Re:Translation to english by Jason+Earl · · Score: 4, Insightful

      If you have made money creating social networking games, then you should have mentioned these games in the article. Not only would that have advertised your existing games, but it would give interested parties an idea of how much your software is worth.

  3. Foolhardy. by Vellmont · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you have to turn to "Ask Slashdot" for what's likely THE most important decision your business could make (sale), then you really have no business farming this out to someone you've just met.

    Believe it or not, Slashdot is a rather poor place for high-level business strategy (I know! I thought slashdot knew everything!). I don't know much about selling a company, but I do know a little about risk. If you really don't have the skills internally to do this yourself, there's an ENORMOUS risk of looking outside the company to find someone with these skills. If you don't have the skills to do this yourself, how are you going to know who's qualified to make such a big decision? How are you going to know if they're doing a good job? Put into simple terms, what's your expected gain in value from selling the company vs. selling your product? Now think about that in terms of hiring the wrong sales guy.

    The thing is, you can always sell the company later. If you've demonstrated a viable sales strategy, your company is going to be that much more easy to sell, and worth more money.

    --
    AccountKiller
  4. Re:That's not a company by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Total our games have about 6 million users.

    How much revenue do they generate?

    AH!

  5. Why bother being negative? by salesgeek · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This isn't to to poster. Now that you've got the word out, you might find a buyer.

    Everyone else: stop telling these people they can't do it, and are idiots for asking. They are smarter than you as they have got 50,000-60,000 people who are now aware of what they have. Also, no one has a freaking clue the first time you sell a company, and often after selling a few. Why? BECAUSE THERE ARE VERY FEW RULES. Just make sure you are getting paid in something that has real value and will continue to unitl your no-sell period ends. Having a lawyer is a give on deals like these.

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    -- $G