Buyers and Builders From Near Collapse to $100M+ Exit: A Story of 8 Smart Acquisitions
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Jan 6, 2026 Todd Saunders, co-founder and CEO of Broadloom, reveals how he transformed his business by focusing on the niche of independent flooring retailers. He discusses discovering a high-value customer base with remarkable retention, leading to an 8-company roll-up that propelled revenues past $30M. Todd emphasizes the importance of brand and community over product, credits Facebook groups for growth, and shares insights on navigating challenges during acquisition integrations. His bold moves culminated in a $100M exit, showcasing the power of vertical focus.
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Niche Cohorts Can Rewire Unit Economics
- A small vertical cohort radically changed the business economics and led to a full pivot into flooring software.
- Todd Saunders found 90% retention and 110% NRR in that cohort versus poor metrics elsewhere, so he doubled down.
Prioritize Brand Over Feature Battles
- Do treat brand and community as the primary moat in vertical SaaS, not just product features.
- Todd Saunders says roughly 51% of why customers joined was the brand and community, 49% product.
Live In Your Customer's World
- Do embed yourself in the customer's world: listen to calls, work in stores, and make direct connections.
- Todd Saunders personally answered calls and invited retailers into a Facebook group to build trust and product insight.
