From Google to Search-Fund Success in the SaaS Vertical

Curt Black, CEO of a growing SaaS business, was a successful Google executive before deciding to pursue the path of Entrepreneurship-Through-Acquisition. His ETA journey introduced him to the founder of Aproove, who agreed to be acquired by Black and partners, then called the whole thing off. 

Black finally managed to acquire the Aproove business in January 2025. 

Through deal-search twists and turns, Black tried to differentiate himself as leader with a talent for solving SaaS go-to-market challenges, he tells Search Party. His search put him in contact with many successful SaaS CEOs, some of whom were looking for expansion ideas instead of exit events.

Some highlights from Curt Black's conversation with Search Party's David Snow:

• From Google sales to ETA operator. After nearly a decade at Google, Black leveraged his SaaS sales and management background to pursue ETA search. He built a search focused on software companies where technical founders needed commercial leadership. "My thesis was always, if I could find a good product, a good team and a founder who was more technically oriented, I could be the right person to lead that company moving forward."

• The deal process paused and stalled before "boomeranging" a few months later. Black first connected with the Belgium-based founder of Aproove Work Management in late 2023, and discussions stretched over a year. In mid-2024, the process paused and both sides walked away. "A couple months later we got back together and we both decided this was a great fit for the future of the company."

• Younger SaaS founders require a different ETA approach. Unlike aging Baby Boomer business owners often targeted by ETA searchers, Aproove's seller was a technical founder still interested in staying on as CTO. "The best sellers that I encountered were not as old as you might think," says Black.

• ETA requires resilience when pipeline dries up. During the pause in negotiations, Black faced the uncertainty that haunts many searchers late in their funded search window: "I underestimated how challenging it can be. Some of the weeks you don't have deal pipeline. There’s a lot of lows in ETA that you need to have the grit to push through."

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