Nikonomics - The Economics of Small Business 249 - He Almost Bought TikTok with Mr. Beast (Here's How) with Jesse Tinsley
Nov 4, 2025
Jesse Tinsley, CEO of Main Street and acquisition entrepreneur, shares captivating insights into his journey of building a billion-dollar enterprise through smart acquisitions instead of venture capital. He recounts the whirlwind Christmas takeover of Bench Accounting, transforming it from losses to profitability in record time. Jesse also dives into his audacious TikTok bid with MrBeast, explaining the bold entrepreneurial mindset behind it. Plus, he reveals strategies for scaling growth using urgency, proprietary tech, and effective customer satisfaction initiatives.
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How He Entered The TikTok Bid
- Jesse joined the TikTok bid by leveraging momentum and relationships with creators and executives like MrBeast and Roblox leadership.
- He credits compounded micro-interactions and flywheel momentum for getting into high-profile deals quickly.
Weekend Purchase Of Bench
- Jesse bought Bench over the Christmas weekend after seeing the closure notice and contacting a mutual connection to reach the board.
- He moved immediately to integrate the product because it matched Main Street's back-office accounting thesis.
Accounting As A High-Leverage Niche
- Jesse targeted accounting software because it has few scaled incumbents compared to payroll, creating a clearer strategic gap.
- He saw accounting as a higher-leverage back-office vertical for building a unified SMB platform.