FatFIRED This Week: Selling My SaaS Company and Embracing a New Chapter
After years of grinding and perseverance, I crossed the finish line this week by selling my SaaS software company to a larger firm and stepping away with a life-changing outcome. I’m officially FatFIRED. The buyer’s CEO plans to steer the company in a new direction and is comfortable with my departure, a factor that gives me confidence in the transition.
A bit about our family: my spouse and I are both in our late 40s, with two sons aged 19 and 17 who are approaching adulthood and almost ready for college. My wife no longer works, and I come from a software engineering background. This moment feels surreal after years of late nights, risk, and responsibility. Now, I have the time and flexibility to prioritize health, family, and perhaps a few hobbies I may have set aside. I enjoy boating, skiing, and travel, even if I’m not particularly skilled at them—at least I’ll have more time to improve.
Current net worth: approximately $75 million
- About $35 million in liquid investments, moved to a multi-family office with an 80/20 long-term allocation.
- Approximately $11 million in real estate, including primary and secondary residences and a small portfolio of commercial space. No rental properties, in a high-cost-of-living area.
- Roughly $1.5 million in 401(k) and Roth 401(k) accounts combined for both spouses.
- Around $35 million in rollover equity with the acquiring firm. The expectation is a 4–6x growth over 3–5 years if conditions are favorable. While not guaranteed, this could be a substantial upside, especially if the acquiring company reaches an IPO.
We’ve intentionally kept our lifestyle grounded even as our income trajectory evolves, focusing this next chapter on purpose and meaning rather than rapid spending. We’ve begun drafting a family charter to guide financial education and generational values for our children. My aim is to be a prudent steward of what we’ve built, ensuring it benefits future generations without spoiling the next generation. Most of our equity has been placed in a GST trust, which addresses long-term tax planning and legacy protection.
Looking ahead to this new phase: more time with family, more travel, and likely more spreadsheets than I’d like to admit.
I’m happy to answer questions, particularly for those at earlier stages of the journey or anyone curious about what life looks like at this stage. While this transition is very new, I’ve appreciated the FatFIRE community and now feel I’ve earned a seat at the table.
