From a Learning Project to a SaaS Acquisition

Ethan Roberts turned market research into PlanEase, a B2B SaaS for professional wedding planners that he later sold through Acquire.com.

He found the opportunity in a clear market gap: powerful tools were expensive, while cheaper options lacked important features. Facebook Groups, cold email, and word of mouth helped turn the learning project into a real business.

In this episode, Ethan shares why he decided to sell, how he separated buyer interest from real intent, and what he learned from preparing the business for acquisition.

You'll hear:

• How market research exposed a gap in wedding planning software
• How organic outreach and word of mouth turned a learning project into a real SaaS business
• How buyer intent, due diligence, and roadmap alignment shaped the acquisition

3 Lessons from PlanEase:

1. Start With Real Demand: Build around a problem customers already feel.
2. Interest Is Not Intent: An LOI is a stronger buying signal.
3. Prepare Early: Organized data makes due diligence easier.

For founders, this episode shows how a learning project can become a sellable SaaS business when real demand shapes the product from the start.

Follow the Guest:

LinkedIn

PlanEase