From AppSumo Launch to Acquisition: The WriterAccess Story

Editor’s note (2025): Since this post was drafted, WriterAccess has re-acquired itself from Ion Interactive (Rock Content), with Byron White returning as CEO. We’ve kept the story of their acquisition here, since it still shows how an AppSumo launch can drive growth and open the door to funding or acquisition.

Founders: What’s your exit strategy?

Byron White didn’t have one when he founded WriterAccess in 2010. It was his fifth bootstrapped business. And like the four before it, Byron built WriterAccess as an entrepreneurial challenge.

Over the years, the business model evolved. The team achieved fast growth, big wins. And the company had multiple successful launches on AppSumo.

Then, the exit happened. In 2022, Byron sold WriterAccess to Ion Interactive (formerly Rock Content). Booyah.

Selling a company is a rare feat that many AppSumo founders dream of. So, let’s talk about how WriterAccess did it—and how you can leverage your AppSumo launch to do the same.

From service to software (to sellable)

Quick backstory: Today, WriterAccess is a marketplace that connects businesses to freelance writers. They provide software and services to streamline the hiring and collaborating process.

But they didn’t start off this way. WriterAccess was originally a copywriting and content agency. They pivoted to their marketplace model within a year. That turned out to be a step in the right direction.

The marketplace grew fast, expanding from zero to over 40,000 customers within seven years. WriterAccess was recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies for eight years in a row.

By 2021, WriterAccess was referred to AppSumo.

Launch in 3, 2, 1…

The WriterAccess team saw launching on AppSumo as a new way to achieve what Byron calls “Uplift.”

Uplift is organic growth through product innovation, features, and benefits that solve customer problems in an irresistible way. It attracts customers and word-of-mouth marketing in a sustainable, profitable way without heavy advertising spend.

WriterAccess first found an uplift through their marketplace model and software platform.

When WriterAccess launched on AppSumo, they experienced uplift again by validating demand for new features and gaining thousands of new customers.

The results of the launch exceeded expectations. WriterAccess acquired thousands of new customers and generated significant revenue from the new users purchasing content, with minimal customer churn. This validated AppSumo as an effective customer acquisition channel, which has brought them back again and again.

But you’re not just here to learn about the launch. Let’s talk about the acquisition.

How AppSumo helps companies raise investment and get acquired

When founders are considering a launch on AppSumo, they often have a lot of questions. One of those questions usually sounds something like this: Will launching on AppSumo jeopardize my chances of raising funding or getting acquired?

The short answer is: No.

Longer answer? Just ask WriterAccess.

Since WriterAccess was just acquired, we wanted to get their opinion and tips on this topic.

When WriterAccess was acquired by Ion Interactive, key factors in the deal included their consistent growth, high retention rates, and expanding revenue from upsells.

Here’s the advice Byron has for founders looking to sell or raise investment.

1. Organic growth is the best acquisition strategy

“Entrepreneurs don’t just make a decision to sell their company and tada(!) it happens. Companies are acquired for good reasons. They’re acquired because they’re growing— they have innovative products and services.” - Byron White

The first rule of getting acquired is this: you must build an awesome business that’s worth acquiring. To Byron, that means having uplift, or organic growth.

AppSumo is a major launchpad for organic growth. The launch itself often multiplies the user base of a product. If those users love the tool, they become your biggest advocates.

That’s because Sumo-lings (AppSumo customers) are business owners and content creators who love to support fellow founders. A single AppSumo launch can be like a snowball at the top of the hill. With a little nudge, it can roll and grow naturally in size.

This organic growth, publicity, and word-of-mouth marketing is a positive sign to any potential buyer or investor.

2. Every AppSumo launch is an opportunity to test, learn, and experiment

“Entrepreneurs typically have their heads down and they can’t get out of the way of their own features and benefits. It’s time to let a company like yours [AppSumo] in, give customers a great deal, and see how those customers perform… Build up some data.” - Byron White

No one likes being stopped by a software bug, broken feature, or 404 page. That includes investors, who like acquiring companies that have their (digital) ducks in a row.

That can be a problem for small teams. It takes a lot of user testing to debug software. That’s another reason AppSumo can be a great way to increase your odds of being acquired. We’re your QA team.

Every AppSumo partner must go through extensive testing before launch. Our testers, Beta-lings, aren’t simply looking for bugs in your tool. They’re looking at the bigger picture. They look for practical ways to improve the features and functionality of your tool—before it’s launched to the Sumo-ling masses.

3. Retention rates are more important than marketing tactics

“Anybody that would frown upon thousands of new customers coming to any business model, no matter what size, is crazy… Retention rate is probably the greatest thing that people [investors] are looking at because that defines the solidity of the business model.” - Byron White

This point captures the biggest fear that founders have when considering a launch on AppSumo. If most of my customers are acquired in one launch on AppSumo, what does that signal to potential investors?

As Byron explained, serious investors and acquirers want to see happy, consistent users. How you acquire customers matters less than how many of those customers you keep.

In other words: Keeping Sumo-lings happy for the long term is one of the best ways to demonstrate that your product genuinely solves customer problems. That means $$$ to the right investor.

Meet your new launchpad

The big twist of the WriterAccess story is that the new owners of WriterAccess came back for another AppSumo launch, with Byron helping the new team.

Not only did IonInteractive not mind that WriterAccess had launched on AppSumo—but they also wanted another launch!

Every AppSumo launch is a chance to gain more users, test new features, and get a tsunami of data about your product.

Ready to get started? Apply for AppSumo Select here.