Over a decade, FE International has sold more than half a billion dollars in websites, around 800 businesses. 💼
At the Chiang Mai SEO Conference, I spoke with Thomas Smale, founder of FE International, an M&A firm for content, e-commerce and software businesses. 🎙️
📊 In this episode, we unpacked:
- 🏢 What FE International does
- ⚔️ Why competition is good
- 🔒 How big deals get paid safely
- 👥 Who they hire
- 🛡️ Avoiding scams
- 🎤 Why Chiang Mai stands out
🎥 Watch the full episode:
🏢 What FE International Does
FE International is an M&A firm for content, e-commerce and software businesses. Thomas says they’ve sold over half a billion dollars in websites, around 800 businesses. 🏢
The team of about 50 works from offices in New York, London, San Francisco and smaller locations, plus remote staff. 🌍
⚔️ Why Competition Is Good
Thomas sees competition as healthy: everyone takes a different approach, which pushes the whole industry to improve. He comes to conferences to hear what people really say about FE and its competitors. ⚔️
Their difference: many team members came from investment banks working on billion-dollar deals, and FE gives the same level of service to a $100,000 business. Marketplace models where sellers list themselves work for small sites, but get harder in the six-, seven- and eight-figure range. For a marketplace view, read Justin Cooke of Empire Flippers. 🔗
🔒 How Big Deals Get Paid Safely
Never PayPal. Under a million dollars, they generally use Escrow.com. Above that, usually a third-party attorney, who might charge around $3,000 on a $10 million deal. 🔒
With escrow, money isn’t released to the seller until the buyer is happy. It takes time and needs a clear contract, but it keeps both sides safe, which matters for a 10-year-old business in a new industry. 🤝
👥 Who They Hire
FE has three people whose only job is recruiting. Most hires are analysts: usually young graduates in New York or London with technical, financial backgrounds from investment banks, private equity or accounting. 👥
Financial due diligence is a big part of the work, so they usually don’t hire for online marketing knowledge. For another founder’s hiring approach, read Mads Singers on building an SEO team. 🔗
🛡️ Avoiding Scams
They turn down many businesses and have lots of checks. Most clients come through referrals, friends, contacts or conferences. 🛡️
As their reputation grew, Thomas says, scammers found easier targets in smaller firms without the same processes. For more on buying sites, read Mushfiq Sarker’s interview. 🔗
🎤 Why Chiang Mai Stands Out
It was his second year. The company attends about 75 conferences a year, and he personally goes to about 45. 🎤
He rates Chiang Mai among the best: technical, well organized, with actionable advice for people building affiliate sites on $1,000–5,000 budgets, not big-agency talks for companies spending $200,000 a month. 💡
📝 Key Takeaways From the Thomas Smale Interview
- 🏢 FE International has sold over half a billion dollars in websites
- ⚔️ Competition pushes everyone to improve
- 🔒 Use escrow or an attorney, never PayPal, for big deals
- 👥 Due diligence needs strong financial skills
- 🛡️ Referrals and strict checks help keep scams out
❓ FAQs About Thomas Smale
What is FE International?
An M&A firm founded by Thomas Smale for selling content, e-commerce and software businesses.
How are website sales paid at FE International?
Generally through Escrow.com for deals under $1 million, and through a third-party attorney above that. Never PayPal.
How many businesses has FE International sold?
Thomas says around 800 businesses, worth over half a billion dollars, over the last decade.
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- Jon Yau Who Bought $250k Domain Against His Wife Consent
Would you sell your website one day? Share this with a site owner. 💬
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Jitendra Vaswani is a well-known expert in SEO and AI-driven digital marketing. He has spoken at international events and founded Digiexe, a digital marketing agency, and AffiliateBooster, WordPress plugin designed specifically for affiliate marketers. With over 10 years of experience, Jitendra has helped many businesses succeed online. His bestselling book, Inside A Hustler’s Brain: In Pursuit of Financial Freedom, with over 20,000 copies sold globally, underscores his influence and commitment to empowering digital marketers.