Ep 530 $40M for a Big Fish in a Small Pond episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 23, 2026 · 57 MIN

Ep 530 $40M for a Big Fish in a Small Pond

from Built to Sell Radio · host John Warrillow

Nick Telson-Sillett and his co-founder built what you could call "OpenTable for bars and nightclubs" in the UK.  Instead of chasing the US (the move most founders are told to make), they went big fish, small pond: dominate their home market first. That focus helped them build DesignMyNight into a business that sold for more than $40M.  In this episode of Built to Sell Radio, Nick shares what happened, so you discover how to:  Turn one clear customer frustration into a business idea you can explain fast  Choose focus over hype when everyone tells you to chase the biggest market  Set a "financial freedom" number and use it to make cleaner decisions  Run a sale process without tipping off competitors too early  Negotiate an earn-out tied to revenue so the targets stay in your control  Plan for the morning after the deal, when your identity gets reset 

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Ep 530 $40M for a Big Fish in a Small Pond

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How long is this episode of Built to Sell Radio?

This episode is 57 minutes long.

When was this Built to Sell Radio episode published?

This episode was published on January 23, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Nick Telson-Sillett and his co-founder built what you could call "OpenTable for bars and nightclubs" in the UK.  Instead of chasing the US (the move most founders are told to make), they went big fish, small pond: dominate their home market...

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