SaaStr · 2012-11-06
· 4957d
Building for Legacy: Why Going Big Matters in Startups
Jason Lemkin argues that while small, profitable bootstrapped startups can be financially successful, they lack the permanence and legacy that comes from scaling aggressively. He contends that achieving true legacy requires achieving a large exit or IPO that embeds your product into a major platform with long-term staying power, using EchoSign's integration into Adobe Acrobat as a prime example.
Metrics in this report
Acrobat Suite Annual Revenue
800,000,000$
approximately
Adobe business segment with integrated EchoSign
Adobe Reader Installed Base
1,000,000,000+devices
minimum
free software distribution platform
BabyCenter Website Ranking Duration
15years
minimum
sustained presence in Top 350 websites
EchoSign Product Integration Lifespan
10+years
minimum guaranteed
integration into Acrobat customer commitments
NanoGram Devices Return
600%
total return
13-month holding period