Getting Acquired by Google

Mike Nunez founded AffiliateManager.com with his brother but always wanted to work for Channel Intelligence in Orlando. After a random encounter with the CEO of Channel Intelligence, he was called up to work for them. Six years later Channel Intelligence was acquired by Google for $125 million in an all-cash deal.

Now Mike’s back growing AffilateManager.com into an industry leader by applying all the techniques he learned selling to Google.

If you listen, you will learn:

• How a start-up company operates with the clear goal of acquisition
• The importance of taking advantage of networking opportunities
• What Google looks for when acquiring a company and how to align your business to be ready for an acquisition
• The importance of having a clear vision and initiatives in your business
• How Google handles acquisitions and the merging of employees
• Having a solid team of employees is everything

Channel Intelligence

Mike Nunez always wanted to work at Channel Intelligence in Orlando. They were a good company with a great reputation. Mark knew he couldn’t get hired there right out of college so built up his experience. He discovered affiliate marketing in college and ran a few different affiliate marketing programs at different companies as well as working on his own business.

While networking at a conference, he met the CEO of the company he always wanted to pursue. Eight months later he was recruited to work for Channel Intelligence (CI). CI just received $15 million in funding so the company grew to around 150 employees in 2007, six years before they were acquired by the big guy, Google.

Aligning with Google

Channel Intelligence was a provider of technology to companies that enabled customers to buy their products online. They were active in over 30 countries working with over 850 retailers such as Best Buy and Target.

Acquisition was always the goal at Channel Intelligence. The owners were very transparent about this. They never talked about going public or staying private. Every employee knew this and marched toward the same goal.

In 2012, the CEO of Channel Intelligence left the company and the new CEO provided much needed focus. He helped align the company with Google and Google Shopping. They focused only on their “Where to Buy” feature on websites as well as feed syndication.

Google soon came knocking after analyzing the company. Google had big goals for Google Shopping and wanted to acquire the company to be able to hit their goals quicker. It was a strategic acquisition and after some back and forth and due diligence, Google acquired CI for $125 million, 4X their gross revenue.

“Everybody was very excited. We all felt like we were getting called home by the Mothership. We were all just super excited to be acquired by Google. Everybody gets to put Google on their resume,” says Mike.

Life After Google

Mike loved working for the Mothership but had more of entrepreneurial spirit. He wanted to change people’s lives and make more of a measurable impact. After 4 years with Google, he left to put more time into AfflilateManager.com.

“The thing that us entrepreneurs want is that we want to feel like we are making an impact. In one year after the Google acquisition I sold more than Channel Intelligence had acquired in the 13 years prior. It was significant yet the impact on Google’s bottom line was the smallest of decimal points of percentages,” says Mike.

Mike now works with medium sized businesses at AffiliateManager.com. Unlike Channel Intelligence and Google, he does not focus on the big fish.

“We want the owner on the other side saying you guys changed my business and you guys changed my life,” says Mike.

Mike learned a lot from his time at Channel Intelligence and Google and looks back fondly at his time with both companies. The acquisition process was an amazing experience. Not a lot of people can say they were a part of a Google acquisition and he learned some big lessons from the experience. Listen to episode to hear more!

Contact Information and Bio for Mike: 

Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/affman/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AffiliateManagr
Company Website: https://affiliatemanager.com/
Company Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AffiliateManager/?ref=br_rs

Mike Nunez is an 18-year internet marketing veteran, with 4 years at Google on the Google Shopping and DoubleClick Search teams, who went on to co-found The Performance Company (.com), a performance-based digital marketing agency with subsidiaries that include AffiliateManager.com, a premier affiliate management company with offices in Orlando and Chicago. AffiliateManager.com has won Pinnacle awards for Affiliate Manager of the Year in 2013 and Affiliate Agency of the Year in 2016, as well as the Avantlink Best Agency of 2016. Our success is powered by our proprietary technology, AffiliateRecruitment.com – with over 8.4 million affiliate pages indexed – and BounceLinks.com, a content monetization tool that allows affiliates to easily monetize their websites. Mike has also served on the board of the Performance Marketing Association as well as the Affiliate Summit Advisory Board.