Last week, I wired $2.7M to buy back control of my companies.

Not from investors, not from an agency–from a partner who'd joined just last year.
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Those 8 digits hitting their account marked the final chapter of my 10-year, $5.2M journey to 92% ownership of Groove and Helply.
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It started with the classic partnership playbook.
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First the vision: "We'll scale this together, take it to new heights."
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Then reality: Our paths just weren't aligned.
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No hard feelings–just a $2.7M reminder that sometimes the best partner is yourself.
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It was a heavy wire to send.
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But, it made me reflect on what really matters: shared control and true ownership.
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Because here's something partners don't seem to understand:
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I've spent 10 years buying back $5.2M in equity because I believe in running this my way.
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I'm not building for exits. I'm building for my family.
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We're wildly profitable (50%+ EBITDA), growing steadily (without the unicorn chase), and delivering exactly what I want ($5M ARR, complete control, zero pressure).

That's the whole point.
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If you're running a profitable bootstrapped SaaS business in 2025, you can choose your path.
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In today's world, if you can grow sustainably–you don't need anyone's permission to build it your way.
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When your timeline is generational, you can either chase other people's dreams or buy back every single percentage point until it's truly yours. I choose ownership. I choose family.
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I choose the long game.
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In this market, partnership offers mean nothing if you're building for your children's children.
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Here's to another 10, 20, 30 years of grinding–my way, at 92% ownership and counting.

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Alex Turnbull

Founder and CEO, Groove and Helply

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