Navigate through the case study sections
Selling an online business fast is something most founders dream about, but achieving a $160,000 exit in just two weeks? That’s what Blue Tees Golf pulled off. In this case study, we’ll explore how a passion for golf, savvy branding, sharp product focus, and smart customer engagement led this direct-to-consumer brand from start-up to lucrative acquisition on Flippa in under 14 days.
Blue Tees Golf didn’t start as a big-money corporate play. FounderBrandon Francisco, an avid golfer, simply noticed a hole in the market: premium golf accessories were overpriced, slow to ship, and often lacked quality packaging. With an eye for what enthusiasts actually wanted, he built Blue Tees Golf as an online home for high-grade gear at fair prices, starting with a single product that he knew scratch golfers craved—the laser rangefinder.
Instead of chasing every product category, the focus locked straight on what sells in the golf niche: rangefinders, wedge sets, and unique training tools. This wasn’t about mass-market golf balls or tees. Every item got the in-house treatment, from unboxing to custom photos and video marketing. Over 300 images and 40+ videos weren’t just for show; they gave potential customers the confidence that Blue Tees Golf was better-stocked and more legitimate than competitors relying on endless dropshipping.
Forget standard shipping and third-party delays. Blue Tees shipped directly, in custom packaging, which instantly made every purchase feel like an experience. Sure, this affected margins a bit, but the returns were clear: more satisfied buyers, lower return rates (just 1.5%), and plenty of positive word-of-mouth. In a world of carbon-copy online stores, this type of fulfillment gave Blue Tees instant differentiation—and customer retention you can’t easily buy.
Blu Tees didn’t just sit hoping for SEO miracles. Nearly 75% of monthly traffic (that’s 21K+ unique visitors per month on 37K+ pageviews) came via social media. Fresh content across Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube showcased their custom photos, while Klaviyo managed roughly 25% of all revenue through smart email automation and re-engagement campaigns. The company made heavy use of retargeted ads—aimed squarely at golf players browsing with intent, not random browsers.
In just one year, Blue Tees was consistently banking $48,000+ per month in revenue, and netting more than $9,400 in profit. The Amazon account boasted a 57% profit margin, driven by organic traction and repeat buyers. No venture backing, just smart use of cash flow, reinvesting in photography, fulfillment, and new inventory. Notably, the company kept return rates ultra-low while scaling up.
When it was time to sell, Brandon didn’t just tap a broker and forget about it. Instead, the Flippa listing was packed with detailed breakdowns of every revenue source, operational workflow, and future growth angles. High engagement numbers—189 Watchers, 8,082 Views, and three highly engaged buyer discussions in just two weeks—told the story: buyers were circling, recognizing a real business with immediate upside. The founder’s rapid, real-time responsiveness kept momentum strong, scheduling quick video discussions and answering every due-diligence request. No lagging on replies or ambiguity about numbers—a must for a quick sale.
The sale didn’t chase some crazy unicorn valuation. Instead, it landed at a 1.4x annual profit multiple—reasonable for a one-year-old brand with clear traction but a short operating history. Buyer and seller both walked away with a solid deal: fast liquidity for Brandon; a plug-and-play, high-margin operation for the buyer. Transfer was quick, thanks to clear documentation and clean, upfront data rooms. This prevents 95% of the friction most business sales face.
That depends on your niche, product selection, and willingness to stay involved in both brand and sales process. But if you focus on ownership of your supply chain, strong content, direct communication with customers and buyers, and don’t inflate the value, there’s a good chance you’ll attract rapid interest when you go to sell.
Since the 2019 acquisition, Blue Tees Golf has expanded into even more golf tools and grown its presence in the competitive sports retail market. The initial sale didn’t mark the top; it kicked off another round of growth and branding, still focused on what real golfers want.
Subscribe to access the tools and technologies used in this case study.
Subscribe NowSubscribe to access the step-by-step replication guide for this case study.
Subscribe NowShare your success story with our community of entrepreneurs.
Discover other inspiring business success stories
Mizuno USA revitalized its e-commerce platform by switching to a composable commerce model, integrating BigCommerce with...
Mizuno USA
Established almost a century ago, Swan needed a more agile e-commerce solution to keep pace with rising online demand. I...
Swan
Florin Pop turned his coding experiments into iCodeThis, a platform offering app ideas, challenges, and courses that gen...
iCodeThis