There are a lot of reasonable reasons people would list a sub-scale business on a site like those. Some examples:
Take an app that makes $500 net monthly and requires 1-2 hours per week of work. Solid hourly rate, why sell? Except:
- Sudden change in family responsibilities leaves founder without the small amount of time needed.
- The business might net $5k in a sale, and the founder has an urgent need for cash (for ex for home purchase/repairs). The founder resigns to a fire sale because she needs money now.
- Founder realizes the business will remain sub-scale until someone injects another $50k. Founder has a day job but not $50k, and has no interest in raising money.
- Founder's job reviews side project and decides it's too close to "competitive" and asks founder to dispose of it.
- Founder takes a new job that prohibits side gigs.
- Founder gets sick and isn't able to maintain the business.
- Founder gets divorced and is ordered to split the value of the business with ex-spouse. (A sale may be the founder's only option to produce the cash.)
- Founder built the app using tech X 3 years ago. Founder now viscerally hates tech X and would rather have $5k than keep using that tech.
- (Edit: adding this one) Founder was just learning business when they started this business, and now wants to aim bigger. This business could be a good starting point for someone else in their personal development cycle.
Basically, there are a lot of reasons a founder might sell that have nothing to do with the business or its prospects. There are also reasons that have to do with the business not being a fit for the founder at that time. Due diligence is key when buying anything.
Take an app that makes $500 net monthly and requires 1-2 hours per week of work. Solid hourly rate, why sell? Except:
- Sudden change in family responsibilities leaves founder without the small amount of time needed.
- The business might net $5k in a sale, and the founder has an urgent need for cash (for ex for home purchase/repairs). The founder resigns to a fire sale because she needs money now.
- Founder realizes the business will remain sub-scale until someone injects another $50k. Founder has a day job but not $50k, and has no interest in raising money.
- Founder's job reviews side project and decides it's too close to "competitive" and asks founder to dispose of it.
- Founder takes a new job that prohibits side gigs.
- Founder gets sick and isn't able to maintain the business.
- Founder gets divorced and is ordered to split the value of the business with ex-spouse. (A sale may be the founder's only option to produce the cash.)
- Founder built the app using tech X 3 years ago. Founder now viscerally hates tech X and would rather have $5k than keep using that tech.
- (Edit: adding this one) Founder was just learning business when they started this business, and now wants to aim bigger. This business could be a good starting point for someone else in their personal development cycle.
Basically, there are a lot of reasons a founder might sell that have nothing to do with the business or its prospects. There are also reasons that have to do with the business not being a fit for the founder at that time. Due diligence is key when buying anything.