32 Lead Generation Business Success Stories [2024]
Lead generation business aggregates consumer and business information that it can sell to businesses wishing to purchase new leads. A lead generation company earns money for every lead it generates for a client.
As the business landscape becomes more competitive, entrepreneurs prefer hiring a lead generation company to help increase sales. Therefore, if you understand how digital marketing works to attract customers, you can start your lead generation business.
In this list, you'll find real-world lead generation business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a lead generation business that makes money.
1. Instantly AI ($19.2M/year)
The co-founders developed the tool out of necessity for their lead generation agency. Initially, they used existing tools to help their customers generate leads. However, as they scaled, the cost of using these tools, which required payment per email account, became unsustainable.
In response, they decided to create their own tool, utilizing the skills of their developer. Initially, the tool was intended for internal use. However, after discussing it with others, they recognized its unique value and its potential to benefit many similar businesses.
We noticed that as soon as we tried to scale, the prices increased instead of decreasing. — Kaevand Co-founder Instantly; (Source)
How much money it makes: $19.2M/year
How many people on the team: 15
Discover how Instantly.ai grew from 0 to $2.4M in just 9 months by solving the problem of costly lead-generation tools for marketers with an affordable and effective AI-powered email marketing software.
2. The Pedowitz Group ($18M/year)
Jeff and Cherie started The Pedowitz Group in 2007, leveraging their expertise in sales and marketing. They saw an opportunity to provide consulting services in the digital marketing space and quickly gained momentum through word-of-mouth and industry referrals. Today, they have achieved over $20 million in annual revenue and continue to focus on growth and providing excellent service to their clients.
How much money it makes: $18M/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 100
Pedowitz Group, a $20M+ consulting agency, shares the story of how they grew their business by prioritizing customer retention/loyalty, being platform-agnostic, and focusing on strong results aligned with clients' key business objectives.
3. Everflow ($15M/year)
Kanwar Dhaliwal, co-founder of Everflow, came up with the idea for the business after selling his previous company, Moolah Media, which was an ad network. Recognizing a gap in the market and armed with firsthand knowledge of the industry, Kanwar and his co-founders decided to disrupt the existing vendors and build a technology platform company. With a commitment to customer success and a hyper-focus on the market, Everflow has grown profitably, serving nearly 700 customers.
How much money it makes: $15M/year
How much did it cost to start: $400K
How many people on the team: 82
Everflow, a bootstrapped company founded by three entrepreneurs, now serving nearly 700 customers profitably, offers a tracking, measurement, and analytics tool for digital advertising, attracting and retaining customers primarily through market-driven decisions and commitment to customer success.
4. CreateApe ($4.2M/year)
Alessandro Fard, the founder of CreateApe, developed the idea for his business after realizing the importance of a solid foundation in digital projects. Through years of trial and error, he created the Create Ape Jungle Guide, a comprehensive process that allows clients to fulfill the research and ideation phase of their projects and lays the foundation for successful user experience, design, and development. With impressive revenue growth between 50 and 100% year-over-year, CreateApe is a leading player in the digital agency space.
How much money it makes: $4.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $25K
How many people on the team: 55
CreateApe, a full-service digital agency specializing in user experience design, has seen yearly revenue growth between 50-100%, with $350,000 in monthly revenue and success attributed to their almost reckless embrace of partnering with their clients.
5. noCRM.io ($2.64M/year)
Sunny Paris, co-founder of noCRM.io, came up with the idea to create a lead management software after realizing the limitations of traditional CRM software during his time with Yoolink. Despite the competitive CRM market, Sunny saw an opportunity to bring something new and more efficient to salespeople. The company has since grown to $2.4M in annual recurring revenue and has a customer base of over 11,000 salespeople worldwide.
How much money it makes: $2.64M/year
How much did it cost to start: $80K
How many people on the team: 19
This case study is about noCRM.io, a French SaaS company with over 11,000 salespeople using their software worldwide, that provides a lead management software for salespeople, and has managed to build its business up to $2.4M in annual recurring revenue and $200K in average monthly revenue.
6. Interact ($2.5M/year)
Josh Haynam, the co-founder and CEO of Interact, came up with the idea for the business while in a hot tub with his co-founders. They realized that there were no platforms for creating interactive quizzes, and they saw the potential for facilitating human connection through this unique form of engagement. Despite facing financial struggles in the first six years, Interact has now grown to nearly $3 million in ARR and serves over 100 million people who take their quizzes each year.
How much money it makes: $2.5M/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
How many people on the team: 9
Interact, a company co-founded by Josh Haynam, has been built up to nearly $3 million in ARR over the last 10 years, with over 100 million people taking its quizzes each year.
8. Listkit ($1.5M/year)
Andre Haykal Jr., the founder of ListKit, came up with the idea for the company after reading John Warrillow's best-selling book, Built to Sell.
Tweet by the founder explaining how he came up with the idea
As an agency owner, Andre spent too much time creating lead lists for clients instead of engaging with potential customers. When he realized that many sales teams faced a similar issue, he saw the need for a more efficient solution.
After researching, he found that tools like ZoomInfo and Apollo were inadequate, and manual methods involving virtual assistants were costly and time-consuming.
Andre sought a better way, which led to the creation of ListKit.io, a platform that automates lead generation, allowing users to obtain and verify leads quickly.
How much money it makes: $1.5M/year
Learn how Listkit, founded by serial entrepreneur Andre Haykal Jr., scaled to $1.3M ARR in just 90 days using a hyper-personalized B2B contact list service, solving the problem of automating lead generation for marketers and sales teams through quick acquisition and verification.
9. Article-Writing Co ($1.5M/year)
David Tile, the founder of Article-Writing.co, originally tried to start a penny auction website after college but failed. He then turned to freelance writing to make some cash, which eventually led to him building a successful content writing service. With $40k - $50k in monthly revenue from clients like Answers.com, Tile's business has grown without any outside funding, emphasizing the importance of taking action and adapting to market forces.
How much money it makes: $1.5M/year
How many people on the team: 25
How David Tile turned a freelance writing gig into an $80k/month business, discussing lessons learned through managing growing demands and maintaining a remote team operation.
10. Growave ($1.32M/year)
Eldar, the founder of Growave, started the business after realizing the limitations of his successful previous venture, ThinkLab. With a desire to expand into a dynamic market, Eldar and his team researched and developed a product for the growing e-commerce industry. Despite facing challenges and delays, Growave eventually launched as a free app and gained traction through forums and the Shopify App Store, steadily growing its customer base and revenue to over 12,000 merchants and $110,000 per month.
How much money it makes: $1.32M/year
How much did it cost to start: $100K
How many people on the team: 70
Growave, an all-in-one marketing tool for Shopify brands, went from struggling to be profitable to earning over $110,000 monthly with over 12,000 merchants using the app worldwide, thanks to an improved marketing and retention strategy implemented after the launch.
11. Glimp Ltd ($1.2M/year)
Denis and his co-founder Michael started Glimp, a utilities, financial products, and insurance comparison website in New Zealand, after meeting during a coding bootcamp. Inspired by the success of price comparison websites in the UK, they decided to bring the concept to New Zealand and were the first to offer comparisons for multiple products. Through hard work and a focus on AdWords and SEO, they were able to grow their revenue to $60k in their first year and have since doubled their revenue each year.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $2K
How many people on the team: 6
Glimp, a utilities, financial products, and insurance comparison website in New Zealand, generates about $100,000 in monthly revenue with a goal of making $1 million NZD profit this year, using AdWords and SEO to attract customers, negotiating higher CPAs over time, and expanding to different verticals.
12. CallPage ($780K/year)
Ross Knap, CEO and co-founder of CallPage, came up with the idea for the business while working as a consultant and optimizing website conversions. He noticed that promising faster contact with users resulted in more leads, leading him to develop CallPage's smart widget that allows for instant callbacks, driving more sales leads and faster deal closures. Today, CallPage is a leading callback solution in Poland and is rapidly expanding internationally, with plans to develop new AI solutions for conversation analysis.
How much money it makes: $780K/year
How many people on the team: 30
CallPage, an inside sales platform that facilitates converting website visitors into customers, has expanded tools to become a full-fledged platform with artificial intelligence, voice-to-text services and emotion recognition, and is rapidly growing in international markets.
13. Hubbub Labs ($720K/year)
George Chilton, the co-founder and Creative Director of Hubbub Labs, had a background in teaching and editing. He realized that startups and companies struggle with communications and decided to start a content marketing agency to help them express their ideas and brand clearly. With a mission to provide value through journalistic-quality content, Hubbub Labs has grown to a 10+ person team and is profitable, experiencing a 40% year-on-year growth rate.
How much money it makes: $720K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 8
Find out how a creative content marketing agency grew from a team of two with only €500 in the bank, to a 10+ person team generating €720k a year, by prioritizing a niche market, providing excellent service, word of mouth, and consistent quality work.
14. Lead Cookie ($660K/year)
Jake Jorgovan, a serial entrepreneur and business advisor, came up with the idea for Lead Cookie, a LinkedIn lead generation and appointment setting company, after brainstorming various business ideas and realizing the untapped potential in the market. Within the first two weeks of launching, Jorgovan closed $12k of monthly recurring revenue by selling to individuals within his existing network, providing rapid validation for his concept. Lead Cookie is now a thriving company, generating between $45k-$70k in monthly revenue and boasting a team of 20 full-time members.
How much money it makes: $660K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 24
Serial entrepreneur Jake Jorgovan explains how he started and grew his LinkedIn lead generation company, Lead Cookie, which now averages between $45k-70k every month with only 4-8 hours of his own time per week, and shares insights on building and scaling a successful business.
15. Franchise UK ($600K/year)
Joel Bissitt, founder of Franchise UK, had always dreamt of being an entrepreneur. Drawing inspiration from UK business icons like Richard Branson and Alan Sugar, he started the business at the age of 19 with just £1000 of funding. Through his expertise in SEO and a user-friendly website design, Franchise UK has experienced rapid growth, achieving a 50% increase in turnover last year and attracting some of the world's largest brands.
How much money it makes: $600K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 5
Franchise UK is the UK’s largest franchise directory helping franchise businesses to grow by generating quality franchisee recruitment leads online, with a 50% increase in turnover last year and big plans to further expand in different directions over the coming years.
16. Website Rental Coaching ($504K/year)
The daily workload at his 9-5 job at General Electric as an HR left Luke unfulfilled from his career, and while he was searching for a profitable side gig, he realized that websites are like digital properties. With a top-ranking lead generation website, he could rent it to local businesses and earn a steady monthly income. Luke quit his job at the 6-month mark and hit six figures by the one-year mark of starting this business.
How much money it makes: $504K/year
How much did it cost to start: $8K
How many people on the team: 0
Luke Van Der Veer's Website Rental Coaching business teaches people how to create passive income by renting lead generation websites to local businesses, which has helped him generate $42,000 per month as of April 2022.
17. Parseur ($480K/year)
Sylvestre Dupont, the co-founder of Parseur, came up with the idea for the data extraction tool during his sabbatical break year in 2013. While building a travel map website, he realized the tedious task of manually entering travel confirmation emails into the app and thought it would be great if the app could automatically extract the relevant information. This sparked the idea of building an email parsing tool, which eventually became Parseur.
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 0
Parseur, the data extraction tool, helps businesses automate their data entry process, catering to multiple industries such as food delivery, real estate and marketing, and has grown to over $40k in revenue per month since its launch in 2017.
18. Video Jaguar ($384K/year)
Since launching Video Jaguar, Tim Sumer has focused on driving attention to his website and perfecting his video creation software. He utilized his digital marketing firm, USA Marketing Pros, to design and promote the website. He also leveraged his client base by offering a 30-day free trial in exchange for referrals. By showcasing the video templates in individual blog posts and utilizing SEO tactics, Tim was able to attract customers and gain visibility.
How much money it makes: $384K/year
How much did it cost to start: $18K
How many people on the team: 5
Video Jaguar is an all-in-one video marketing software that has generated $25,038.74 in sales from August-December 2019, $188,672.22 in sales in 2020, and is now doing $32,911.77/month in sales with an expected $700K in sales in the current year while boasting a gross margin of 80%.
19. SheerSEO ($360K/year)
Ayal Aldema, the founder of SheerSEO, saw a gap in the market for online SEO tools when he couldn't find any reliable options and all he found were scammy desktop applications. With 10 years of software engineering experience and a previous successful website, he launched SheerSEO for free and relied on SEO skills to gain customers. Today, the business generates $30,000/month by selling its SaaS service to webmasters and SEO professionals.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 1
Founder Ayal Aldema built SheerSEO, an online SEO software, to fill a gap in the SEO market, offering a free service to help clients optimize their sites, which now makes $30,000/month by selling SaaS service to both webmasters and SEO professionals.
20. BizzBee Solutions ($312K/year)
Dancho Dimkov, the founder of BizzBee Solutions, came up with the idea for his business after realizing that freelancing was not a sustainable long-term option. He decided to start his own company that specialized in LinkedIn and email outreach, offering B2B lead generation and sales process services to software providers, high-ticket service providers, consultants, and agencies. Through building meaningful relationships and providing valuable solutions to clients, BizzBee has grown to serve over 400 clients globally in just 5 years.
How much money it makes: $312K/year
How much did it cost to start: $4.25K
How many people on the team: 26
BizzBee Solutions, a LinkedIn and email outreach specialist, grew from 2 to 20+ employees in just 12 months, serving 400+ clients globally, after switching from being generalists to specialists in outreach for high-ticket service providers, agencies, software development companies, and consultants.
21. Mylance ($216K/year)
Bradley Jacobs, founder of Mylance, came up with the idea for his business after experiencing the freedom and financial success of working as an independent consultant. He saw a growing market of individuals who wanted to monetize their expertise and work flexibly, so he started Mylance to provide a comprehensive platform for self-employed professionals. Through organic social media marketing and customer word of mouth, Mylance has attracted and retained customers, growing to $40k/month in revenue.
How much money it makes: $216K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 0
Mylance, founded by Bradley Jacobs, is an end-to-end software platform for self-employed individuals and independent consultants, growing to ~$40k/month in revenue with 3 main value-adds: actionable guides, a vetted community, and lead generation software.
22. GoEdison ($216K/year)
James Harper, the founder of GoEdison, started the business after seeing a major need in the small business realm for better marketing. With experience in the industry and a desire to provide a better service, Harper launched GoEdison and quickly gained positive cash flow. The company has since evolved and now focuses on specific services such as B2B lead-generation email marketing and Google advertising. A content strategy proved successful in attracting clients, and GoEdison is now planning for major growth in 2020.
How much money it makes: $216K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 1
James Harper founded GoEdison, a small business marketing agency that specializes in B2B email drip campaigns for service-based businesses specializing in strange niches, achieving $17,000 - $20,000 in recurring revenue, attributing their success to keeping their business model simple and evolving over time.
23. Prop Media ($186K/year)
Ebs Turner started Prop Media after realizing that traditional advertising was cost-inefficient for companies. His breakthrough came during his university years while balancing exams and entrepreneurship, eventually growing his London-based marketing agency to $18,000/month.
How much money it makes: $186K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 2
A 25-year-old entrepreneur shares his journey of starting a property marketing agency, with a current monthly income of $18,000/month, and divulges the importance of having a niche and going all-in on client results and experience.
24. Wealth Lead Generation ($120K/year)
Maria, the founder of Wealth Lead Generation, came up with the idea for her business through her experience as a freelancer and her passion for marketing. After successfully helping a fintech startup raise 7 figures through social media advertising and PR, she realized the potential of digital advertising and decided to start her agency. She focused on creating specific offers that addressed the pain points of her target audience and spent time listening to the market to refine her services. Through hard work and perseverance, Maria's agency quickly scaled to a team of 5 and achieved impressive revenue growth.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
How many people on the team: 5
"Wealth Lead Generation grew from a side hustle to a 6-figure business in 2021, generating an average of 250% increase in revenue for their clients through digital advertising campaigns on social media with a team of 5 people."
25. Binderr ($120K/year)
Jacob, originally from Denmark, founded Binderr after selling his Bolt franchise for an eight-figure sum in 2022. Initially an accounting app, Binderr pivoted to client onboarding software for accountants and lawyers, fueled by €4 million in self-funded investments.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2M
How many people on the team: 19
Jacob's journey from launching a €1m ARR food delivery site and selling a Bolt franchise for 8 figures to self-funding €4m into Binderr, which is onboarding accountants and lawyers with €20k/year contracts, showcases relentless pivoting and strategic positioning in the fintech space.
26. Prime Marketing Experts ($108K/year)
Michael Krieger, the founder of Prime Marketing Experts, was inspired to start his business after developing a passion for marketing and website building through his involvement with a healthcare nonprofit organization. Recognizing the demand for digital marketing and website development services, he rebranded his business and focused on providing high-quality SEO and web development services. Today, the company has experienced significant growth and continues to attract and retain customers through referrals, networking, and a strong social media presence.
How much money it makes: $108K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 2
Prime Marketing Experts is a successful digital marketing agency that offers a wide variety of digital marketing solutions and has grown their business to $100k per year through referrals, building customer relationships, and expanding their focus with sales consulting services.
27. Mailmodo ($102K/year)
Aquibur Rahman, the founder and CEO of Mailmodo, came up with the idea for his business while working as a marketer at a fintech company. He realized the importance of email for business growth and saw the potential of AMP emails when Google announced them for the Gmail app. Seeing the gap in the market for a no-code platform that supports AMP emails, Rahman decided to create Mailmodo to help marketers improve email conversions and engagement.
How much money it makes: $102K/year
How many people on the team: 25
Mailmodo, an email marketing software that enables marketers to send app-like interactive emails, accelerated to 100k+ ARR in just five months after launching the public version in January 2021, with a focus on attracting and retaining customers through organic growth and product-led solutions.
28. Koala Rank ($96K/year)
Arrigo, the founder of Koala Rank, stumbled upon the idea of starting his own business while working as a freelancer on Fiverr. After receiving an email about Fiverr's new Studios feature, he saw an opportunity to create his own thing and decided to click on the "Create a Studio" button. This marked the beginning of Koala Rank, an all-in-one content marketing service that now generates $8K in monthly recurring revenue.
How much money it makes: $96K/year
How much did it cost to start: $4K
How many people on the team: 1
Koala Rank, an all-in-one content marketing service for B2B firms founded by Arrigo, has grown to $8K in MRR since its launch in Jan 2020 with retention being good and March 2021 seeing a boom in subscriptions.
29. LinkHelp ($48K/year)
a risk-free way to try out LinkHelp and see if it meets their needs.
Referral Program We have implemented a referral program that rewards customers for referring others to our platform. This has helped us in acquiring new customers and retaining existing ones through word-of-mouth marketing.
Customer Support We prioritize excellent customer support and provide timely responses to any queries or issues our customers may have. This level of support helps us in building trust and loyalty with our customer base.
Continuous Product Improvements We constantly listen to customer feedback and make regular updates and additions to our product based on their needs and suggestions. This helps us in providing a better user experience and retaining customers.
In terms of marketing, what has been your most successful strategy? Our most successful marketing strategy has been content marketing. We create and share valuable content through our blog and social media channels, focusing on topics that are relevant to our target audience such as LinkedIn lead generation, networking tips, and business growth strategies.
This strategy has helped us in establishing ourselves as a thought leader in our industry and attracting organic traffic to our website. It also helps in building brand awareness and credibility among our target audience.
Additionally, we have also leveraged partnerships and collaborations with industry influencers and experts to reach a wider audience and increase our brand visibility.
What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced and obstacles you've overcome? One of the biggest challenges we faced was building credibility and trust in a competitive market. As a relatively new player in the LinkedIn lead generation space, we had to prove ourselves to potential customers and differentiate ourselves from established competitors.
To overcome this challenge, we focused on providing exceptional customer support, consistently delivering a high-quality product, and leveraging customer testimonials and case studies to showcase the positive impact LinkHelp has had on businesses. Building a strong online presence and actively engaging with our community on social media also helped in building trust and credibility.
Another challenge we faced was acquiring customers without a large marketing budget. We had to be creative in our marketing efforts and leverage cost-effective strategies such as content marketing, referral programs, and partnerships to attract and retain customers.
Overall, we have learned that perseverance, adaptability, and constantly listening to customer feedback are key to overcoming challenges and growing a successful business.
What advice do you have for aspiring founders who want to build their own business? My advice for aspiring founders is to always focus on solving a real pain point or problem for your target audience. Understand their needs and challenges and create a product or service that provides a valuable solution.
Additionally, surround yourself with a strong team that shares your passion and vision. Building a business is not a solo journey and having a team with complementary skills and expertise can greatly contribute to your success.
Don't be afraid to start small and iterate as you go. Test your ideas, gather feedback, and continuously improve your product or service based on customer needs.
Lastly, be prepared for challenges and setbacks along the way. Building a business is not easy, but with perseverance, determination, and a willingness to learn and adapt, you can overcome obstacles and achieve your goals.
How much money it makes: $48K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 3
LinkedIn lead generation and relationship-building tool, LinkHelp, used by entrepreneurs and small-to-medium businesses across different industries in more than 90 countries, boasts a diverse user base and an ARR of $50k, with a pricing model that's economical compared to competitors.
30. VCbacked ($18K/year)
By noticing the limitations in existing lead databases like Cyberleads and Who Raised?, the founder of VCbacked pinpointed a niche need for more tailored and comprehensive contact information for B2B companies, leading to a $1.5K MRR venture.
How much money it makes: $18K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 0
As an aspiring founder, learn how the Boring Founder built VCbacked, a profitable sales enablement software business that provides access to data on thousands of Venture capital-funded startup founders, with a current monthly revenue of $1.5K and plans for future growth through reinvestment.
31. Hawk Prospecting ($12K/year)
Mohamad Alasadi, a 19-year-old entrepreneur and blogger, came up with the idea for Hawk Prospecting while running his marketing agency. He realized the need for a low-budget tool that could help him find qualified leads and prospects. With a limited technical knowledge, he used a no/low-code site builder to build Hawk Prospecting, which has now gained traction and generated $1500 in monthly revenue within its first two months.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How many people on the team: 1
Mohamad Alasadi, a 19-year-old entrepreneur, shares how he grew his B2B prospecting software, Hawk Prospecting, from an idea to $1.5K MRR in 7 weeks, using a no/low-code tool to build the product, and a go-to-market strategy that focuses on user feedback and outreach to marketing agency owners.
32. weMail ($1.44K/year)
Tareq Hasan and his partner Nizam Uddin founded weDevs in 2008, a company focused on building successful WordPress products. After experiencing the need for an affordable and WordPress-based email marketing platform, they developed weMail to save money and offer quality features. Their strategy of targeting the WordPress community and utilizing content marketing has helped attract and retain customers.
How much money it makes: $1.44K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 4
weMail is a WordPress-based email marketing tool that boasts affordable email automation and boasts features such as third-party sending APIs and the ability to integrate for free, with over 12K downloads and 500 active installs.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
