How Mike Belasco Scaled Inflow to a $4M+ SEO Powerhouse and Sold It

Overview

Inflow’s story starts with Mike Belasco using an affiliate website as a testing ground for search engine optimization techniques. He quickly realized that the same strategies could help other businesses grow online. Over 17 years, he transformed that one-man operation into a $4 million-plus SEO and paid-search agency focused on e-commerce, eventually leading a team of 35 and earning three Inc. 5000 appearances.

Founding and Early Growth

After graduating with a Business Information Systems degree, Mike held web development roles while running a poker affiliate site. Concerned about legal risks, he shut it down and launched “Mike The Internet Guy, ” offering SEO services part-time. By niching in SEO for small agencies and web designers, he built steady demand. In 2007 he rebranded to seOverflow to reflect an exclusive focus on search optimization.

A few years later, Mike teamed with a partner to form ConversionIQ, adding conversion optimization to his services. When that partnership ended, he acquired full control and rebranded as Inflow, dedicated solely to e-commerce marketing.

Key Growth Strategies

Three pillars drove Inflow’s climb:

• Client Results: Delivering measurable improvements led to high retention and word-of-mouth references.
• Content Marketing: Producing in-depth SEO guides on Inflow’s blog and guest posting on Moz and other industry sites filled the sales funnel.
• Focused Niche: Specializing in e-commerce SEO and paid-search differentiated Inflow in a crowded market.

Building Company Culture

As the team expanded from one to 35, Mike introduced the “Inflow harmonic triangle, ” a simple framework aligning employee satisfaction, client success, and business performance. Quarterly profit-sharing gave team members a direct stake in results. Open communication and regular small-group workshops kept everyone informed and invested.

Overcoming Challenges

Managing three distinct service lines, SEO, paid search, and conversion optimization, tested internal coordination. Different tools, processes, and communication styles slowed cross-team collaboration. Focused training, unified project management software, and shared OKRs helped close gaps and improve client experiences.

Decision to Sell and Internal Exit

After 17 years, Mike faced burnout and wanted a fresh challenge. Selling to COO Jen Holzman offered continuity for clients and employees, reduced due diligence time, and eliminated surprises. Because Jen already knew the agency’s operations, the handover was seamless. The sale closed quietly, with an all-staff announcement on day one and minimal public fanfare.

Lessons Learned

Mike now advises agency owners to niche deeply, build predictable recurring revenue streams, and maintain transparent processes. Preparing for an eventual exit, whether internal or to an outside buyer, means keeping clean financials, documenting key processes, and growing leadership depth.

Next Chapter: Altitude Search Fund

Having sold Inflow, Mike launched Altitude Search Fund to acquire e-commerce businesses. He’s leveraging his SEO and analytics background to identify growth opportunities, planning to step into a new CEO role while empowering a small team to handle daily operations.