A first-time fund manager needed proprietary deal flow but couldn't afford traditional buy-side fees. We delivered 50+ targets and a deal in diligence, all for less than $30K.

The Challenge

This two-partner PE firm had recently transitioned from independent sponsors to managing their own fund. The problem: no management fee runway to absorb expensive sourcing costs.

Traditional buy-side advisors expected $50-100K retainers before showing a single deal. For a first-time fund deploying $50M, that math didn't work, every dollar of management fee needed to count.

Both partners were wearing multiple hats, sourcing, diligence, portfolio management. They needed leverage without the cost structure of a full BD team. Their alternative: hire a BD professional at $200K+ with 6+ months to ramp.

Their thesis: pivot from competing in crowded auctions to sourcing larger, proprietary off-market deals where they could deploy meaningful capital without premium multiples.

Our Approach

We designed a cost-efficient origination program calibrated to the fund's capital constraints and thesis requirements.

Every lead represents an engaged founder who has expressed genuine interest, not a database export or cold contact list. Our flat-fee model means the investment is fixed, critical for debut fund economics where every dollar of management fee matters.