At Deal Sorcery Live, recorded at M&A SoCal, Ori Eldarov (Founder of OffDeal) and John Camp (Arbor Investments) join the show to discuss the origins of business development and how artificial intelligence is reshaping dealmaking — from sourcing to closing.

They discuss what happens when AI takes the wheel in investment banking, why human relationships still matter more than ever, and how the next generation of deal professionals will work alongside technology, not against it.

Topics covered:

• How AI is transforming deal sourcing and private equity workflows
• Building an AI-native investment bank with more engineers than bankers
• Why a human-first approach still drives great deals
• The evolution of business development in a tech-driven market

#DealSorcery #PrivateEquity #AI #InvestmentBanking #OffDeal #ACGSoCal

Are you actually building the kind of BD function that wins deals—or just checking a box?

Jay Jester, BD Legend and Partner at Plexus Capital joins Deal Sourcery to unpack what makes great sourcing teams stand out.

With decades of experience, Jay shares real stories and tactical insight on how to build trust, manage founder psychology, and turn your BD team into a true strategic asset.

If you're hiring, scaling, or just trying to sharpen your edge in BD, Jay shares a sharp, unfiltered perspective from one of the best in the business.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 – Intro: Who is Jay Jester?

02:43 – Early dealmaking days and defining BD

07:30 – The evolution of sourcing in PE

11:45 – Why likability still matters in deals

15:22 – Giving feedback to bankers (and why most firms don’t)

21:10 – Building a BD team that actually works

26:18 – Founder psychology and buyer trust

31:33 – Choosing the right banker: strategy vs comfort

36:50 – The myth of “full coverage”

41:17 – Why sourcing is more than dialing for dollars

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

“People want to be in business with and want to do deals with people they like.”

“The BD lead isn’t a bolt-on. They should be in the pitch—and seen as senior.”

“If sourcing’s not connected to the engine room, it doesn’t work.”

“The perfect alignment is when someone on the other side of the deal cares so much it could change their life.”

CONNECT WITH JAY:

Jay Jester: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-jester-plexus/

Are you making cold calls but just not locking in enough deals? Compass Equity Group's Jonathan Babcock joins the show to explain how playing the long-game and developing a firm-wide culture of thesis lead business development has helped them win.

Jonathan walks us through the Compass Method's 13-touchpoint outreach strategy and how it leads to deeper connections with business owners, keeps them competitive and wins deals.

📍CHAPTERS:

00:00 – Intro

02:30 – An Overview on the Compass Method and How to Stay Competitive

07:30 – How a Thesis Driven Approach Can Set You Apart

08:30 – Going from Idea to Fleshed Out Thesis

10:30 – The Thesis Development Process

12:45 – The Importance of Metrics in Thesis Development

14:30 – Essential Information for Developing a Thesis

17:45 – Centers of Influence & Key Relationship Building Techniques

21:30 – How Do You Find Well-Connected People In Your Target Markets?

23:00 – When to Start Direct Outreach

27:15 – Measuring Success

29:00 – Advice for Starting at a New Firm

📝 KEY TAKEAWAYS

“People forget that people do deals with people they like.”

“You have to have an angle, and it needs to be ingrained in the culture to do things in a differentiated way.”

“Don't confuse activity with productivity. Metrics play a key role in identifying what stage you're at - is it moving forward?”

“Leave the suit at the office. I do a lot of cold calls where the first ten seconds are crucial and you've got 10 seconds to show why you're reaching out, building credibility. But the most important part of that I've realized is, you don't spew out a bunch of industry knowledge you think you have - you try to build a relationship.”

🔗 CONNECT WITH JONATHAN:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/babcockjonathan/

#BusinessDevelopment #PrivateEquity #Thesis