Seeking Buy-Side Advisor | Success Fee Only
March 31, 2025
by a searcher in Bronxville, NY 10708, USA
I’m looking to connect with a buy-side advisor or independent M&A professional who works on a success-fee-only basis.
I’m actively searching for a service-based business in the lower middle market and want to work with someone who can help source and evaluate opportunities in industries like IT services, IT staffing, BPO.
I know that deal sourcing takes a lot of upfront work—and I genuinely respect that. At the same time, I’m trying to avoid the risk of committing significant capital to a retainer without knowing if the partnership will yield results.
If you—or someone you’d recommend—specialize in this kind of support, I’d love to connect. Feel free to DM me or drop a comment below
from Northwestern University in Southborough, MA, USA
I understand you don’t want to risk the cost of a retainer, but there’s real cost being incurred, and again, not trying to come across as rude - but speaking directly …. it sounds like you want someone else to pay for your search?
You could reasonably say you aren’t sure they’ll have the right approach to finding your target. They could say they’re not sure you can actually close a deal or follow through when they find the target.
Free consulting always ends badly. If you don’t want to pay for a search, I’d recommend focusing on on-market opportunities. Off-market deals are called proprietary because they have value.
from Erasmus University Rotterdam in Lisbon, Portugal
I don't think any serious buy-side partner would take on a success-fee-only contract for a first-time buyer. Maybe if there is prior trust and track record, larger deal sizes etc. A small retainer helps in keeping both sides of the transaction engaged, whilst the larger success fee aligns interests.