Deal Sourcery

700 Conversations. 13 Touches. 1 Thesis Scorecard. Here’s the Compass Method with Jonathan Babcock

13 snips
Jul 10, 2025
Jonathan Babcock from Compass Equity Group, a rising star in business development for 2025, shares insights into the Compass Method. He highlights how a thesis-driven approach to sourcing can elevate deal-making by building long-term relationships. Jonathan discusses their unique 13-touchpoint outreach strategy that fosters deeper connections and keeps them competitive. He emphasizes the significance of metrics in tracking progress and cultivating trust, proving that people do deals with those they like and know.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Differentiation Through Inputs And Outputs

  • The market is highly competitive so firms must develop differentiated angles and monitor inputs and outputs constantly.
  • Compass focuses on lower-middle-market founder-led deals and uses city trips, conferences, and recurring relationship touches to win long-term proprietary opportunities.
ADVICE

Plan Meetings Before Conferences

  • Set meetings before industry conferences and run city trips to access owners you can't reach by email alone.
  • Create perpetual quarterly check-ins with key contacts to build a recurring relationship stream.
ADVICE

Score And Present Thesis Ideas

  • Score new thesis ideas on a 10-question ideation scorecard, targeting 25–30 out of 30 to present firm-wide.
  • Use a PowerPoint deck to articulate the thesis and pass it through a quarterly board-style review.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app