IB Bulge Bracket background

Member resources:

Frequent asked questions:

What is Searchfunder.com?

Searchfunder.com is an online community of searchers, investors, lenders, brokers and other professionals. Over 80% of those involved in searchfunds maintain a Searchfunder account to help them network, hire, and mentor others.

What are the benefits of membership?

In addition to accessing the most active online network of business buyers, Searchfunder licenses research that is simply not cost effective for individuals. Access over 15,000 industry reports and 50,000 transaction financials. You also get monthly credits for contact information for your company sourcing campaign with the option to purchase more at drastically discounted rates. Searchfunder has pre-purchased access from these data providers in order to empower individual buyers and to help searchers level the playing field versus private equity.

Do you have deals?

While we are primarily a buy-side network, we do have hundreds of brokers that regularly post deals to the community.

Can I find an internship on Searchfunder?

Absolutely! We have the industry's largest intern job board. If you are considering a search, the first step is to help another business buyer so you can hit the ground running.

What does it cost?

Searchfunder is a subscription service. We offer flexible monthly, annual and lifetime memberships.

Monthly

$79 / month

Annual

$19 / month

Lifetime

$432 / once

Those who maintain an account with us for over 4 continuous years are permanently added to the community without the need for a membership.

Do I need an MBA to join?

While a large number of our members come from dedicated programs at Harvard Business School, Stanford GSB, Chicago Booth, and other top programs, searching is no longer reserved for the elite. With the current abundance of dry powder in private equity, and an increasing number of business owners reaching retirement age, good deals rarely go unfunded.

Post a question, deal, job, etc...

Make a post...

Complete registration to post.

by a searcher from INSEAD
in New York, New York, United States

2w ago

IB Bulge Bracket background

For ex-sell-side M&A folks: did the bulge-bracket brand help or hurt in first conversations with founder-owners of $2–10M EBITDA businesses?

0 Likes

114 Views

reply by a searcher 2w ago
from University of Manitoba in Toronto, ON, Canada

I would support Michael's point. I rarely mention my M&A experience as founders in the segments I operate in are less familiar with capital markets and structured finance. Most of the times they are interested in our value creation program and how we can be trusted partners in expanding their market or service offerings. The fact that I have advised on multi-billion dollar deals is so far removed from their day to day reality that beside giving me additional credibility doesn't add much more.

reply by an intermediary 2w ago
from Barnard College in New Jersey, USA

I can speak to the opposite - I don't come from bulge bracket banks, but frankly have never heard opposition to either background, the building block is the relationship first and foremost. Owners will have a variety of opinions on background.