Sourcing ABF deals

Deal sourcing is the lifeblood of any credit fund. Most funds rely too heavily on one or two channels and wonder why their pipeline is inconsistent. This guide maps the ABF deal sourcing landscape so you can build a diversified, repeatable origination funnel.

The best deal flow comes from multiple channels working together: conferences for meeting new counterparties at scale, associations for building deep relationships, placement agents for proprietary deals, and direct outreach for finding originators before they hit the market. Neglect any one of these and you leave deals on the table.

Building your sourcing infrastructure

Before you attend conferences or call placement agents, build the foundation that makes sourcing systematic rather than ad hoc.

Mapping the ABF originator landscape

Start with a target list of 150-250 originators in your focus asset classes. You can build this in a week using publicly available sources:

SEC filings. 10-Ks and 8-Ks from public fintechs reveal funding facility details, advance rates, and capital providers. Search for “warehouse facility” or “credit facility” in the filing to find relevant sections.

Rating agency presales. KBRA, DBRS, and Fitch publish presale reports for term ABS deals. These name the originator, servicer, asset characteristics, and (often) the warehouse provider. Subscribe to their distribution lists.

Fintech databases. Crunchbase, PitchBook, and CB Insights track funding rounds and company profiles. Filter for lending-related companies by series stage.

LinkedIn. Search for titles like “VP Capital Markets,” “Head of Funding,” or “CFO” at lending companies. The connections and job changes reveal which originators are building out funding teams (a signal they’re preparing to raise).

Industry publications. Asset Securitization Report, National Mortgage News, and American Banker cover deal announcements and market trends.

Once you have your initial list, categorize by:

Dimension	Categories
Asset class	Consumer, auto, equipment, real estate, specialty
Stage	Seed/Series A (balance sheet), Series B-C (first warehouse), Growth (term ABS ready)
Capital need	First facility, warehouse expansion, term takeout, diversifying lenders
Timing	Actively raising, 6-12 months out, 12-18 months out

Update this list quarterly. Track who’s raising (press releases, rating agency announcements), who’s expanding (job postings for capital markets roles), and who’s struggling (layoff announcements, rating downgrades).

Internal sourcing resources

Your CRM is institutional memory. Without it, deal relationships walk out the door when people leave. Set up tracking for:

Contact records. Every originator contact with company, role, and relationship owner. Include notes on conversations, not just meeting dates.

Deal records. Every opportunity you see, whether you pursue it or not. Track source (conference, intermediary, inbound), outcome, and reason for pass.

Activity tracking. Log calls, meetings, and emails. You want to know: when did we last talk to X? Who on our team knows them?

Minimum viable setup. If you don’t have Salesforce or Affinity, a well-structured Google Sheet works. Columns for: company, primary contact, asset class, stage, last touch date, relationship owner, next action, notes.

Note: Create a weekly deal log email that circulates new opportunities across the investment team. Format: originator name, asset class, facility size, source, status. Takes 10 minutes to compile, prevents duplicate outreach and information silos.

The conference circuit

Conferences are where relationships start. You can learn about an originator from a pitch deck, but you can’t assess whether you want to do business with them until you’ve had drinks at the bar after the sessions end.

Key events and what they’re actually for

Not all conferences are equal. Prioritize based on concentration of relevant decision-makers per hour invested.

Tier 1: Must-attend events

Event	Timing	Focus	Typical attendance
SFIG Vegas	Feb	Structured finance, ABF capital markets	7,000+
ABS East	Sep	Similar to Vegas, East Coast focus	4,000+
CREFC	Jan, Jun	CRE-adjacent, bridge lending	2,000+

These are where you’ll meet the most originators, intermediaries, and competitors in concentrated time. Budget for 3-4 days including travel.

ABS East (Miami, October) is the main event. Over 8,000 attendees including all major banks, originators, and investors. Best for meeting new counterparties at scale. If you attend one conference per year, make it this one. The Fontainebleau lobby becomes the de facto meeting room for the structured finance industry.

ABS West (Los Angeles, February) is smaller and more intimate, typically 2,000-3,000 attendees. Better for deepening existing relationships than making new ones. The West Coast originator community attends here but may skip East.

SFVegas (Las Vegas, February) is structured finance focused with strong originator attendance, particularly from specialty finance companies. Often scheduled near ABS West, so many attendees do both. The casino environment means more informal interaction time.

Tier 2: Selective attendance

Event	Focus	When to attend
Lend360	Consumer and SMB fintech lenders	If you focus on consumer or SMB
Auto Finance Summit	Auto lending	If auto is a focus asset class
Equipment Leasing Association	Equipment finance	If equipment is a focus
Money20/20	Fintech broadly	Early-stage originator sourcing

IMN conferences are asset-class specific: Consumer ABS, Equipment Finance, Marketplace Lending, etc. More targeted if you have a sector focus. Attendance runs 300-800 depending on the vertical. You’ll see the same 50 people you actually need to know rather than searching through 8,000 badges.

Opal conferences provide an alternative to IMN for certain asset classes, particularly in consumer and specialty finance. Smaller and sometimes more practitioner-focused.

Context Summits and SALT skew more toward hedge funds and allocators, but ABF is increasingly represented. Useful if you’re raising capital or want LP exposure, less so for deal sourcing.

Virtual events. Work for staying current on market trends and maintaining existing relationships. They don’t work for building new relationships. Skip the networking components; join for specific panels.

How to work a conference effectively

Pre-conference (4-6 weeks before):

Review attendee list (most conferences share this with registrants)
Reach out to 20-30 targets for pre-scheduled meetings
Confirm 10-15 meetings before you arrive
Block 30% of your schedule for hallway conversations and follow-ups

During the conference:

Your calendar should be 60-70% scheduled meetings, 30% buffer. Panels are useful for market intelligence but don’t build relationships. If you have to choose between a panel and a 1:1, take the 1:1.

Allocate your time deliberately. Use day one for scheduled meetings, day two for follow-ups and serendipitous conversations. The structured sessions are mostly background noise. The value is in the hallways, coffee areas, and evening events.

Focus on 8-10 meaningful conversations per day, not 30 business card exchanges. A 20-minute conversation where you understand someone’s business and they understand yours is worth more than collecting a stack of cards you’ll never follow up on.

The real work happens at dinners and drinks. Plan your evenings strategically. Every major firm hosts dinners; get yourself invited to the ones that matter for your deal flow. The conversations at 10 PM are more candid than the ones at 2 PM. Stay at the conference hotel.

Post-conference (48-hour rule):

Follow up within 48 hours with concrete next steps. “Great meeting you” emails go in the trash. “You mentioned expanding your warehouse, here’s our term sheet template” gets a response. Reference something specific from your conversation. Include a clear next step (call, data request, introduction offer).

Conference ROI considerations

Conference costs add up quickly:

Expense	Typical Range
Registration	$2,000-$5,000
Hotel	$300-$600/night
Flights	$400-$1,500
Meals and entertainment	$500-$1,500
Total per conference	$4,000-$10,000

At three conferences per year, you’re spending $15,000-$30,000 just on attendance. That’s worth it if conferences generate your deal flow. It’s a waste if you’re not tracking ROI.

Note: Track every deal by source. After 18-24 months, you’ll know which conferences actually generate opportunities for your strategy and which you can skip.

Tracking ROI:

After each conference, log:

Number of meetings scheduled vs. held
Number of new relationships initiated
Deals sourced directly from conference contacts
Eventually: deals closed that trace back to conference sourcing

If you’re not getting 2-3 meaningful new relationships per Tier 1 conference, reassess your targeting or meeting approach.

Prioritize 3-4 key events per year based on your asset class focus and relationship development needs. For most ABF funds, ABS East is non-negotiable. The second and third choices depend on your sector.

Industry associations and networks

Associations provide relationship depth that conferences can’t match. A conference is a three-day sprint; an association is a multi-year marathon. The investors who close the most deals are the ones who’ve been showing up to committee meetings for years.

Associations that matter for ABF

SFIG (Structured Finance Industry Group) is the core network for ABS. Membership gives access to issuer directories, working groups, and events beyond the main conference. Annual membership runs $1,500-$25,000 depending on firm size and tier. The directory alone is worth the basic membership for deal sourcing.

Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) is essential if equipment finance is in your mandate. 600+ member companies including originators, banks, and investors. Their annual convention draws 2,000+ attendees focused specifically on equipment and vehicle finance.

Commercial Finance Association (CFA) covers ABL and commercial lending. Less structured products focused, but relevant if you’re financing asset-based lenders or commercial specialty finance companies.

Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) is your network for residential and commercial mortgage finance. Their conferences are massive (10,000+ attendees for the annual convention) and skew toward originator and servicer members.

Consumer Bankers Association provides access to consumer lending issuers, particularly traditional banks with consumer portfolios. Useful for sourcing portfolios from depositories.

How to extract value from associations

Join relevant committees and working groups. This is where you build real relationships. Sitting on a disclosure working group with the same 15 people for two years creates bonds that generate deal flow for a decade.

Use member directories strategically. These are pre-qualified lists of potential counterparties. SFIG’s directory, for example, categorizes members by role (issuer, investor, servicer, law firm) and asset class focus.

Attend regional events, not just nationals. The annual conference is crowded and competitive for face time. Regional events draw 50-200 people and offer far more relationship-building opportunity per dollar spent.

Don’t just join; participate. The value compounds with engagement. The funds that source the best deals are the ones whose partners speak at events, write for industry publications, and show up consistently.

Private networks and communities

Alternative Credit Council (ACC) is the global industry body for private credit. Increasingly relevant as ABF grows within private credit allocations.

Fintech and marketplace lender networks have emerged around the growth of technology-enabled origination. These range from formal associations to informal peer groups and Slack communities.

Alumni networks from investment banks with structured products groups (Goldman, Morgan Stanley, Citi, JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank) provide warm introduction paths to counterparties.

Placement agents and intermediaries

Placement agents see more deal flow than any single fund. They know what’s in the market, what’s coming to market, and where your mandate fits. The trade-off is that you’re competing with every other fund they cover.

When to use placement agents

Proprietary deals. Agents often have exclusive mandates from originators seeking capital. Some deals only exist if you’re in the agent’s distribution.

Market intelligence. They see hundreds of deals and can calibrate where you fit in the competitive landscape. A good agent tells you not just what’s available, but what you should be paying attention to.

Access. Some originators only work through agents, especially on first-time deals or when they don’t have existing capital relationships.

Time efficiency. Agents pre-screen deals and match to your criteria. Instead of reviewing 100 teasers, you see 10 that actually fit.

Major ABF-focused placement agents

Houlihan Lokey is strong in specialty finance M&A and capital raises. They advise both originators seeking capital and investors looking for deals.

Jefferies is active in consumer and specialty finance, particularly in the fintech lender segment.

Performance Trust specializes in community bank and credit union portfolios. If you’re buying loan pools from depositories, they’re a key relationship.

B. Riley covers middle-market specialty finance and consumer lending platforms.

Boutique advisors specialize in specific asset classes: healthcare receivables, litigation finance, royalty streams, etc. These smaller firms often have the deepest relationships in niche sectors.

Working with agents effectively

Be specific about your mandate. Vague criteria like “we look at all asset classes” mean you get everything and waste time on irrelevant deals. Tell agents: “Consumer unsecured, 660+ FICO, 24-month average duration, $20-50M facilities, 10%+ unlevered yield.” They’ll remember you when the right deal comes in.

Respond to deals promptly even if passing. A quick “not for us because X” is more valuable than silence. Agents remember who wastes their time and who provides useful feedback. The latter gets calls first on the next deal.

Build relationships with 3-5 agents. Too many dilutes attention, too few limits flow. Find agents whose coverage matches your mandate and invest in those relationships.

Understand agent economics. They’re paid on closed deals, so their incentives may not always align with your best terms. An agent pushing you to close quickly may be optimizing for their fee timeline, not your due diligence needs.

Fee structures to expect

Transaction Type	Typical Fee Range
Whole loan purchases	1-2% of committed capital
Warehouse facilities	0.5-1.5% of facility size
Forward flow agreements	1-2% of committed purchase volume
M&A advisory	1-3% of transaction value

Illustrative pricing. See pricing disclaimer.

Some agents charge retainers, particularly for buy-side advisory work. Weigh the retainer against expected deal flow. A $50K annual retainer needs to generate at least $50-100M of reviewed deals to pay for itself.

Direct originator outreach

The best deals often never hit the agent market. Originators with strong track records and growing portfolios have capital providers coming to them. If you wait for inbound, you’re seeing what everyone else sees. Direct outreach surfaces deals before they’re competitive.

Building your own pipeline vs. waiting for inbound

Inbound deals are competitive. When an agent sends a teaser to 50 funds, you’re in an auction. Terms compress and the winner often overpays.

Direct outreach surfaces deals before they hit the market. An originator who isn’t actively raising capital might still do a deal with the right partner. You just have to find them first.

The best originators often don’t use placement agents. They have existing relationships and don’t need to pay 1-2% to find capital. You have to go to them.

Identifying target originators

State licensing databases. Lenders must be licensed in the states where they operate. These public records show who’s originating what, where. California’s DFPI database, for example, lists all licensed consumer lenders with origination volume data.

ABS deal databases (Finsight, ABSNet, Bloomberg). Who issued term ABS recently? They likely need warehouse capacity for their next pool. Who issued two years ago and hasn’t been back? They might be looking for a new capital partner.

Fintech funding announcements. Series A and B fintechs with lending products will need capital. A company that just raised $20M in equity is about to need $50-200M in debt. Find them before they find agents.

Trade publications. Asset-backed Alert, Consumer Finance Monitor, and sector-specific publications report on new product launches and platform growth. Who’s expanding? Who’s entering new asset classes?

LinkedIn and Pitchbook. Map the specialty finance ecosystem. Search for CFOs and Capital Markets heads at originators in your target sectors. Build lists of 50-100 target companies.

Note: Set Google alerts for terms like “[asset class] + funding” or “[asset class] + capital raise” to catch news before it’s old.

Cold outreach that works

Reference specific knowledge of their business. “I noticed you expanded into point-of-sale financing for dental practices in Q3” shows you’ve done homework. Generic emails get deleted.

Lead with what you can offer, not what you’re looking for. Bad: “We’re a credit fund looking for deals.” Good: “We provide $25-75M warehouse facilities to healthcare lenders with 12-month average duration portfolios. Your product profile matches what we finance.”

Keep it short. 3-4 sentences max. Executives skim email. Your goal is a meeting, not a complete pitch.

Follow up twice, then move on. Day 3 and day 10 follow-ups are fine. After that, you’re spam.

Warm intros dramatically increase response rates. A shared connection, law firm, or service provider introducing you gets a 50%+ response rate. Cold email gets 5-10%. Invest in your network.

Building relationships before deals

The originator who’s “not ready yet” is your best target. When they’re actively raising, you’re competing with 10 other capital providers. When you’ve been talking for 18 months, you’re the natural partner.

The 18-month timeline:

Month	Activity	Goal
0	Initial meeting	Learn their business, understand capital roadmap
3	Check-in call	Share market update, learn about recent performance
6	Coffee or dinner	Deepen relationship, meet additional team members
9	Quarterly call	Market data sharing, continued relationship building
12	Strategy discussion	Discuss their growth plans and timing
15	Pre-capital planning	Help them think through facility structure
18	Facility discussion	When they’re ready to raise, you’re first call

Offer to be helpful without expecting immediate deal flow. Connect an originator with a servicer. Share a regulatory update that affects their business. Introduce them to a potential equity investor. Favors compound.

Share relevant market intelligence. If you see pricing data or deal terms in a thinly covered sector, originators want to know. Being a source of information keeps you top of mind.

Connect them with other counterparties. Originators need servicers, backup servicers, law firms, accounting firms, technology vendors. Being a connector makes you valuable beyond just capital.

Play the long game. Today’s $20M originator is tomorrow’s $200M originator. The relationship you build now pays dividends in three to five years when they’ve scaled.

Note: The best deal flow comes from originators who aren’t actively marketing. Build relationships 12-18 months before they need capital, and you’ll see opportunities before they hit the market.

Developing inbound deal flow

The goal is originators coming to you. This requires building reputation in specific segments.

Speaking and content:

Speak at asset-class-specific conferences (become known as the expert in equipment, consumer, etc.)
Publish thought leadership on market trends, deal structures, or sector analysis
Comment intelligently on LinkedIn about industry developments

Portfolio company referrals:

Ask existing portfolio companies for introductions
Request permission to share (anonymized) case studies
Happy originators are your best salespeople

“Known buyer” positioning:

When you close deals, let word spread (with permission)
Build reputation for speed and certainty
Develop known expertise in specific structures or asset classes

The goal is that when an originator in your target segment thinks about raising capital, your firm is on their short list without outreach.

Evaluating deal flow quality

Not all deal flow is good deal flow. Learning to quickly identify quality opportunities versus time wasters is a core sourcing skill.

The 15-minute screen

Before your first call, check:

Item	Where to find	Red flag
Management background	LinkedIn, SEC filings	No relevant experience in asset class
Funding history	Crunchbase, press releases	Multiple failed raises, rapid lender turnover
Regulatory status	State license databases, CFPB	Missing required licenses, recent enforcement
Company trajectory	LinkedIn job postings, Glassdoor	Mass layoffs, negative employee reviews
Recent performance	Rating agency reports (if available)	Recent downgrades, trigger breaches

Red flags in sourced deals

Originator has been shopped widely with no takers. If three other funds passed, ask why. There may be a good reason no one is biting.

Pressure to close quickly without adequate diligence time. “We need to sign by Friday” on a first-time deal is a warning sign. Real opportunities allow reasonable diligence timelines.

Intermediary can’t answer basic questions about the asset. If the agent doesn’t know the average loan size, FICO distribution, or geographic concentration, they’re just distributing a teaser they don’t understand.

Terms that seem too good. A 15% unlevered yield in a sector that typically trades at 9% means either you’re missing something or there’s adverse selection. Usually the former.

Multiple originators in the same space approaching you simultaneously. This can signal market stress. Why are three auto lenders all looking for capital at the same time?

Signals of quality deal flow

Originator has existing relationships with reputable capital providers. If Goldman or Ares provides their current warehouse, someone has already done serious diligence.

Clean data room available on request. Organized loan tapes, documented policies, historical performance data ready to share. This shows operational maturity.

Realistic pricing expectations aligned with market. They know what comparable deals have priced at and aren’t asking for 300bps tighter than market.

Management team with track record in the asset class. Executives who’ve run books of business in the sector before, ideally through a credit cycle.

Growing origination volume and improving credit metrics. Not just growth for growth’s sake, but disciplined scaling with stable or improving loss rates.

Passing gracefully

When you pass, do it quickly and clearly. A prompt “not a fit because X” maintains the relationship better than ghosting or stringing them along. They may be a fit later, and they talk to other originators.

Sample pass email:

Thanks for sharing the opportunity. After review, this isn’t a fit for us right now due to [specific reason: asset class outside mandate / facility size too small / risk profile doesn’t match current appetite]. Happy to stay in touch as your business evolves.

Managing deal volume

Track your funnel to understand where deals fall out and whether your sourcing is well-targeted:

Stage	Typical conversion
Teaser received to First call	60-70%
First call to Request data	40-50%
Request data to Term sheet	20-30%
Term sheet to Signed docs	50-70%
Overall: Teaser to close	5-10%

If your teaser-to-first-call rate is low, you’re either poorly targeted or not responding quickly enough. If term-sheet-to-close is low, you may be getting outcompeted on terms or not doing enough pre-term sheet diligence.

Balancing flow with capacity:

Know your team’s capacity: how many active processes can you run simultaneously?
Pass early when you know a deal isn’t close to your strike zone
Invest in deeper screens for deals that are close but uncertain
Track time spent per deal to understand true diligence costs

Tracking and measuring sourcing effectiveness

Track every deal by source:

Conference: which event, which contact
Agent: which firm, which relationship
Direct outreach: cold or warm intro
Inbound: how did they find you

Measure conversion rates by source:

Metric	How to Calculate
Review rate	Deals receiving initial review / deals received
Diligence rate	Deals entering diligence / deals reviewed
Close rate	Deals closed / deals entering diligence
Source efficiency	Closed deals / total deals from source

Calculate cost per closed deal by channel. Include staff time at loaded rates, conference costs, agent fees, and subscription costs for data sources.

Review annually and reallocate time to highest-ROI channels. If conferences generate 80% of your closed deals, maybe you should attend four per year instead of two. If agent deals never convert, reduce that channel.

Building a sustainable sourcing engine

Deal sourcing isn’t a one-time effort. It’s a machine you build and maintain over years. The funds with the best deal flow have been building their sourcing engines for a decade.

The flywheel effect

Closed deals lead to referrals. Every closed deal generates new relationships: the originator’s other counterparties, their law firm, their servicer. Each of these becomes a future deal source.

Reputation generates inbound. When you’re known as a reliable capital provider who closes deals and doesn’t retrade, originators seek you out. The best deal flow is the one that comes to you.

Market presence builds brand. Speaking at conferences, writing for industry publications, being quoted in trade press. Each appearance reinforces that you’re active in the space.

Strong track record attracts better deal flow. Success compounds. The deals you’ve closed prove you can close more. Originators and agents prefer working with funds that have a history of execution.

Common sourcing mistakes

Over-reliance on a single channel. Agents or inbound only means you see competitive deals. Conferences only means you lack depth. Diversify.

Inconsistent conference attendance. Relationships atrophy. The person you met at ABS East doesn’t remember you two years later if you haven’t stayed in touch.

Generic outreach that doesn’t demonstrate knowledge. “We’re a credit fund looking for deals” is noise. “We’ve reviewed your recent 144A and think we could provide more flexible warehouse terms” is signal.

Not tracking ROI by source. You can’t improve what you don’t measure. If you don’t know which channels generate deals, you can’t optimize your time allocation.

Treating deal sourcing as someone else’s job. At most funds, the investment team sources their own deals. Even with a dedicated BD function, principals need to be out in the market.

Organizational considerations

Dedicated BD/sourcing function vs. investment team sourcing their own deals. Both models work. Dedicated BD scales better but requires coordination with investment team to ensure sourced deals fit strategy.

CRM discipline. If it’s not in the system, it didn’t happen. Every contact, every meeting, every deal reviewed needs to be logged. This institutional memory is what lets you build relationships across a fund’s team.

Regular pipeline reviews. Weekly or biweekly review of sourcing activity: what came in, what’s being worked, what closed, what died. Identify gaps and opportunities.

Incentive alignment. Reward sourcing, not just closing. If analysts only get credit for closed deals, they won’t invest in relationship building that pays off in two years.

Maintaining long-term relationships

The originator relationship lifecycle

First meeting to first deal:

Originator stage	Typical timeline
Seed/Series A	18-24 months (they’re not ready yet)
Series B	6-12 months (starting to need capital)
Series C+	3-6 months (likely have facility, seeking expansion)
Established/repeat issuer	1-2 months (know what they want)

Staying in touch between deals:

Quarterly check-in calls (15-30 minutes)
Market update emails when relevant
Congratulate on milestones (funding rounds, new product launches)
Annual in-person meeting (dinner, coffee, or conference meeting)

Growing with originators:

The best relationships evolve over time:

Stage	Your role	Typical progression
First warehouse	Provide initial leverage	$25-50M facility at 70-80% advance rate
Warehouse expansion	Support growth	Upsize to $100-150M, improve terms
Additional warehouse	Diversify their capital	Second facility for different asset type
Term ABS support	Help with takeout	Coordinate with their ABS execution
Flow program	Ongoing capital	Programmatic whole loan purchases

When deals don’t close:

If you term a deal and don’t close, provide clear feedback on why. This maintains the relationship and may lead to future opportunities. Common reasons worth explaining:

Investment committee appetite shifted (market conditions changed)
Specific data issues that emerged in diligence
Terms couldn’t work for both sides (be specific about what didn’t work)

Building referral networks

Portfolio company referrals:

Your existing originators know other founders. Ask for introductions to companies they respect (not competitors). Provide referral updates so they know their introduction led to action.

Service provider relationships:

Lawyers, accountants, trustees, and servicers see deal flow before capital providers do. Build relationships with:

Structured finance law firms (they’re advising originators on facility structuring)
Specialty finance accounting firms (they’re auditing originator financials)
Corporate trustees and backup servicers (they’re talking to many originators)
Specialty consultants (they’re helping originators prepare for capital raises)

These relationships work both ways: you can also refer originators to good service providers.

The virtuous cycle:

Good deals and good behavior attract more good deals. Originators talk to each other. A reputation for:

Moving quickly and closing what you term
Being reasonable in negotiations
Providing value beyond capital
Maintaining relationships even when deals don’t close

…brings more inbound over time.

Quick reference: sourcing checklist

Monthly activities

Update target originator list (adds, removes, status changes)
Review intermediary deal flow and response times
Log all meetings and update CRM
Send market update to warm relationships

Quarterly activities

Reach out to top 20 relationship targets
Review conference calendar and schedule attendance
Analyze pipeline conversion rates
Coffee or dinner with 2-3 key relationships

Pre-conference

Review attendee list (4-6 weeks out)
Schedule 10-15 meetings before arrival
Prepare talking points and firm overview
Block 30% schedule buffer for hallway conversations

Post-conference (48 hours)

Send follow-up emails with specific next steps
Log new contacts in CRM
Schedule follow-up calls for promising conversations
Brief team on key meetings and opportunities

Key takeaways

Diversify your sourcing channels. Conferences, associations, agents, and direct outreach each serve different purposes. Relying on one leaves deals on the table.
Work conferences strategically. Pre-schedule meetings, focus on meaningful conversations, follow up within 48 hours.
Engage deeply with associations. Join committees, attend regional events, participate consistently. The value compounds over years.
Use agents for proprietary deals and market intelligence, but understand their incentives. They’re paid on closed deals, not your best terms.
Build your own pipeline through direct outreach. The best deals never hit the market. Find originators before they find agents.
Track everything. Source, conversion rate, cost per closed deal. You can’t improve what you don’t measure.
Play the long game. Today’s small originator is tomorrow’s large one. Relationships built now pay dividends for years.

Cross-references

Building an Originator Pipeline provides a deeper dive on direct originator relationships
What Capital Providers Care About covers what originators need from you
Forward Flow Agreements is a common structure for sourced deals
Warehouse Facilities is another common structure
Due Diligence Question Bank covers evaluating sourced deals