Mount Rushmore of BD - Lessons Learned from Legend Award Winner Jay Jester

About this episode

Jay Jester shares insights on building effective business development teams and the importance of trust in deal-making.

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…

People in this episode

Hosts: Dan Herr, Matt Rooney

Guest: Jay Jester

Topics covered

• business development
• sourcing teams
• trust building
• founder psychology
• strategic asset

Keywords

• business development
• sourcing
• trust
• founder psychology
• strategic asset
• deals
• feedback

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Plexus Capital

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