Independent Deal Sourcers vs DealsByTed
Independent sourcers bring hustle and relationships. But their capacity is limited, quality is inconsistent, and the success fee model misaligns incentives.
Feature-by-Feature
| Feature | Independent Deal Sourcers | DealsByTed |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Freelance deal sourcing professional | AI-powered deal sourcing agent |
| Pipeline volume | 10-25 targets per month (typical) | 20-50+ qualified targets per month |
| Quality consistency | Varies significantly by individual sourcer | Consistent scoring and verification on every target |
| Verification depth | Varies — often surface-level | Multi-source cross-reference verification |
| Success fee | 1-5% of deal value (standard) | Optional on Operator plan only |
| Exclusivity | Often working with multiple buyers simultaneously | Dedicated to your thesis |
| Scalability | Capped by individual capacity | Scales with plan tier |
Where Independent Deal Sourcers Wins
Relationship network
Experienced independent sourcers have personal relationships with business owners and intermediaries that produce warm introductions.
Industry-specific expertise
The best independent sourcers have deep vertical expertise and can evaluate businesses with practitioner-level insight.
Performance alignment
The success fee model means you only pay the premium when a deal actually closes. Skin in the game.
Where DealsByTed Wins
Volume and coverage
Ted screens thousands of companies weekly. Even the best independent sourcer covers a fraction of that universe.
Cost predictability
Flat monthly fee. No success fee surprise on a $20M acquisition eating into your returns.
Consistency
Every target is scored and verified to the same standard. No variability based on the sourcer's effort level or current workload.
Exclusivity guaranteed
Independent sourcers often shop the same deal to multiple buyers. Ted sources exclusively for your thesis.
Cost Comparison
Independent Deal Sourcers
DealsByTed
Choose Independent Deal Sourcers If...
- You value warm introductions from someone with a deep personal network in your target vertical
- You want someone who can attend industry events and build relationships on your behalf
- You prefer paying primarily on success rather than a fixed monthly fee
Choose DealsByTed If...
- You need higher volume and broader coverage than any individual sourcer can provide
- You want guaranteed exclusivity on targets — no sharing with other buyers
- You prefer predictable costs without success fees reducing your acquisition returns
- You have been burned by inconsistent quality from freelance sourcers in the past
See the difference for yourself.
Schedule a call and we will walk through your specific thesis.