Deal Sourcery Running Towards Deals - Mike Alberts on the M&A Fitness Club and Why BD is the Best Job in PE
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Nov 20, 2025 Mike Alberts, Principal and Head of Business Development at Cohere Capital, shares his intriguing journey from cold-calling to mastering M&A. Discover how he founded the M&A Fitness Club to build stronger relationships through shared workouts and accountability. Mike highlights why business development is the most fulfilling role in private equity, emphasizing hands-on learning and connection with entrepreneurs. He also explains unique sourcing strategies at Cohere and the importance of leading with value to differentiate in a competitive market.
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How The M&A Fitness Club Started
- The M&A Fitness Club began as conference runs and workouts to add accountability and connection on the road.
- Mike posted a photo on LinkedIn and the idea snowballed into regular meetups and invites.
Shared Suffering Builds Faster Trust
- Shared early-morning workouts create longer, deeper conversations than typical conference meetups.
- Mike finds that shared effort builds trust and makes business conversations more impactful later.
Start By Learning And Helping
- Call every BD person you know and learn how they built their models before designing yours.
- Lead conversations by asking how you can help the other person, not by demanding deal flow immediately.