Deal Sourcing
Find acquisition targets, investment properties, or business opportunities and connect them with motivated buyers. Earn a finder's fee or commission on every successful introduction. No capital required - just relationships and research.
Earning potential
$2K–$15K per closed deal
Time to first income
4-8 weeks
Difficulty
Intermediate
Why Deal Sourcing works in 2026
Buyers with capital are always looking but rarely have time to source deals themselves. Sellers often don't know how to find serious buyers. You sit in the middle and make both sides happy. A single closed deal can earn more than months of traditional work, and your rolodex compounds over time.
Your first milestone
Get your first Finder's Fee Agreement signed, make your first qualified introduction within 2 weeks, and have at least one deal actively progressing toward close.
Step-by-step: how to start
The first 10 steps are public. The full playbook (14 steps + templates + ongoing support) is inside the $199 membership.
- 01
Choose your deal type: small business acquisitions ($100K–$2M), commercial real estate, or early-stage startup introductions for investors. Pick the one where you have the most existing context or contacts.
- 02
Spend 3 days understanding how deals work in your chosen category: what buyers look for, what sellers care about, typical deal structure, and finder's fee norms (usually 2-5% for business deals).
- 03
Build a 'Buyer Profile' for each type of buyer you will work with. What size deals? What sectors? What geography? What are deal-breakers? This becomes your filter for every lead you assess.
- 04
Create a simple CRM in Notion or Airtable with columns: Deal Name, Category, Estimated Value, Contact Name, Status, Next Action, Finder's Fee Estimate. Keep every deal here.
- 05
Source your first 5 buyers. Start with LinkedIn: search 'acquisition entrepreneur', 'search fund', or '[your niche] investor'. Message 20 potential buyers with a short, specific note about the type of deals you source.
- 06
Once you have buyer conversations underway, start sourcing deals. Use business-for-sale sites (BizBuySell, Acquire.com, Flippa), LinkedIn, and local business networks. Look for businesses with motivated owners: retirement, health issues, partnership disputes.
- 07
Qualify each deal before making any introduction. Use your Buyer Profile to confirm size, sector, financials, and owner motivation match. Never introduce a deal you haven't evaluated.
- 08
Draft a simple Finder's Fee Agreement (template provided). Get it signed before making any introduction - even with friends. This protects your commission.
- 09
Make the introduction with a one-page deal summary: business overview, financials, asking price, reason for sale, and why you think it's a fit. Never just forward contact details.
- 10
Track every open conversation weekly. Deals take time. Send a 'checking in' note every 2 weeks to keep momentum. Know your role: you facilitate, you don't negotiate.
4 more steps + templates + ongoing support inside the membership
Unlock the full playbook — $199 →Tools you'll use
Most members run this stream on under $200/mo in tool spend. See the full AI tools ranked by profitability breakdown.
What's included in the membership for Deal Sourcing
- ✓Buyer intake form
- ✓Finder's fee agreement
- ✓One-page deal summary
- ✓Introduction email
- ✓Weekly deal flow update
- ✓Follow-up sequence
- ✓The complete 14-step playbook (not just the first 10)
- ✓Access to all 29 other income streams + community + weekly training
30-day money-back guarantee · lifetime access · no recurring fees
Common mistakes (avoid these)
Making introductions without a signed fee agreement - verbal agreements don't hold up
Sourcing deals before you have active buyers - you're doing work with no one to sell to
Introducing deals you haven't qualified - you lose credibility with buyers fast
Chasing too many deal types at once - specialisation gets you known and trusted faster
Key metrics to track
- Active buyers in pipeline
- Deals sourced per month
- Introductions made per month
- Deal close rate
- Average fee per closed deal
Want the bigger picture?
Read the complete guide to AI income in 2026
Deal Sourcing is one of 30 income streams. The pillar guide explains all four AI income models, how to choose between them, and the exact 30-day path from zero to $1,000.
Read the complete guide →Ready to start Deal Sourcing?
Take the free assessment first to confirm this is your highest-probability stream. Then join when you're ready to execute.