BD Team Structure and Compensation

Overview

How firms structure their business development function — dedicated BD teams vs. hybrid models, team size, seniority mix, compensation philosophy — and the downstream effects on culture, deal quality, and retention.

Key Perspectives

• Glenn Oken advocates for a dedicated BD team of 3-4 people compensated through equity (not just bonuses). At Mangrove, three BD partners plus an admin screener process ~3,000 deals/year. Glenn warns against pure "eat what you kill" comp models, which create unhealthy internal competition. He emphasizes that BD professionals should be included in every IC meeting and have the authority to speak for the firm. (Ep. 21)
• Jake Colognesi takes the opposite structural approach at Mamba Growth: no dedicated BD team. Everyone sources, including the founding partner. He prefers the hybrid model (source + execute) because diligence experience informs better company identification and outreach. (Ep. 20)

Points of Agreement

• Both agree BD professionals need real authority and firm knowledge to be effective
• Both emphasize that seniority matters less than competence and genuine engagement

Points of Debate

• Dedicated vs. hybrid: Glenn advocates dedicated BD with equity comp; Jake prefers all-hands hybrid sourcing
• Team size: Glenn says 3-4 is "fulsome" and >4 is "superfluous"; Jake's 6-person team all source as part of broader roles

Episode Coverage

Episode	Guest	Angle
Ep. 20	Jake Colognesi	All-hands hybrid model at a growth equity firm
Ep. 21	Glenn Oken	Dedicated BD team with equity comp at a buyout firm