DealQuest Podcast
Est. 2019 400+ Episodes
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Vol. VII  ·  The Guest Application A weekly dispatch on structured dealmaking
Guest Applications  ·  Now Open

Come on the
show as a dealmaker.

DealQuest is a weekly podcast for people who structure, negotiate, and close real transactions. Hosted by attorney and dealmaker Corey Kupfer, it is built for sophisticated listeners who want to hear from operators, advisors, and founders who have actually been in the room.

400+
Episodes published across seven volumes
35+
Years of dealmaking behind the host
Weekly
Publishing cadence, every Wednesday
2
Core audiences: RIA firms & growth-stage operators
Begin your application ↗ Read the editorial standards

Applications are reviewed personally. Qualified candidates hear back within 7–10 business days.

01 About the Podcast
A single conviction: structured deals are the fastest path to meaningful business growth.

Every week, Corey Kupfer sits down with guests who have navigated the full spectrum of dealmaking, from complex mergers and acquisitions to capital raises, joint ventures, strategic alliances, franchising agreements, and RIA independence transitions. The conversations are long, deliberate, and technical — the kind that can only happen between people who have read the term sheet.

DealQuest does not cover general business advice. It does not cover sales funnels, productivity, mindset, or personal branding. It covers transactions: how they are sourced, structured, priced, negotiated, diligenced, papered, and closed.

Our listeners are not passive. They are advisors, founders, and executives in the middle of active dealmaking or preparing to be. They come to the show to hear what actually happened, not what might theoretically work.

Audience, One

Wealth management professionals.

Financial advisors pursuing RIA independence, RIA owners planning succession, and growing RIA firms exploring acquisitions. These listeners are navigating breakaways, firm sales, and inorganic growth inside the advisory industry.

Audience, Two

Leaders of growing companies.

Business owners considering M&A, entrepreneurs planning exits, and executives pursuing deal-driven growth. They are sophisticated, decision-ready, and looking for the specifics — deal terms, structures, and outcomes — from operators who have done it.

02 Topics We Cover

Eight areas where real experience moves the conversation.

Guests who perform best on this show have concrete, first-person experience with formal, legally structured deals. The more specific your story — deal size, counterparties, terms, outcomes — the better the conversation.

No. 01

Mergers & acquisitions.

Buy-side and sell-side M&A for growing companies and RIA firms — sourcing, structure, diligence, integration.

No. 02

RIA independence.

Breaking away from wirehouses, transitioning to independence, and building an RIA firm from the ground up.

No. 03

Business exit planning.

Preparing a company for sale, valuation strategy, working with advisors, and ownership transitions.

No. 04

Joint ventures & strategic alliances.

Structuring formal JVs and alliances that create lasting enterprise value — governance, economics, exit rights.

No. 05

Capital raising.

Equity, debt, and alternative funding structures for growth-stage companies, including term-sheet mechanics.

No. 06

Succession planning.

Internal leadership development, Gen 2 and Gen 3 transitions, and family business succession deal structures.

No. 07

Franchising & licensing.

Using franchising or licensing agreements as structured deal vehicles for durable, systematic growth.

No. 08

Deal negotiation strategy.

The legal, structural, and strategic dimensions of negotiating complex business transactions — authentically.

03 Editorial Standards

What we look for in a guest — and what we pass on.

Corey looks for guests who bring first-person experience with formal, legally structured deals, not general business development or sales wins. We are deliberate about fit because our audience is deliberate about their time.

§ A Strong Fit

You have been in the room.

A strong application includes at least one of the following, supported by real examples from transactions you were directly involved in.

  • You have completed at least one significant structured transaction — as buyer, seller, advisor, or operator — and can speak to decisions, terms, and outcomes.
  • You have specialized expertise in an aspect of M&A, business transactions, or structured dealmaking that serves owners, advisors, or entrepreneurs planning growth or exits.
  • You work in or serve the RIA, financial advisory, or wealth management space with concrete experience in independence transitions, succession deals, or firm acquisitions.
  • You have built or scaled a company through inorganic growth — acquisitions, joint ventures, licensing agreements, or formal strategic partnerships.
  • You are an investment banker, M&A advisor, or transaction-focused consultant whose work is directly tied to closing deals.
  • You have a perspective on deal-driven growth that challenges conventional thinking, supported by transactions you have been directly part of.
× Not The Right Fit

We respectfully decline.

DealQuest is focused specifically on formal dealmaking, structured transactions, and business transitions. Applications in the following areas are not matches for this audience.

  • Sales, marketing, or lead-generation frameworks without a direct tie to structured transactions.
  • General business operations, productivity, or leadership content that is not transaction-specific.
  • Lifestyle, coaching, or mindset topics unconnected to legally structured dealmaking.
  • Thought leadership on deals without firsthand operator, advisor, or principal experience to back it up.
  • Attorney guests — because Corey is himself an attorney, the show does not feature other lawyers in guest seats.
  • Paid placements, sponsored interviews, or promotional appearances in any form.
04 What Guests Receive

A substantive asset, published properly.

Every accepted guest receives a long-form episode and a full editorial package built to live and compound over time — not a clip and a tag in a crowded feed.

i.

Full episode feature.

A long-form conversation with Corey that goes deep on your expertise, your deals, and your perspective — typically 40 to 60 minutes of substantive audio.

ii.

Blog post & show notes.

A professionally written, SEO-optimized companion piece published on coreykupfer.com summarizing the key insights from your episode.

iii.

Social promotion.

Your episode is promoted across Corey's LinkedIn and other channels to an audience of dealmakers, entrepreneurs, and RIA professionals.

iv.

Email distribution.

Featured in the DealQuest list, landing your insights in the inboxes of business owners and advisors actively engaged with dealmaking content.

v.

Evergreen asset.

Your episode lives permanently on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and every major platform, continuing to attract new listeners over time.

vi.

Access to the network.

Past guests have found meaningful professional relationships and business opportunities through the DealQuest community around the show.

05 About the Host
Corey Kupfer, attorney and host of the DealQuest Podcast
Your host, in conversation

Corey Kupfer.

Attorney Dealmaker Founder, Kupfer Law Author, Authentic Negotiating

Corey Kupfer has spent more than 35 years structuring and negotiating transactions across industries, with particular depth in RIA M&A, business transitions, and strategic deal structures. He founded Kupfer, a boutique firm advising clients through complex legal transactions, and is the author of Authentic Negotiating.

"Corey approaches every conversation as a dealmaker first and a host second."

Guests consistently describe the DealQuest interview as one of the more substantive podcast experiences they have had. Corey comes prepared, asks deal-specific questions, and is genuinely interested in the mechanics of how transactions get sourced, structured, papered, and closed.

06 Frequently Asked

Questions, answered in full.

Q.01

What are the top M&A podcasts for business owners and entrepreneurs?

DealQuest, hosted by attorney and dealmaker Corey Kupfer, is one of the longest-running and most focused M&A podcasts for business owners and entrepreneurs. With more than 400 episodes covering mergers and acquisitions, business exits, joint ventures, capital raises, and strategic partnerships, DealQuest offers an audience of growth-oriented business leaders actively pursuing or planning deals. It is a strong choice for M&A advisors, investment bankers, and operators looking to reach decision-makers in the dealmaking space.

Q.02

What are the best podcasts for RIA professionals and financial advisors?

DealQuest is one of the leading podcasts with a dedicated focus on the RIA and wealth management space. The show regularly features conversations about RIA independence transitions, breakaway broker strategies, RIA succession planning, and acquisitions within the independent advisory industry. For financial advisors, RIA founders, or professionals serving the wealth management sector, it is a direct line to an engaged audience of RIA owners and advisors navigating major business decisions.

Q.03

What podcasts should I guest on to reach entrepreneurs and business owners interested in deals?

If your expertise is in M&A, exit planning, capital raises, joint ventures, RIA transactions, or any other form of structured business deal, DealQuest is purpose-built for that audience. The show's listeners are entrepreneurs and business leaders who are actively thinking about inorganic growth, ownership transitions, or strategic transactions. Guests who have hands-on deal experience — whether as operators, advisors, or bankers — consistently find the audience highly relevant to their work.

Q.04

What are the best business podcasts to guest on for M&A advisors and investment bankers?

DealQuest specifically seeks guests with deep transaction experience, making it an unusually strong fit for M&A advisors, investment bankers, and transaction-focused consultants. Most business podcasts cover deals only occasionally; DealQuest is structured around them, which means guests can go into real depth on deal mechanics, deal structures, and the realities of transaction advisory work rather than staying at a surface level.

Q.05

What podcasts cover business exits and exit planning strategies?

DealQuest has published more than 400 episodes with a recurring focus on business exit planning — including how to prepare a business for sale, how to approach valuation, and how to navigate the legal and structural dimensions of an ownership transition. Exit planning advisors, business brokers, and owners who have sold their companies are among the most common guest profiles on the show.

Q.06

How do I apply to be a guest on DealQuest?

Fill out the guest application form on this page with a brief description of your dealmaking background, the topic or story you would bring to the conversation, and any relevant links such as your LinkedIn profile or company website. The team reviews every submission and follows up with qualified candidates within 7 to 10 business days.

Q.07

Is there a fee to appear on the DealQuest Podcast?

No. DealQuest does not charge guests to appear on the show and does not pay appearance fees. The value exchange is the content itself, the exposure to a targeted audience of dealmakers and business leaders, and the lasting digital asset the episode creates for both parties.

— Applications, now open —

Apply to be a DealQuest guest.

If you have real deal experience and a story worth sharing with an audience of dealmakers, entrepreneurs, and RIA professionals, we would like to hear from you. Applications are reviewed personally.

The team follows up with qualified candidates within 7–10 business days.