The means we will utilize to achieve this mission are:

• treat all candidates and firms with respect and prompt, professional service
• focus exclusively on positions related to the buy and sell side investment dealer space
• provide candidates with a confidential, discrete means to consider new opportunities
• charge employers a reasonable fee that mirrors your business model
• charge fees on a success basis only
• never headhunt

Treat All Candidates and Firms with Respect and Prompt, Professional Service

Ludwig Financial will ensure that you are treated with the highest level of professionalism.  Candidates, when we contact you it will be handled discretely and exactly as you specify. We will respect your wishes with respect to the opportunities you want to hear about, when you want to hear about them and how you want to be contacted.  No one will call you trying to “sell” you on something outside of your defined criteria.  You inquiries will be handled promptly and efficiently.  We will respect the busy positions of the people at firms giving us mandates.

Focus Exclusively on Positions Related to the Buy and Sell Side Investment Dealer Space

At Ludwig Financial, we are industry experts.  By focusing exclusively on the investment dealer space, our industry knowledge is so in depth that Ludwig Financial is regularly consulted by investment banking and other capital markets heads on matters relating to compensation, strategy, market perception, internal feedback and competition.  As a consequence, Ludwig Financial candidates are welcomed – even preferred – at most firms on the Street.  The Street understands the concept of “getting paid” for the provision of valued services.  Candidates, do you want to know if you are being underpaid vis-a-vis your peers?  Call us – we can tell you.

Provide Candidates with a Confidential, Discrete Means to Consider New Opportunities

Every candidate, from the most junior to the most senior, needs a confidential way to consider new opportunities.  The Street is small, and you do not want to be caught looking.  Ludwig Financial can provide you with full details regarding opportunities at different firms – compensation expectations/guarantees, reporting lines, responsibilities, account coverage, etc. – without ever putting you forward to the firm.  If and when you decide to go forward on an opportunity, we can construct a discrete protocol for the interview process, such as off-site meetings at our office, restricting dissemination of your resume to one person only prior to meeting and restricting firms from contacting you directly.  Firms respect this process – if they do not, Ludwig Financial does not work with them.

Charge Employers a Reasonable Fee that Mirrors Your Business Model

Virtually all of the revenues earned in the investment dealer space (sell side) are success-oriented.  If you close the financing, you get paid.  If you successfully close the M&A deal, you get paid.  If you cross the block, you get paid.  You do not get paid just for showing up.  Ludwig Financial’s fees are paid by the hiring firm and are 100% success-oriented, mirroring the way you earn your fees.  Why would you pay up front for the privilege of working with a retainer-based firm – as much as 2/3 of a fee and more – without even hiring a candidate, and without necessarily even being remotely impressed with the candidates delivered?  Employers can pay up upon hiring in situations where comp is guaranteed, or you can pay when you pay your new hire – it is up to you.

Charge Fees on a Success Basis Only

Although its importance might be not readily apparent, this element of Ludwig Financial’s business is critical.  From a candidate’s perspective, the fact that Ludwig Financial does not charge up front means that, if the positions exist, Ludwig Financial will always have many mandates for you to consider at a wide range of firms, and will not try to push you toward the one or two mandates that retained firms have in the space.  From a firm’s perspective, our model ensures that the top candidates register with Ludwig Financial, ensuring that by engaging us you are very thoroughly scouring the available talent market.

Never Headhunt

You’ve never received an unsolicited call from a consultant at Ludwig Financial.  Do not be insulted – it is simply our business model.  If we made outbound and unsolicited calls, we would have to divide the dealer world into firms that we hunt from, and firms that we hunt for.  By registering with us, candidates access virtually every firm on the Street with active hiring mandates, and we never burn bridges.  Any time a candidate uses Ludwig Financial to move, it is through a candidate-initiated process, and dealers know this.  Call us – we won’t call you.