How to Network Like a Pro in Investment Banking | The Coffee Chat Podcast: Ep. 29

In this episode of The Coffee Chat, host Ben sits down with Jack, a first-year student at Miami University of Ohio, to discuss how to navigate the world of investment banking recruiting — from networking and technical prep to understanding the middle market vs. bulge bracket difference. Jack shares his early interest in finance and how he’s preparing to break into the industry, while Ben offers practical coaching on building authentic relationships, asking better questions, and standing out in early conversations with bankers. They also cover what makes the middle market such a strong training ground for future private equity professionals and how students can use storytelling, curiosity, and specificity to turn networking calls into real connections. Sign up for the Adventis Financial Modeling Certification (FMC) program at https://adventiscg.com --- Edited by Jamie Regan - ‪@CreatedByRegan‬ Hosted by Ben Dowell Guest: Jack Starzyk -- 00:00 – Intro: Welcome to The Coffee Chat 00:24 – Meet Jack from Miami University of Ohio 01:20 – Jack’s path to investment banking and long-term goals 02:11 – Why diligence matters for future buy-side roles 03:11 – How middle market banking builds stronger deal experience 04:00 – Comparing middle market vs. bulge bracket exposure 05:20 – Why smaller deals can mean better learning opportunities 06:10 – Middle market deal flow and stability 07:20 – Choosing the right banking environment for your style 08:40 – Networking to confirm your career interests 09:30 – Balancing technical prep and networking as a freshman 10:00 – How to tell if a networking call went well 11:15 – Making conversations enjoyable for the banker 12:30 – The right and wrong way to ask questions 14:00 – How to ask open-ended questions that engage 15:10 – Examples of good vs. bad networking questions 16:40 – Avoiding “interrogation-style” conversations 17:55 – Using research to make conversations memorable 18:50 – Getting people to talk about what they love 19:20 – Developing technical prep through guides and books 20:15 – What finance books are worth reading (and which aren’t) 21:00 – Learning from real-world middle market deal stories 22:30 – Jack’s experience writing for Unfiltered Finance 23:45 – How writing improves market knowledge and communication 24:45 – Turning your experiences into strong interview stories 25:50 – Example: Writing about the consumer credit report 26:30 – Covering industrials and learning about niche businesses 27:15 – How to sound more fluent in industry language 28:45 – Using detailed examples to show real understanding 30:10 – Building story-based answers for interviews 31:00 – Can you move from Cleveland to New York in finance? 32:20 – How different banking environments shape your skills 33:40 – Navigating career transitions and networking geography 35:00 – Timing and market cycles in banking career moves 36:15 – Staying flexible and exploring new opportunities 37:10 – Final thoughts and encouragement for students