Post-close · Education & Training

Management Incentive Plans (MIP) Counsel for Education & Training Acquisitions

Independent sponsor counsel for education and training, focused on Management Incentive Plans (MIP) and the deal mechanics that protect sponsor economics and LP alignment.

EV range $8M to $90M EV EBITDA $2M to $15M Audience Independent Sponsor
The deal context

Management Incentive Plans (MIP) on education and training deals is one of those workstreams that looks routine on a checklist and decides outcomes in practice.

The typical education and training platform sits at $8M to $90M EV with EBITDA in the $2M to $15M range. The thesis runs on private school, training academy, or B2B training platform consolidation. Accreditation continuity is the only thing that matters in the first 30 days post-close.

The moves

How Management Incentive Plans (MIP) actually gets structured.

  1. Size the MIP at 10 to 15 percent of post-close equity, with 60 percent time-vested and 40 percent performance-vested.

  2. Use profits interests for tax efficiency, with a clear strike value at grant.

  3. Build double-trigger acceleration on change of control plus termination.

  4. Document the MIP in the LLC operating agreement, not in a separate plan only.

  5. In education and training, layer in accreditor pre-notification calendar set as part of the Management Incentive Plans (MIP) workstream.

The common mistake

Promising the MIP percentage in the LOI without modeling the impact on the LP waterfall. The LP finds out and the deal stalls.

Jason's take
"MIPs are the cheapest retention tool you have. Use them deliberately, document them precisely."
Jason Powell · Management Incentive Plans (MIP)
Capital after close

The deal is one thing. The capital that opens up after close is another.

After close, the call list for refinancing, recapitalization, and growth equity gets short and known. Jason carries that list.

MONTH 18
Senior refi
MONTH 24
Dividend recap
MONTH 36
Growth equity
YEAR 4–5
Strategic exit
WORK WITH JASON

Bring the education and training deal. Get Management Incentive Plans (MIP) done right.

Direct counsel from a securities and M&A attorney with billions in structured transactions, the independent-sponsor-native playbook, and the capital markets network that opens up post-close.