What This Course Covers 

Most private equity education focuses on theory or large, institutional transactions. This course focuses on the lower middle market, where fundamentals matter most and investors must operate with imperfect information, limited resources, and real constraints.

You’ll learn how private equity professionals think about deals from start to finish — not as abstract case studies, but as practical decision-making exercises.

This course emphasizes:

• How deals are actually sourced and screened
• How valuation works in practice (not just formulas)
• How transaction structures shape risk and returns
• How value is created after a deal closes

Who This Course Is For

This course is built for a broad audience, united by a common goal: understanding how private equity works in the real world.

 Students & Early-Career Professionals

Looking to break into private equity, investment banking, or corporate development and want to understand how deals actually work beyond interview prep. 

Entrepreneurs

Exploring acquisitions as a growth strategy and want to evaluate businesses through an investor’s lens.

Investors

Interested in lower-middle-market private equity and buy-and-build strategies, and looking for clear frameworks for underwriting and risk assessment.

Independent Sponsors

Executing or preparing to execute acquisitions and want practical guidance on deal screening, structuring, diligence, and value creation. 

What You Will Learn

By the end of this course, you’ll understand:

• How private equity investors source and screen deals in the lower middle market
• How to think about valuation using multiples, cash flow, and risk
• How leverage, equity, seller notes, and earnouts fit into a transaction
• How diligence is conducted and what risks matter most
• How investors think about value creation and buy-and-build strategies
• How exits work and how returns are ultimately realized