John Colley • Investment Banking Practitioner Series

Unlock Private Equity Careers: The Complete LBO Bootcamp

Ace Your PE Interview | Technical Questions, Case Studies & LBO Modelling by an Industry Insider

★★★★☆ 4.0 (3 ratings)  |  24 students enrolled  |  6.5 hours of video  |  98 lectures
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The promise

“The interview-ready LBO bootcamp — every technical question, every case study, every modelling step PE firms test you on.”

4.0★
Rating
24
Students
6.5
Hours
98
Lectures
April 2025
Updated

Why this course

Private equity hiring is brutal. The interviews are technical, the case studies are timed, and the LBO modelling test will sort the prepared from the hopeful inside thirty minutes. This bootcamp is built for the candidate who wants to walk into that final round and own the room.

Every section maps to a question PE firms actually ask. Core LBO mechanics, what makes an ideal LBO candidate, how senior and junior debt tranches actually work, IRR and MOIC interpretation, dividend recaps, refinancing for returns, the strategic value of the interest tax shield, 100-Day Plans, management equity plans, and exit strategies including IPO, strategic sale and secondary buyout.

If you have an interview booked, an offer to negotiate, or a role you want, this is your shortcut to interview-ready in six and a half focused hours.

What you will master

Every outcome below is built into the course — not a marketing list, the actual curriculum.

Explain core LBO mechanics, the role of PE, and how leverage amplifies returns in buyout transactions
Identify and evaluate ideal LBO candidates using key financial and operational characteristics
Analyse LBO transaction dynamics: deal sourcing, valuation, due diligence and execution
Structure LBO financing using senior and junior debt tranches, understanding lender perspectives
Optimise capital structures, dividend recaps and refinancing for IRR and MOIC outcomes
Calculate and interpret IRR and MOIC in LBO models
Quantify the strategic value and cash flow impact of interest tax shields
Implement PE operational value creation: 100-Day Plans, efficiency improvements, growth in portfolio companies
Design Management Equity Plans using stock options and equity grants
Evaluate exit strategies (IPO, Strategic Sale, Secondary Buyout) considering market timing
Analyse LBO capital structure risks, covenant breaches and default scenarios
Build foundational LBO models integrating financial statements, debt schedules and returns calculations

Who this course is for

  • Aspiring or junior investment banking analysts and associates targeting M&A, LevFin or Financial Sponsors groups
  • Aspiring or junior private equity analysts and associates preparing for interviews and on-the-job success
  • Finance students (Undergraduate or MBA) targeting competitive internships and full-time offers
  • Corporate development and strategy professionals evaluating M&A with financial sponsors
  • Professionals in transaction advisory or credit analysis roles
  • Anyone who wants a structured, practical, efficient way to understand the complete LBO process

Requirements

  • No prior LBO experience required
  • Foundational understanding of basic finance and accounting beneficial
  • Some basic Excel skills beneficial but not essential
Your instructor

John Colley

Investment banker turned educator. 30+ years across Hoare Govett, M&A, private equity and corporate finance. Cambridge graduate, Bayes Business School MBA with Distinction.

Author of the Investment Banking Practitioner’s Handbook Series — the largest practitioner-authored IB content library available online. Trusted by 150,000+ students across 30+ Udemy courses.

Every course is built on real deal experience — not textbook theory. The voice is a senior banker explaining how things actually work, not a lecturer reading notes.

Ready to enrol?

Lifetime access. 30-day Udemy money-back guarantee. Mobile and desktop. Certificate of completion.

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Part of John Colley’s finance course library on Udemy. More courses at jbdcolley.com