Start-up Real Estate Fund Opportunity - Figuring out Managing Member Economics

To all,

I have been lucky enough to be potentially seeded by a wealthy investor who wants to lock me up for 5 years on a new venture. He is going to give me an offer sheet this Friday (12/15/17) and I want to make sure that I get the best deal without appearing greedy. Initial base is $120K year 1 with escalations to $250K after meeting certain investment hurdles (AUM growth) which provide more CF to the bottom line. I'm going to get up to 25.0% of the platform including CFs but will vested over a 5-year period to ensure I stay the length of the commitment. I wrote the strategy and will split the LP sourcing 50/50 and my investor will bring the GP $/loan guarantee support. He's going to roll 100.0% of the acquisition fee into the GP equity portion, so no bonus...

Is this a fair wage for basically doing 75.0% of the work? I'm 30 with a decade worth of real estate experience and for the past 5 years have been running a small one-man PE shop and partnering with family offices (been apart of $500MM+ acquisitions/development). I spoke to a headhunter who said that I'm a SVP/MD level because of my experience and should be making at a minimum $300K all-in + points (non-institution) if I were to go work for an institution or PE shop.

I worry that I could make the same amount over a 5-year span just based off my annual salary + bonus + points without the start-up risk and stress. I should be making at least 3x in my opinion at the end of the 5 years. 2x isn't enough for the risk & stress. The experience would be amazing but I need to be properly compensated. I feel like I need an annual bonus to keep me motivated... the equity is the prize at the end.

Thoughts?

3 Comments
 
Best Response

Don't look for immediate profits or income, if thats what you seek then you'd be better of working for someone else. Don't look on a five year span, look on a 15-20 year span, do you believe you will have a better future here, if so, then you have to suck it up. I think most guys that are around your age on this site would take the opportunity in a heartbeat. When you invest in yourself, you don't seem immediate gain, but over the long-term, if you believe in yourself to perform, you'll kill it.

Array
 

i think you should ask for a tad more than 25% if you're raising half the LP equity and sourcing debt. but i don't think it's a horrible bargain and it sounds similar to other agreements i've heard about.

one question is whether "the platform" is a fee-heavy platform. is it possible to do well without promote? you might not hit your promote if you think we are "due" for a downturn or slowdown (not that i am predicting one, but you might have an opinion). but if you own 25% of a big "fee machine" then you could still be way better off than going out and working for an established shop.

another question is, of course, DO you have a $300,000/yr offer from a PE shop? might not be as easy as your headhunter friend makes it sound.

 

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