Who We Are
Industry-focused team with discipline and tenacity in the pursuit of success for our clients' strategic objectives.
About Our Company
SchoolWise Partners was established with the vision of becoming the trusted and strategic M&A advisor for private school owners and providers in the early education industry. Our comprehensive services are built upon a foundation of profound industry knowledge, extensive experience in transactions, dedicated senior-level attention, and a real-time understanding of the industry-specific value drivers. Our firm is committed to providing knowledgeable, transparent, and personalized guidance to clients seeking to execute transactions and strategic engagements.
Backed by decades of collective experience as investment bankers, seasoned investors, and owners of 42 private schools, SchoolWise Partners offers invaluable support to industry providers in their pursuit of exit and growth strategies. Our competitive advantage lies in our deep industry expertise, relevant transaction experience, and unparalleled capabilities, which ensure the best possible outcomes. We possess an in-depth understanding of the market, key players, and the factors that influence valuations and business development. Our strategic focus is centered on the early and secondary education sector, as we believe in sticking to what we know best.
Our strategic focus is centered on the early and secondary education sector, as we believe in sticking to what we know best. Our unwavering passion for education serves as a driving force, not only in creating value for our clients but also in fostering broader enhancements to the functionality and sustainability of early childhood and secondary education. Despite being in a transactional business, we approach our work with a strong emphasis on building relationships.
We are — Advisors. Educators. Entrepreneurs.
Our History
After enjoying successful careers in investment banking and private equity, the founders of SchoolWise Partners, Ben Mayer and Charlie Zamora, embarked on a mission to enhance the accessibility and quality of early childhood education. Their vision was straightforward: acquire exceptional private schools and equip them with additional resources and capabilities to amplify their community impact.
Their journey began in 2012 with the acquisition of two Montessori schools in Georgia. From 2013 to 2018, they expanded the company by adding 40 schools through acquisitions and de novo development. These schools, spanning across 11 states, grew to a total of 42, catering to over 7,000 students and offering a diverse range of curricula such as Montessori and Reggio-Emilia. During this period, they established a highly effective support network and robust back-office infrastructure, adding value in areas like academics, technology, marketing, and professional development. Their efforts were recognized by the Inc. 5000, a testament to their accomplishment. Subsequently, Ben and Charlie exited the company in 2018 by selling to a private equity group, paving the way for the birth of SchoolWise Partners.
Through their extensive experience as one of the most active buyers in the industry from 2012 to 2018, Ben and Charlie discovered a significant gap in the early education sector—a lack of professional, "investment banking-esque" representation for school owners and education providers. They observed that without quality representation, many owners faced challenges in finding a clear path to exit or settling for less favorable terms with a single buyer. SchoolWise Partners was established to bridge that gap and level the playing field, offering strategic expertise to all providers and maximizing outcomes for their clients.
Delivering Highest Level of Services for Our Clients.
Focus on Execution and Value Creation
Our Mission & Purpose
With a firm understanding of where the early education industry has been, and where it is going - we strive to maximize outcomes, identify areas of alignment and accelerate growth and impact across the education industry. SchoolWise Partners was built on the understanding that smaller sized transactions deserve the same level of high service and attention that the mega-deals receive. We thrive in attentive service, creative ideas, skilled execution, and extraordinary value creation.
Our Mission is to deliver the highest level of services and achieve the best possible outcome for our clients. We want to be the first-choice advisor to providers in the education sector.
Our Purpose is to meet the needs of underserved providers in the sector seeking strategic expertise. We want to level the playing field for all, and we do that by leveraging our knowledge and capabilities.
At SchoolWise Partners, we are committed to our clients, colleagues, and our communities. We strive to embody the highest standards of integrity, excellence, commitment, stewardship, and partnership.
Committed to Our Shared Values, Our Team, and Our Clients
Integrity. Excellence. Commitment. Stewardship. Partnership.
Our Principles
What sets us apart is the way we do it — our culture, our values, and our commitment to our clients in the early education sector. We believe the key to building lasting relationships and ensuring exceptional outcomes is by following these core principles:
Integrity. We do the right thing for our clients, every time. We stand by our promise to honor and respect our relationship, and to always work on your behalf.
Excellence. We have a steadfast commitment to excellence and refuse to settle for “good enough”. It is our duty to achieve the very best outcome on your behalf.
Commitment. We are transparent in our actions and care about how we do business. Our commitment rests with exceeding your expectations.
Stewardship. Your legacy matters. We strive to ensure a smooth and beneficial transition for you, your families and staff. We treat your school as if it was our own.
Partnership. We strive to forge strong and meaningful relationships with all of our clients that we engage with, and remain engaged with them long after we’re finished.
Ivy League Educated. Bulge Bracket Experience.
Meet the Team
SchoolWise Partners brings together experts in early childhood education with a background in investment banking and entrepreneurship. Our leadership team is built on experienced individuals who all share a deep commitment to making a positive impact to our clients in the early education sector.
Ben Mayer
Managing Partner
Charlie Zamora
Managing Partner
Andy Zwick
Director
Jefferson Betancourt
Vice President
Scott Verdine
Director
Donny Steinmetz
Vice President
Taylor Mayfield
Associate
Camilo Lora
Analyst
Join Our Team
Being best-in-class is the promise we make to all of our clients in the early education industry. Our ability to deliver on that promise requires that we attract and hire talented, team-focused, creative, and leadership-oriented candidates. We strive to maintain a culture that is centered around growth and development, mentorship and sponsorship. SchoolWise Partners is built on a foundation of exceptional leaders where industry knowledge, disciplined process execution, and negotiation expertise is molded into every team member.
Our partners average over 15 years working with emerging leaders in the industry’s largest and most established diversified education companies. Our team contributes tremendous value to our clients, and embodies a level of integrity, intensity and transaction instinct that is unwavering.