Unified long-term employee retention for post-sale

This MARE stock template is designed for business owners preparing for a company sale who want to retain and reward their key employees. By offering ownership-like incentives that vest over time, even after the sale, this plan helps ensure a smooth transition, preserves institutional knowledge, and keeps your top performers aligned with the company’s long-term success—whether they stay for the ride or help guide the next chapter.‍

• Retention that lasts: Incentivizes key employees to stay through and after the sale with clear, time-based vesting.‍
• Continuity for buyers: Preserves team stability and knowledge, making your business more attractive to potential acquirers.‍
• Flexible by design: Customize award timing and value to align with exit goals and employee contributions.

This plan is built to reward long-standing team members and keep them engaged through a potential sale and beyond. It uses full value awards, meaning each employee’s grant reflects the total contribution they’ve made to the business—not just from today, but from day one. This ensures that early belief and loyalty are honored with meaningful upside.

Awards are allocated using a percentage-based pool, keeping things simple and aligned with your company’s growth. As the valuation increases, so does the value of each participant’s share—making the link between business success and employee reward clear and motivating.

Vesting occurs annually over a 4-year period, encouraging employees to stay and contribute to the company’s continued success post-sale. This structure builds commitment through the transition while giving them something real to work toward each year.

To ensure performance remains a priority, this plan includes two milestones:

• Gross Revenue Growth of 5%
• This milestone ensures that top-line growth remains a focus, incentivizing the team to drive new business and boost overall revenue.
• Number of Jobs Completed
• This keeps the team focused on execution—making sure the business delivers results, meets customer demand, and continues to scale operationally.
  

Payments are deferred—they’re only made upon a company sale or once the full vesting schedule is completed. This approach supports long-term thinking while aligning incentives with the company’s strategic exit goals.

This plan is best suited for owners who are preparing for a company sale within the next few years and want to retain and reward the employees who helped build the business from the ground up. It’s especially valuable for:

• Founders of service-based businesses where day-to-day operations and customer relationships are deeply tied to individual employees
• Owners who want a clean, simple way to share future upside without complicating ownership or issuing formal equity
• Leaders who value loyalty and want to honor early team members with meaningful, tangible incentives
• Exit-minded owners who want to make their business more attractive to buyers by ensuring team continuity and post-sale commitment
• Small business owners without traditional stock plans, looking for a flexible alternative that still drives performance and retention
  

If you’re thinking about selling your business—or just want the option to in the future—this plan helps you lock in the people you’ll need to get there.