Building What’s Next: Inside the 2026 EPI Partner & Sponsor Symposium

Building a Shared Vision for What’s Next

The 2026 EPI Partner & Sponsor Symposium brought Partners and Sponsors together for two days of strategic conversations, collaboration, networking, and forward-looking discussions at the Exit Planning Institute^® (EPI).

More than an opportunity to hear organizational updates, the Symposium was designed to bring EPI’s partner ecosystem into the conversation about what comes next.

The event opened with Scott Snider, President of Exit Planning Institute, sharing EPI’s three-year strategic vision. The discussion gave Partners and Sponsors a closer look at where EPI is headed, the opportunities ahead, and the priorities that will shape the organization’s continued growth.

Just as importantly, it created an opportunity to explore how EPI’s Partners and Sponsors can participate in and help accelerate that growth.

Turning Feedback Into Action

One of the Symposium’s most interactive sessions focused on the Exit Planning Summit.

Led by Josh Koza, Director of Strategic Relationships, the Start/Stop Exercise invited Partners and Sponsors to provide candid feedback on the Exit Planning Summit experience, including some core questions:

• What should EPI start doing?
• What should EPI stop doing?
• And what would make the Exit Planning Summit more valuable for Partners and attendees?

The conversation reinforced the importance of listening directly to the people who experience EPI’s events firsthand. By creating space for honest feedback, EPI can continue to evolve the Exit Planning Summit experience to meet the needs of its community.

Creating More Meaningful Connections Across the EPI Ecosystem

Partnership creates meaningful connections. Through facilitated Round-Robin Table Talks, Partners and Sponsors explored how EPI can help create stronger connections across its ecosystem.

Participants discussed their ideal client profiles, what makes an introduction valuable, and where their expertise could complement other organizations' capabilities.

These conversations helped Partners better understand one another while giving EPI’s Member Experience Team greater insight into when and how to facilitate the right introductions.

The result was a deeper conversation around collaboration, referrals, complementary solutions, and the opportunities that emerge when organizations work together around a shared audience and purpose.

Supporting the Advisor Journey Beyond CEPA

Day two shifted the focus to the advisor experience following the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA^®) credential. Drew English, Director of Membership, explored the evolving needs of advisors as they begin applying the Value Acceleration Methodology™ in their practices and working with business owners.

Earning the CEPA credential is an important milestone, but the journey doesn’t end there.

As advisors put their knowledge into practice, they may encounter new needs for expertise, resources, technology, services, or strategic relationships. Understanding those needs creates opportunities for EPI and its Partners to connect advisors with relevant resources at the right time.

For Partners and Sponsors, the conversation offered a closer look at how they can create value across the broader CEPA journey.

Making Partnership More Strategic

A strong partnership should create measurable value for everyone involved.

Paige Wysocki, VP of Marketing & Brand Strategy, led Maximizing Your EPI Partnership ROI, a session focused on helping Partners and Sponsors think more strategically about their EPI involvement.

The conversation explored the process of defining desired outcomes, identifying the right opportunities, and creating activation plans around specific goals.

Partners also shared examples of creative strategies they’ve used to extend their presence beyond traditional sponsorship benefits and generate greater return from EPI events and experiences. By understanding what a Partner wants to accomplish and identifying the EPI opportunities that can help achieve it, the relationship can move beyond sponsorship and toward strategic collaboration.

Shaping the EPI of the Future

The Symposium closed with a forward-looking working session: EPI of the Future.

Led by Josh, the session brought together the ideas, opportunities, and feedback surfaced throughout the two days. Partners and Sponsors explored where EPI and its ecosystem could collaborate differently, which opportunities are worth pursuing, and what the next generation of EPI partnerships could look like.

Building What’s Next Together

The 2026 EPI Partner & Sponsor Symposium was an opportunity to strengthen the relationships, ideas, and shared vision that make the EPI ecosystem possible. Across two days, conversations moved from strategy to feedback, from connection to activation, and from today’s opportunities to the possibilities ahead.

EPI is proud to work alongside Partners and Sponsors who bring valuable expertise, resources, and perspective to the ecosystem—and we’re excited to continue building what’s next, together.

What is the EPI Partner & Sponsor Symposium?

The EPI Partner & Sponsor Symposium is a collaborative gathering that brings Exit Planning Institute Partners and Sponsors together with EPI leadership and team members. The Symposium provides opportunities to share strategic priorities, provide feedback, strengthen relationships, explore collaboration, and help shape the future of the EPI partner ecosystem.

Related Resources

• Learn More About the EPI Partner Network
• Meet our Sponsors at the Exit Planning Summit
• Learn More Through EPI Academy