Being inducted into the Exit Planning Institute®’s (EPI) Circle of Excellence alongside the late Peter Christman was both special and emotional for Ken Sanginario, founder of CVM: The Value Growth Company.
Ken, a nationally recognized pioneer in creating the value growth service industry, first connected with EPI thanks to his friendship with Peter. “Peter was a dear friend and mentor,” Ken shares. “I had huge respect for him, and he took an interest in me when I was virtually unknown outside of the turnaround world. Peter helped me recognize how I could positively impact the Value Acceleration Methodology™.”
At the time, Ken had already spent years turning around distressed companies, observing the same business patterns repeatedly. Companies with strong products or services were slipping into distress under the weight of their own growth.
“Without fully developed and aligned systems, processes, strategies, and cultures, even the best offerings can’t sustain success,” he says. “And then it doesn’t matter how great your product or service is.”
From Turnarounds to Value Growth
In 2010, Ken founded CVM: The Value Growth Company, to teach business owners and advisors the lessons he learned during his turnaround career – lessons that aren’t taught anywhere else but in the trenches of distress – lessons that would help owners create significant value by employing a value enhancement process. His expertise aligned perfectly with the Value Acceleration Methodology, especially the early stages of assessment and the Decide Gate, where owners choose whether to sell or “hold and grow.”
“Value Growth is at the beginning and in the middle of the Value Acceleration Methodology. It’s part of the initial assessment and valuation, as well as the growth and value enhancement phase, and that’s exactly what CVM’s specialty is.”
“I started CVM because, although I could touch hundreds of business owners and companies on my own, if I could teach others the process of “how to” create value in private companies, I would be able to impact thousands.” Thus, the Certified Value Growth Advisor® (CVGA®) and Value Opportunity Profile® (VOP®) were born.
Building the CVGA and VOP
The response to the VOP® was immediate and well-received. “Other advisors really responded well to it and were using it with their clients. But then they needed to know how to really leverage this tool, so that ignited the journey towards building the CVGA® education program.”
The CVGA® certification is dedicated exclusively to creating value in private companies. This 40-hour program equips advisors and owners with practical skills to drive measurable results for businesses. For many advisors, it’s a powerful next step after earning the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®), expanding their ability to implement the value growth portion of exit planning.
Hundreds of professionals have since earned the CVGA®, and its recognition in the business community continues to expand. “We are helping preserve and strengthen the middle market economy. My personal mission is to share this knowledge with as many people as possible.”
Through the program’s training, participants learn to assess over 50 business categories, identify constraints, and build action plans that drive sustainable growth. The results are real, and companies are doubling or tripling their value in five years or less.
A Legacy of Learning and Impact
Ken’s induction into EPI’s Circle of Excellence recognizes not only his personal contributions but also the reach of the CVGA® education program and the VOP® software.
“What makes me most proud is knowing that advisors around the world now have the tools to make a lasting difference,” he says.
And his best advice for both owners and advisors remains simple: keep learning.
“The best advisors, the best owners, the best in anything are those who make learning a lifelong effort.”
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