There’s nothing quite like the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Every March, millions of fans across the country obsess over making their perfect bracket only to have it busted on day one. For business owners, their eventual exit can feel just as intense and unpredictable.
Advisors who use the Value Acceleration Methodology™ (VAM) give their business-owner clients a game plan, so their exit looks less like a last‑second heave and more like a disciplined, well‑executed playbook.
Tip-Off
The Value Acceleration Methodology tips off with what Christopher Snider, Exit Planning Institute® (EPI) Chairman, calls the Triggering Event.
“The Triggering Event is like a supercharged business valuation because it not only tells you what your business is worth today (if anything), but it also tells you what its potential Best-in-Class Value may be,” Christopher writes in Walking to Destiny.
Most importantly, the Triggering Event leads to owner action 70% of the time. This makes it the most crucial step in VAM, and is necessary to help an owner turn their business from successful to significant.
When owners see their Value Gap, the difference between where their business is currently and where it could be, they are far more willing to commit to a long‑term improvement plan instead of treating exit as a one‑time transaction. For Certified Exit Planning Advisors (CEPA®), this is where the real advisory relationship begins.
Once you conduct the Triggering Event and tip off the Value Acceleration Methodology, it’s time to take a step into the first two gates of VAM, Discover and Prepare.
Setting the Tone
No team dominates a full 40‑minute game without handling the first half well. In exit planning, that first half is the Prepare Gate of the Value Acceleration Methodology. This is where owners and their advisory team execute in focused 90‑day sprints.
A key part of these sprints is strengthening the four intangible capitals: Human, Structural, Customer, and Social. Growing these intangible capitals includes building leadership depth, documenting processes, diversifying customers, and reinforcing culture, all of which contribute to a more transferable, less owner‑dependent company. Over time, these short, intense sprints compound into meaningful long‑term value, just as a series of defensive stops and smart possessions can completely change the momentum of a close game.
Crunch Time
Every tournament game eventually comes down to the final few possessions. In the Value Acceleration Methodology, that moment is the Decide Gate, where owners must choose whether to exit now, recapitalize, or keep growing.
By the time owners reach this stage, they are no longer guessing. With a CEPA’s help, they have a clear understanding of their current and potential value, as well as their personal and financial readiness. In the Decide Gate, the owner and the advisor should know the available exit options, including a full sale, a management buyout, or family succession. They can also choose to continue growth and reenter the Prepare Gate, where they drive more value into the business.
While this is crunch time for the business owner and their advisor, it doesn’t have to feel like a desperation shot at the buzzer. Because of the work done in the Discover and Prepare Gates, which have already been put in, owners can make decisions from a position of confidence rather than urgency.
Hero Ball vs. Team Ball
The best part of the EPI community and of exit planning through the Value Acceleration Methodology is that it’s not all on your shoulders as the CEPA. You don’t have to play hero ball; instead, you can rely on your advisory team to help carry the load.
Consider your exit planning team as a Fab Five, with the CEPA as the point guard, running the show. Others on your team should include a lawyer, a financial professional, someone who can assist the owner with the personal side of exiting a business, and others. The CEPA could be any of those advisor types, but usually they’ll lead the team by coordinating communication, finalizing plans, and more.
In Walking to Destiny, this idea is referred to as the “quarterback” of the exit planning team, but no matter which sports metaphor you use, the idea remains the same. When each advisor knows their role and communicates effectively, the owner’s chances of a successful, significant exit skyrocket, just like a well‑coached team that trusts the system
About the Certified Exit Planning Advisor Credential
A Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) is a professional credential for advisors who wish to engage with business owner clients through the exit planning process using the Value Acceleration Methodology™. Through the CEPA credential, advisors can provide new offerings for clients and stand out from their non-CEPA peers, all while gaining access to education, resources, and a vast network of like-minded professionals.
Related Resources
