Why We Plan

The Emotional Maze of Exit Planning with Charis Santillie, CFLC, CFT

Discussion on the significance of Exit Planning and the emotional complexities involved in transitioning from being a business owner. Charis highlights her approach to coaching, emphasizing the neuroscience behind fear and change, and how she assists entrepreneurs in navigating these challenges. Insight into the benefits of integrating a life coach into the Exit Planning process from the start, enhancing decision-making and emotional well-being. The episode touches on family dynamics in ...

Breeds of Exit Planning: An ESOP Conversation with Kelly Finnell

The ESOP Advantage: Discover why ESOPs are not just an exit strategy but a powerful tool for ensuring the continuity of a business while rewarding its employees. This episode sheds light on the unique benefits of ESOPs and why seasoned advisors are crucial in navigating this complex yet rewarding terrain. Advisor Roles and Responsibilities: Advisors play critical roles advisors play in the Exit Planning process. From the fiduciary obligations of trustees to the strategic positioning of busi...

The Art of High Wealth Estate Planning: Insights from Vince D'Addona

In-depth Insights from Vince D'Addona: Celebrating his 44th year in the business, Vince D'Addona, a leading financial and insurance advisor, shares his extensive knowledge and experience in high wealth estate planning. Vince discusses the nuances of building a practice centered around wealth protection and transition, with a particular focus on exit planning for business owners. The Art of Exit Planning: Discover the strategic and multidisciplinary approach to exit planning as Vince and Joh...

Empowering Business Owners: Exit Planning Opportunities with Izak Smith

Host & Guest: John Brown (Founder of BEI) interviews Izak Smith, an Exit Planning advisor. Discussion Points: Izak Smith's Background: Shares his journey into Exit Planning, reflecting on his own experiences as a business owner and the evolution of his firm. The Role of Exit Planning: Highlights the necessity of a multi-disciplinary team, involving attorneys, financial advisors, CPAs, etc., for comprehensive Exit Planning. Growth and Challenges: Discusses the challenges and strategies o...

Exit Planning Evolution: Jim Carlisle's Transformative Journey

John Brown, founder of BEI, delves into a comprehensive conversation with Jim Carlisle, an expert in the field with 32 years of legal practice. Key highlights include: Jim's Background and BEI Involvement: Jim Carlisle discusses his extensive legal career and how his involvement with BEI has significantly changed the trajectory of his professional life, especially in handling mergers and acquisitions. The Shift in Practice: Jim explains how Exit Planning provided a new perspective, leading...

Strategic Insights: Bruce Willey's Path in Exit Planning

Host: John Brown, Founder of BEI Guest: Bruce Willey, Attorney and CPA Main Topics: The evolution of exit planning and its significance The role and resources of BEI in supporting advisors The impact of BEI on Bruce Willey's professional journey Challenges and strategies in exit planning Comparing third-party sales and insider transfers Building and leveraging a national network of advisors The importance of focusing on client outcomes Key Takeaways: Exit planning is a multifacet...

Planning the Future: A Newcomer's Journey in Exit Planning with Simon Horowitz

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intricate world of Exit Planning, blending professional insights with personal stories to provide a comprehensive view of the field. Host: John Brown, Founder of BEI Guest: Simon Horowitz, Emerging Exit Planner Main Topics: Exit Planning Training, Generational Business Transfers, Continuous Learning in Business Audience: Business owners, Exit Planning professionals, and those interested in succession planning Language: English ...

Unlocking Business Growth: The Art of Delegation with Stuart Sorkin

Join us on "Why We Plan" as Stuart Sorkin, a legal and financial strategist, unveils the secrets of effective Exit Planning. Discover why mastering delegation is crucial for business owners, how to align personal and business goals for a robust succession plan, and the essential steps to safeguard business continuity. Sorkin shares real-world stories and offers actionable advice for owners at any stage, ensuring their legacy thrives through generations. Tune in for an episode filled with exp...

Charting Successful Exits: Ken Rumbaugh's Journey with Business Owners

Ken Rumbaugh shares insights on his financial planning practice, https://www.kenrumbaughinc.com and passion for assisting business owners. Discussion on the evolution and success stories of business owners, highlighting the complexities and rewards of exit planning. Ken's experience with BEI, emphasizing its practical and commonsensical approach to exit planning. The significance of continuous training and learning in the field of exit planning. Benefits of networking and collaborative ...

The Power of ESOPs: Navigating Business Exit Strategies with David Blauzvern

In this episode, John Brown speaks with special guest David Blauzvern, Vice President of csgpartners.com. CSG Partners is an investment bank headquartered in New York City, specializing in ESOP transactions. This discussion revolves around Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), their benefits, and their complexities. Blauzvern emphasizes that while ESOPs offer unique advantages, especially for owners looking to preserve company culture and benefit employees, a lack of education about ESO...

Boosting Business Value: A Dive into Strategic Planning with George Sandmann

In our 100th episode of the Why We Plan podcast, BEI founder John Brown is joined by George Sandmann, CEO of Growth Drive, to discuss the topic of strategic planning and creating transferable value for owners. John and George dive into transferable value as an important metric for evaluating business success and its significance in exit planning. Furthermore, they emphasize the importance of forming a collaborative, multidisciplinary team to tackle challenges and objectives inherent in exit ...

Deferring Taxes with Section 453: A Key Element of Exit Planning

In this episode of "Why We Plan," John Brown, the founder of BEI, is joined by Dan Finn, the founder of Finn Financial Group, to discuss how business owners can reduce the tax impact of selling their business to a third party. Finn explains how Section 453 of the Internal Revenue Code can be used to take a cash sale and defer a portion of the proceeds, thereby reducing the tax obligation in the present and deferring it into the future. Brown and Finn discuss how this strategy can help busine...

Sharpening Your Exit Planning Skills: Educational Tools and Techniques

In this episode of "Why We Plan," John Brown, founder of BEI, speaks with Casper Scott Yost , a Certified Exit Planner and Advisor. They discuss different learning tools and techniques available for business owners and their advisors to better plan for the exit from a business. Casper shares his experience with BEI's CExP program and continuing education requirements, which provide technical knowledge and expand the scope of working with family business owners through neuroscience. They also...

Exploring Alternatives to Selling Your Business

The newest episode of the podcast "Why We Plan" discusses the different elements of Exit Planning. Our guest, Michael Wildeveld, shares insight about how his business primarily sells companies and engages in business sales of all sizes, ranging from $200,000 to $40 million. Michael believes that selling the company is not the only solution for business owners, and sometimes it may not be the best solution. He argues that for some entrepreneurs, the goal is not to go lay on the beach or play ...

Maximizing Profits through Tax Planning: Insider Plan Spreadsheet

The latest podcast episode of "Why We Plan" features John Brown, the founder of BEI, and Keven Prather, a long-term BEI member who practices total wealth management for clients where he plans for exits and transitions, with a focus on treating the business as an asset class. Prather discusses a tool that he uses, the BEI insider plan spreadsheet, to lay out the net after-tax effects of an insider transaction for a business owner, whether it be a majority or minority sale. This allows for sce...

Plan Your Exit: Expert Advice for Transitioning Out of Business Ownership

This episode features an interview with Alex Weatherly, an estate planning lawyer with more than 35 years of experience. Weatherly started his career in a tax estate planning law firm and gradually became interested in exit planning, realizing that for many business owners, their business is their most significant asset. He became a BEI Member, an exit planning organization, to learn more about the exit planning process and eventually became a full participant. In this episode, Weatherly tal...

Streamlining the Exit Planning Process: Insights from a First-Year BEI Member

In this episode of "Why We Plan," host John Brown talks to Daniel White, a first-year member of the BEI team, about his experience developing and executing an Exit Planning process for business owners. Daniel shares how his firm, Allen, Gibbs & Houlik, L.C., had various advisory services related to Exit Planning, but lacked a cohesive process to bring them all together. He explains how BEI provided the training and tools needed to create a clear process that allows business owners to exit th...

Adding Exit Planning to Your Practice: Why It's Crucial for Business Owners

In this episode of "Why We Plan," we hear from Craig Rubrecht, CEO of Cornerstone Wealth Group, who shares his experience with adding Exit Planning to his wealth management practice. Craig discusses the reasons behind his firm's decision to add Exit Planning, the impact it has had on the firm, and the benefits of working with BEI, a training and software organization that supports advisors throughout the country. He talks about the role of Exit Planning in helping business owners exit their ...

Exiting on Your Terms: The Thoughtful Approach to Family Business Continuity Planning

Welcome to "Why We Plan", a podcast for business advisors and their clients about how to better plan for the exit from a business. Join John Brown, the host of the podcast and founder of BEI, Business Enterprise Institute, as he discusses different elements of Exit Planning with experienced guests, including real-life stories, challenges, and opportunities of owners and their advisors. In this episode, John is joined by Nick Niemann, a family business continuity attorney, who shares his uniq...

Maximizing the Value of Your Business

In this episode of Why We Plan, John Brown interviews Scott Bushkie of Cornerstone Business Services, Inc. on his experience in Exit Planning and working with BEI. Scott and his team at Cornerstone Business Services offer concierge M&A services for the lower middle market, with the goal of maximizing value for businesses through high-quality services that surpass the typical offerings of a business broker. Scott highlights best practices regarding identifying potential buyers and how his t...

Presence is Paramount in Exit Planning

Exit Planners Play Offense & Defense

The Benefits of Bringing Business Continuity to the Table

The Value of a Proven Process and a Professional Network

Balancing Economical & Emotional Decisions in Family Business Planning

The Evolution of ESOPs as an Exit Path

Structured Installment Techniques in an Exit Plan

Creating an Exit Planning Reputation

Exit Planning Demand Differentiates Your Practice

Exit Planning Demand Differentiates Your Practice

What is The Business Actually Worth?

Find Your Niche Market of Clients

How to be Successful in Your First Year as an Advisor

Everything You Need to Know About Business Valuations

Even Advisors Need an Exit Plan Too

How Can the Certified Exit Planner Designation Change Your Practice?

Work Toward Proving Your ROI as an Exit Planning Advisor

This podcast is for informational purposes only. Business Enterprise Institute (BEI) is not affiliated with or endorsed by PAS, Guardian, or Planning Alliance and opinions stated are their own. D. Jeremy Pugliese is a Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities, LLC (PAS). Securities products and advisory services offered through PAS, member FINRA, SIPC. Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is ...

Exit Planning for Women Business Owners

Exit Planning for Woman Business Owner

The Deal is Not Everything

831(b) Plans Give Owners More Exit Options

In this technical podcast, Ed does a deep dive into how a business owner could benefit from securing an 831(b) Plan, including: Any premiums they pay into their captive 831(b) Plan are a tax-deductible expense to the business on the front end, lowering the operating company's taxable incomes. The premiums paid into the captive 831(b) plan are tax-deferred. Those funds can be managed while those policies are in force, and after premiums are no longer at risk. Funds removed from the 831(b...

The Longer the Runway, the Bigger the Plane

John Brown, Founder of BEI, sits down to speak with Kaitlyn Carlson, Founder of Theory Planning Partners, to discuss the difference between working with millennial and baby boomer business owners. Working with business owners for many years now, Kaitlyn has come to realize that it can be difficult to plan with the end in mind, especially for young entrepreneurs just starting their careers. But no matter if your client is a baby boomer who has built the company from the ground up for the last...

Ingredients for Business Growth: People and Process

In this episode of Why we Plan, John Brown, Founder of BEI, sits down with Spencer Hilligoss, CEO of Madison Investing, to discuss the importance of scaling a business. Spencer started working at a very young age working for his father and learned some hard life lessons a lot sooner than most business owners. He discusses how he used the knowledge he learned from the mistakes he made scaling his own business over a 10–15-year span. Spencer explains that even business owners without any exper...

Are Your Business Owner Clients Prepared for Retirement?

The Highest Bidder is Not Always the Best Buyer

Business Relationships Move at the Speed of Trust

Protect, Preserve, and Pass Along Wisdom

A Great Employee Does Not Always Make a Good Owner

Elizabeth and John sit down to discuss the best strategies to transition to a third-generation owner. Elizabeth brings up an example of a business owner she recently spoke with that is currently in the process of transitioning ownership to the third generation. She mentioned that this company had a successful transition to the second generation, but they learned a few things they wanted to change during the next transition, including what questions to consider. Tune in to learn how John and ...

Help Your Clients Find Clarity

Planning is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

In this podcast, John Brown, Founder of BEI, sat down with Tom Bayer, CPA, CExP, Partner at Sikich, to discuss how Exit Planning should be an ongoing, continuous process with your clients, not a one-time transaction. Tom has been a longtime friend of John’s and has been a BEI Member for quite a few years. In Tom’s ten years of experience in Exit Planning, he has concluded that Exit Planning is a marathon, not a sprint. Tune in to learn how to identify where your owner clients might be in the...