This session explores the fundamentals and real-world importance of business valuation. Attendees will gain an understanding of common valuation approaches, key value drivers, and how valuation informs decisions across transactions, strategic planning, financial reporting, and business transitions.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the core valuation methodologies—including income, market, and asset-based approaches—and when each is typically applied.
- Identify key value drivers such as financial performance, industry trends, risk factors, and operational fundamentals that influence a company’s worth.
- Recognize how valuation insights support decision-making in areas like transactions, succession planning, financial reporting, and strategic growth initiatives.
About the Presenters:
Hear from industry experts Corley Thomas and Brian Crotty.
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Event Location
Event Details
Who Should Attend?
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Business Owners & Their Trusted Advisors
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Business Owners
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Other Business Professionals
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Business Consultants
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Professional Advisors
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Members of Family Business Boards
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Private Business Owners
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Other Professional Advisors
Regardless of your unique specialty, there is seat at the exit planning table for you. Learn more at www.EarnCEPA.com.
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Family Business Advisors
More than 50% of lower middle market business owners would prefer to transition to the next generation. Help them succeed with exit planning strategies.
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Commercial Lenders
One of the best relationships a business owner makes is with their banker. How can you help your corporate clients think about the future and ensure financial continuity? Answer: exit planning.
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Mergers & Acquisition Advisors
Proper exit planning causes less deals to fall through at the last minute. Connect with CEPAs to build your healthy deal flow network.
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Insurance Professionals
Exit planning addresses the 5 D's. So do you. Approach the risk conversation differently with exit planning.
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Strategic Consultants
One of the most critical roles in exit planning is building transferable value. Strategic consultants have the ability to expand options and drive rapid business value that affect performance today.
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Estate Planners
Exit planning is a natural fit for estate planners who want to operate more holistically with their owner clients.
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Investment Bankers
Only 2 of every 10 businesses that come to market actually sell. Learn how exit planning can bring attractive AND ready business to your purview.
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Valuation Analysts
Valuation is both a billable engagement AND an opportunity to provide owners some perspective on how to accelerate value drivers (and deal with value killers). Use exit planning to make that valuation into a longer term value acceleration engagement.
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Financial Advisors
One of the critical ‘legs of the stool’ is personal financing planning. An owner must have a strong financial plan & contingency plan post-transition to enable them to thrive in the next act of the lives personally and financially. Exit planning brings this future mindset into the present. Exit is now.
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Wealth Managers
You’re a skilled relationship person. Being entangled into your clients’ professional lives matters as you build a strategy to manage their wealth upon them harvesting it from their business. Exit planning allows you to build a deeper relationship with your client, expands your COI network, while giving you an early seat at table well before the liquidity event.
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CPAs/Accountants
Owners participating in the State of Owner Readiness research continue to indicate that you are the No. 1 "Most Trusted Advisor." You are a natural fit to lead the exit planning team and deepen your relationship (and retention) of next generation owners.
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Attorneys
You have close relationships with clients, and can benefit from being the first advisor to introduce the idea of exit planning.
EXIT PLANNING IS GOOD BUSINESS STRATEGY
The Exit Planning Institute, provides Financial Advisors, Accountants, Consultants, and other advisors of business owners with the critical education to differentiate themselves and add value to their existing client relationships through a credential, conference, courses, and content. Download the CEPA brochure for more information.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Leading HDH’s Midwest Market since 2011, Brian specializes in Business Appraisals, ESOPs, and Litigation Support. His background includes valuation consulting, litigation support, and teaching as an adjunct accounting faculty member.
He holds a BBA in Finance from the University of Iowa’s Henry B. Tippie College of Business and an MBA in Accounting from the University of Phoenix. Brian was selected as a candidate in the inaugural Forbes 2025 America's Top CPAs For Valuations List.
“My passion is working with business owners and companies on their ownership transition. Among my most valuable strengths is the ability to grasp highly technical issues that ultimately drive value for our clients.”
Originally from Mundelein, Illinois, Brian now calls West Des Moines home, where he and his wife are raising two boys and two dogs. When not helping business owners plan for the future, he can be found playing golf, coaching baseball, or attending his children's numerous sporting events, including travel baseball, travel soccer, basketball, football, swimming, and golf.