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Drew Watkins is the founder of ella, a service that empowers trusted advisors to guide small business owners through the complexities of selling their businesses. Building on his expertise in product management, human-centered design, and emerging technologies, Drew is reshaping the small business exit process, equipping advisors with tools to drive value-maximizing transitions.

His role at ella spun out of his time as an Innovation Consultant at Erie Insurance, where he led product strategy and experimentation on projects within the Next Level Innovation team, including related to agent perpetuation. His career began at Cast & Hue, a consultancy rooted in human-centered design, and continued as a founding member of Interobang, a lean digital product incubator, where he drove the development and in-market testing of multiple ventures.

Drew thrives at the intersection of technology and human-centered design. His passion lies in solving complex challenges with innovative solutions, now focused on ensuring that small business owners can exit with clarity, confidence, and maximum value.

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Issue One: The Annual Exit Magazine

The Annual Exit is a valuable resource for professionals in the exit planni..

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Know Your Gaps

Three numbers every business owner should know and manage to meet their goa..

Phase 1 Stage 1: The Value Maturity Index - Identifying Value

Materials to use within the Value Maturity Index: Identifying Value portion..

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The Impact of Unplanned Consequences on Business Value Whitepaper

Learn how professional advisors help mitigate the risks associates with the..

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Securian Approved Content

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The Value Acceleration Methodology

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120-Day CEPA Playbook: Download the Playbook

For a new CEPA, following the 120-day CEPA Playbook will be a critical piec..

Brochure

2022 Colorado State of Owner Readiness Quick Look Brochure

Review the most notable statistics and findings from the 2022 Colorado Stat..

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2022 Colorado State of Owner Readiness Report

Download the 2022 Colorado State of Owner Readiness Report to see where Col..

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2023 National State of Owner Readiness Report

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2024 Webinar Series

Join us as EPI interviews our 2024 speakers about their experiences.

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2025 Webinar Series

Join us as EPI interviews our 2025 speakers about their experiences.

5-4-3-2-1 Whitepaper

This whitepaper takes the Value Acceleration Methodology and breaks it into..

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5-4-3-2-1 Whitepaper

This whitepaper breaks the Value Acceleration Methodology into 5 easy conce..

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A Look Inside The Unique World of - Value Creation Whitepaper

EPI interviewed 13 Value Advisors within the Exit Planning Community to lea..

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A Look Into Pressure Solutions Inc.: An Exit Planning Case Study

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Access My Courses

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Best-In-Class Whitepaper

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Case Study: Human Capital, The Exit Planning Institute

How Exit Planning Institute focused on improving their Human Capital.

Case Study: The Value of Transitioning a Business to its Employees

Learn more about Happy Earth Cleaning’s transition from LLC to Co-operative..

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Case Study: The Value of Transitioning a Business to its Employees

A case study to help owner's determine the best course of action for their ..

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Case Study: Value Acceleration

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CEPA Development Scorecard

Track your progress and growth by completing the CEPA Development Scorecard..

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Decentralizing the Business Owner

Do you know the risks in with a business that is completely dependent on th..

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Decentralizing the Business Owner

Do you know the risks in with a business that is completely dependent on th..

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Email Marketing Templates

Sample templated emails to begin to educate owners and advisors and build y..

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EPI Chapter President Circle Meeting Notes

Meeting minutes from previous Chapter President Circle Meetings can be foun..

Case Study

Exit as a Business Strategy: A Collection of Case Studies from Advisors and Owners

When deciding to exit their business, an owner has several internal and ext..

First Steps

The first steps after earning your CEPA designation.

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Five Stages of Value Maturity Infographic

An in-depth look at the Five Stages of Value Maturity

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Five Stages of Value Maturity Infographic

An in-depth look at the Five Stages of Value Maturity

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From Successful to Significant

The framework for a high value business transition.

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From Successful to Significant Whitepaper

Business, Personal, Financial: A Holistic Approach to High-Value Transition..

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Infographic: Beyond CEPA Path

The Beyond CEPA Roadmap is designed to provide Certified Exit Planning Advi..

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Infographic: Decentralizing the Business Owner

See the importance of decentralizing the owner and ensuring the business ru..

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Infographic: Five Stages of Value Maturity

The Five Stages of Value Maturity impact the growth and ultimate sale of a ..

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Infographic: The 5 D's

Educate an owner on the ways they may be forced out of their business due t..

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Infographic: Who Has a Seat at the Table

Understand the key members on your exit planning team and the roles they pl..

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