FINANCIAL TOOLKITS
What is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®)?
CEPA® stands for Certified Exit Planning Advisor—a professional trained specifically to help business owners like you prepare for a smooth and rewarding transition. The CEPA designation comes from the Exit Planning Institute and brings together business strategy, financial planning, and personal readiness. In plain terms: a CEPA helps you take stock of where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there—whether that means growing your business’s value, preparing it for sale, or mapping out your next chapter with confidence.
You’ve poured years of effort, skill, and smart decision-making into building your business—it didn’t happen by accident.
Along the way, you’ve weathered challenges, seized opportunities, and built something meaningful. Now, as you start thinking about what’s next—whether that means selling, passing the business on, or simply stepping back—it’s natural to have questions. How do you protect what you’ve built? What comes after? That’s where a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) can help: by bringing clarity to your options and guiding you through a thoughtful, personalized transition plan that reflects your goals, values, and the life you want next.
Why Does Exit Planning Matter?
If you’re like many business owners, most of your wealth is tied up in your company. But according to the Exit Planning Institute:
- Nearly 80% of owners plan to transition out of their business in the next 10 years.
- Yet fewer than half have a written financial plan.
- And 70% of businesses put on the market don’t sell.
That’s not for lack of effort—it’s often because owners are so focused on running the business that preparing for life after it gets pushed aside. A CEPA can help make sure that doesn’t happen to you.
What Does a CEPA® Do?
Working with a CEPA means getting guidance that’s:
- Strategic – focused on building the value of your business now, not just preparing it for a future sale.
- Collaborative – helping coordinate your team of professionals (attorney, CPA, banker, etc.) so everyone is aligned.
- Personal – helping you define what “success” looks like after your transition—financially, emotionally, and practically.
The CEPA process is grounded in the Value Acceleration Methodology™, a proven framework that integrates three key areas:
- Business value – improving profitability and operations.
- Personal finances – making sure your wealth supports your lifestyle and goals.
- Life after business – helping you plan for purpose, identity, and time beyond the company.
How Clute Wealth Management Supports You
At Clute Wealth Management, we understand that exiting a business isn’t just a transaction—it’s a major life transition. Our CEPA-trained advisor brings decades of experience to the table, along with:
- A fiduciary commitment—we always act in your best interest.
- A team approach, including three Certified Financial Planners™ and a dedicated support staff.
- A clear, step-by-step process that keeps you informed and in control from the first conversation through the final transition and beyond.
Whether your ideal exit is 2 years away or 10, the sooner you plan, the more freedom and flexibility you’ll have when the time comes.
Let’s Talk About What’s Next
You’ve built something you can be proud of. Now let’s talk about what’s next—on your terms.
Schedule a conversation today to explore your options and begin mapping out a plan that honors your values, protects your legacy, and opens the door to your next chapter.