Navigating Business Exit Planning: Tim Lynch and Calvin Pearson Earn CEPA Designations

Every successful business owner eventually must answer one of life’s more complex three-part questions:

• How do I value and continue to grow my business today?
• What do I do when it’s time to sell? And…
• What opportunities will life present once I exit?

Answering part three of that question has long been core to the 6 Meridian mission, as we look to help protect and preserve what you’ve worked hard to achieve by providing you with a diversified asset allocation mix and a well thought out plan.

Now, two of our very own are especially equipped to help with parts one and two, as both Tim Lynch and Calvin Pearson have recently earned the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) designation. 

Earning a CEPA credential – which requires a rigorous course of study and preparation to pass an exam offered and overseen by the Exit Planning Institute – positions Tim and Calvin to help business owners clarify their answers to that challenging three-part question.

The knowledge and guidance that a CEPA holder can share helps set clients on a course to better understanding the actual value of what they’ve built today, while strategically planning to capitalize on that value at the most opportune time, should they decide to do so. The credential also better positions Tim and Calvin to work with CPAs, investment bankers, and attorneys (some of whom have their CEPA designations as well) who will collectively form the key “deal team” when any such transaction gets underway.  

“Too often when I’ve met business owners, their exit planning strategy has consisted of the vague idea that at some point, at some time, they will do something. That something might be to sell outright, it might be to sell a majority interest, or it might mean handing the reins to key employees or family members. But knowing you need an exit plan is not the same thing as having an exit plan, which was why I was so excited when I was introduced to the CEPA designation. Good exit planning strategy happens in the present tense, and our objective is to align your business and personal wealth goals today, so you can benefit from your efforts tomorrow.”

– Tim Lynch

“Many business owners need guidance in the exit planning process, but not just from a valuation standpoint. When we work with business owners, we use the concept of the three-legged stool to describe our focus areas, which represents business, personal, and financial aspects of the business owner. Successful business exit planning gives equal attention to each of these three areas. While many business owners focus on the value of their business, it’s not always just about the numbers. It’s also about realizing that the closer they get to exiting their business, the more important it becomes to diversify away from that business being their primary source of income. These conversations aren’t always easy, and they require trust, openness, and compassion. After all, we’re talking about the end of a chapter that has played an outsized role in the lives of the business owner and his or her family. That’s not something to take lightly, and it’s one of the main reasons Tim and I were so eager to earn our CEPA certifications and be as educated and informed as possible on behalf of our business owner clients.”

– Calvin Pearson

With Tim and Calvin now CEPA credential holders, the 6 Meridian team is further equipped to help business owners navigate the complexities of business transitions, retirement planning, and the strategies that will allow them to preserve and grow the wealth they’ve worked so hard to build.

Please join us in congratulating both Tim Lynch and Calvin Pearson on earning their CEPA designations. Contact us directly if this is an area you are looking to learn more about.

_{Hightower Advisors, LLC is an SEC registered investment adviser. Registration as an investment advisor does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Securities are offered through Hightower Securities, LLC, Member FINRA/ SIPC.}