From Naïve Novice to CEPA Master: A Journey of Value Acceleration

I received my CEPA designation in November 2008. I still remember sitting next to Chris Snider, now the Exit Planning Institute’s CEO, as we learned how to create an artifact call the “Exit Plan.” There were probably 20 diverse professionals in our course (as I recall, all men; thankfully that’s changed!) – and only four live courses offered each year. When we passed our exams on Friday morning of a Monday-Thursday gauntlet of nearly overwhelming education, there were less than 100 CEPA’s total. We were a merry band of like-minded early adopters. Still, it felt momentous and thrilling. We had a spark, a spring in our step, and something new to take to business owners. We figured they would welcome us like conquering heroes. We were in for a surprise.

I could count on one finger, and still have a finger leftover, how many owners wanted what we had to offer. This “exit plan” thing hit with a thud – like a concrete piano dropped from the third story. We knew we needed a different way to get the attention of owners, something to get them to lean in. We weren’t sure what – but we were on the front edge of a “something or other” that felt worth pursuing. We experimented with a few conversation starters and found one that really got an owner’s attention: “Do you know what the value of your business is today?”

That would be the defining moment, the inflection point in a new profession still finding its way. Like some innovations, it would take on a life of its own and become the foundation of what every CEPA learns today – the Value Acceleration Methodology. The words “value acceleration” were new – and we vigorously debated whether “value acceleration” or “value creation” would be better. We landed on acceleration because it suggested we were helping owners generate even more value than they already had – and every owner deserves credit for laying down a good road that a really fast car can travel. If we did it right, and together, value acceleration would always be a generative “yes, and…” process – a partnership with creative entrepreneurs who had blazed a trail themselves.

How time flies! I was 42 and so naïve when I became a CEPA. About 10 years ago, I became a CEPA faculty (another defining moment in my professional life) and I’ve worked with dozens of phenomenal business owners over the years. I now know many CEPAs who have become close compatriots, including the Sniders, extraordinary friends for whom I am deeply grateful.

Undoubtedly, my life would have been less rewarding if in 2008 I hadn’t signed up for a credential that almost no one had heard of. Look at us now—5000 strong and growing. A community I’m very proud to be a part of. A coveted credential recognized as the best of the best.

We’ve come a long way baby. Here’s to the next 15—even better than the last.

I’ll see you at the EPI Summit in April!