CEPA's: Join The Advisor Program Starting January 9th

Exit Planning Education & Implementation for Professional Advisory Firms and Individuals

Learn how to integrate Exit Planning Services to maximize your current practice. 

Exit Planning for Advisory Firms/Advisors

Does your firm have clients in need of exit planning, but it lacks the process and knowledge to deliver? If so, KeyeStrategies can not only be your partner but a resource to maximize results, gain clarity on confusing industry jargon, and work with you through the exit planning process.

Our program for professional advisors includes:

  • Understanding the exit planning process
  • Building strategic relationships and collaborative professional team
  • Education and process development for support staff

Julie Keyes is the founder and head strategist behind KeyeStrategies and she consults and guides her clients while collaborating with other professionals to help deliver successful outcomes and can show your advisors how to elevate their process to maximize your results.

Having some or all of the exit planning expertise in house will set your firm apart from others who don’t involve themselves in exit planning or who lack a process for delivering the services, and we know that lost opportunities mean lost revenue.

Introducing the Cohort: Building on the success of our Advisor Program, the Cohort takes learning to the next level. In this intimate, small-group setting of no more than 10 participants, attendees actively apply the strategies they’ve learned to real-world scenarios. Working closely with their peers, participants gain practical, hands-on experience and a deeper understanding of the material.

Advisor Program Overview

Session One: Strategic Planning Basics and Value Acceleration

  • Value Enhancement: Identifying priorities
  • Building a solid strategic plan for better market positioning
  • Setting successors up for success in the family business

Session Two: Understanding Owner Preparedness and Your Role In It

  • Know and advise on the various aspects of owner readiness
  • Utilizing other advisers in the process
  • De-risking tactics and identifying situations within the 5 D’s
  • Implementing ‘Next Act’ planning

Session Three: Building a Collaborative Exit Planning Team

  • Your Network Is Your Net Worth: Networking techniques and how to build a trusted team of referral partners
  • Understanding the expertise and role of each advisor on the team
  • Aligning with the best and brightest for client acquisition and retention
  • Collaborative Case Study: Practice makes perfect

Session Four: “Becoming Known in the Exit Planning Space”

  • Your best approach to professional development
  • Using your talent to help grow the Firm’s brand
  • Assessing & Strategizing: Memberships, social media, peer groups, events

Session Five: “Exit Planning Service Delivery”

  • Identify the services you plan to deliver and how you will deliver within compliance requirements
  • Strategies to implement exit planning services and tactics with current clients
  • Troubleshoot current exit planning situations; round table discussion
  • Identify areas of learning and create a timeline for acquiring the knowledge

Session Six: Integration of Exit Planning Services

  • Integration of current sales processes with exit planning sales processes
  • How to integrate exit planning services with current services.
  • Internal team training plan
  • Identify roles and responsibilities for internal exit planning support staff

Get Registered!
Courses are eligible for EPI continuing education credits!

Advisor Program for CEPAs
The first session will take place on Thursday, January 9, 2025, from 2:00 – 3:30 pm CST (this one-time change is due to unexpected travel). Subsequent sessions will be held on Fridays from 9:00 – 10:30 am CST. The updated schedule is as follows: 

  • Thursday, January 9th, 2025, 2-3:30 pm CST
  • Friday, January 24, 2025 | 9:00 – 10:30 am CST
  • Friday, February 7, 2025 | 9:00 – 10:30 am CST
  • Friday, February 21, 2025 | 9:00 – 10:30 am CST
  • Friday, March 14, 2025 | 9:00 – 10:30 am CST
  • Friday, March 28, 2025 | 9:00 – 10:30 am CST

Recordings will be available after each session.

Cohort
The next  annual Cohort session begins January 9th, 2025 9-10:30 am Central Time. The meetings will be the second Friday of each month throughout 2025.

Is your firm interested in a private cohort? Contact Julie

What participants have to say:

Julie's exit planning program has played a pivotal role in guiding me through the effective utilization of my CEPA within my business. While I initially envisioned how I could leverage my certification, the reality was that I lacked the roadmap, having never built a team for assisting business owners with succession planning in the optimal way. This program has been instrumental in equipping me with strategies and processes to execute my plan, allowing me to progress toward my goal of aiding more business owners in achieving successful successions. Additionally, the inclusion of case studies and collaborative learning within the cohort has proven invaluable. It's not only contributed to our collective success as CEPA-certified advisors but has also elevated our visibility within the industry for our specialized expertise.
Stacey B., CFP®, ChFC®, CEPA®
Financial Advisor, Edward Jones
After obtaining my CEPA I had no idea what my next steps would be. I wasn't even sure how to demonstrate my value as a CEPA financial advisor. Shortly after meeting Julie, I knew that she was the right person to usher me into the CEPA world. Julie has helped me understand exactly where and how I fit into the value acceleration and exit process. With her guidance, I am developing the appropriate conversations to have with business owners, expanding my M&A network in my community, and establishing a solid playbook for my branch. On top of that, she has also provided me with case studies to help me learn from realistic exit scenarios. Now I have much more confidence when talking to business owners! If you are looking for help developing the perfect roadmap for your CEPA practice, you need to contact Julie!
Jeremy W.
Financial Advisor, Edward Jones
The best part of this program is it has helped me continue developing my knowledge and skills around exit planning. As a result of this program I have been acting in the following way: focusing on family-owned businesses. I attended the South Carolina Family Enterprise Institute annual conference in November with intent to use my CEPA training to help business owners to protect, grow and harvest the wealth in their business. 2) Building relationships with other CEPAs and non CEPA professionals such as CPAs, attorneys, and value advisers. 3) have a new value proposition when prospecting business owners 4) collaborating with other Edward Jones FAs and hearing their stories and what they are doing to market to business owners and engage them as clients. 5) I am actively asking existing business owners about their plans to exit their business and what that looks like. There are many other benefits, but these are just few. With so many baby boomers owning business, I see opportunities to add value.
Mike W. CFP®, CEPA®
Financial Advisor, Edward Jones
Thank you, Julie Keyes for presenting and training our team on the topic of exit planning. We appreciate you sharing your real world experience. The feedback has been very positive from our group and no doubt will continue to make us better advisors.
Randy F., CPA ABV
Partner, Boyum Barenscheer