Winning and Keeping Long-term Clients

Kerri Salls Managing Director, THIS WAY OUT GROUP LLCJohn Lawlor Principal, PRACTICAL DECISIONSMichelle Bonahoom Organizational Value Growth Consultant, Certified M&A

Advisor, VISIONONE HIGH PERFORMANCE GROUPTerence Shepherd CM&AA, CPA, MST, Principal, ROCG

1. Lots of people are looking at the Boomer demographic as an opportunity

2. Everyone in this room wants to be a Most Trusted Advisor

3. You are interested in learning how to go about doing that

4. We believe this is a great opportunity for you to reposition yourself and your services to clients

Our Assumptions

Facts We Know

90% of private business owners’ wealth is tied up as an illiquid asset in their business AM&AA/Loyola Management University, February 2010

80% of privately owned businesses are not currently increasing the value of their company Robert Slee, Robertson & Foley Investment Banker80% of companies are not ready for a transaction when they approach a banker/broker42% of all small business owners have no plan or path to retirement Rasmussen Group survey December 2015

Fact We Know“Our advisors were hearing a consistent and passionate message that early planning and enhanced education about exit options and the exit process were in great need.”

US Trust/Columbia University Survey May 2015

75% of the businesses who seek out exit industry experts:1. have no plan and 2. don’t know what to do with the business when they want to exit.3. But they want to exit fast.

Exit Planning Exchange Summit 2011

Marketplace Risks1. @ Pepperdine Capital Study 2015 Deals don’t close because:

• Owners are not ready • Owners have unrealistic expectations• Valuation gap• Insufficient cash flow• And lack of  capital to finance

2. Less Buyers 10M less people coming up behind Babyboomers 2010 Census

Other FactsOwners are consumed by operational roles

Owners are killing their businesses by only building an income stream, NOT growing an asset

Maximum success in terms of growth, value, liquidity takes 3-5 years

It’s our job as advisors to educate them on the benefits of a longer planning/execution cycle to get to their goal

Impact/Opportunity

“Most business owners exit their business with less than six months of advanced planning, consequently receiving a mere 50 percent to 70 percent of the business’ potential value. Appropriate planning, well in advance of a transaction, will allow a business owner to maximize company performance.” John Zayac, IBG Business Service

Clients Want Something Different

1. To be heard/listened to/understood2. Sounding board3. Honesty4. More than a solution provider5. Trust

Three Keys to Winning and Keeping Long Term

Clients1. Do more – change your stripes

2. Offer a holistic solution

3. Advise clients about the future

Three Keys to Winning and Keeping Long Term

Clients1. Do more – change your stripes

That will require a different approach – What should advisors know? What’s involved to take a different approach?

Three Keys to Winning and Keeping Long Term

Clients2. Offer a holistic solution

What does holistic look like in your practice?

Three Keys to Winning and Keeping Long Term

Clients3. Advise clients about the future

What does that mean?What does that look like in practice?

What’s Your Secret Sauce?

What is it you do to win and keep long term clients?

What’s your differentiator?

How do you do that?

John LawlorPrincipal Practical Decisions http://www.practicaldecisions.com/

As an experienced executive John has a diverse background spanning over 30 years that includes many industries, start-ups, mergers and acquisitions and small businesses in various states of maturity.

John has a passion for helping others achieve personal and professional success. He believes success for an individual or a business is based on passion and clarity. People and businesses succeed when they are clear on what they do really well and what they want to achieve. Working with Leaders to develop clarity and create alignment as the platform for change, John has developed a track record of helping companies achieve industry leading results.

John is currently the COO/CLO for an architectural firm, an advisor to a select few businesses, and a Strategic Planning Process facilitator. He is a Certified Master Mentor/Coach/Facilitator, trained in DISC assessments, a Fellow of IIBI, a VOP Certified Practitioner, and an expert in Planning (strategic, operational, and individual) and a leader in organizational development and effectiveness.

An avid reader and learner, husband, father of three, John enjoys cars, residential construction and running.

Michelle Bonahoom Organizational Value Growth Consultant, Certified M&A Advisor, VISIONONE HIGH PERFORMANCE GROUP

Michelle Bonahoom is the founder of VisionOne High Performance group, a value growth consultancy that works with mid-market business owners to increase their value, in preparation for sale, strategic acquisitions, and transferring to the next generation of leadership. VisionOne has successfully worked with over 100 different companies, as they prepare for key critical transitions. She is also a managing partner of a family-owned private equity company, focused on acquiring and driving value within an integrated portfolio of manufacturing-related acquisitions and investments. Over the past 20 years, Michelle has accumulated diverse experience as a business owner, private investor, consultant, and advocate for mid-market companies who are seeking to stabilize, achieve added value, achieve high performance results, and leavea legacy for the next generation.

Michelle has a BS in International Business, an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Private Equity, and has earned an integrated set of value growth certifications in mergers & acquisitions, strategic development and execution, performance management, and positive and organizational psychology. This broad set of experience and credentials has proven to be critical, when working with business owners to successfully turn-around, grow and transition their businesses.

Terence (Terry) ShepherdCM&AA, CPA, MST Partner, ROCG http://www.business-transition.com/

Terence (Terry) Shepherd, has advised small and medium-sized, family owned/closely held businesses for over 30 years. His particular business areas of expertise are in business exit and transition planning, building business value, increasing profitability, strategic planning, business development, customer service and team development. In his business transition consultation work he is a catalyst in guiding owners to define and uncover their personal values, goals and objectives, which then drive all business strategies and solutions to ensure their end-in-mind objectives are met. He is especially skilled in understanding the emotional attributes involved with transition, and has vast experience assisting family ownership transfer including high level estate planning strategies. He is a Principal and founding member of ROCG, the only international professional service and consulting firm specializing in the areas of business transition strategy, finance and operations for privately owned and emerging growth enterprises.

Kerri SallsManaging Director This Way Out Group LLC www.ThisWayOutGroup.com Kerri Salls, Managing Director at This Way Out Group LLC, is a value growth exit strategist entrusted by owners of private and family run companies to reduce risk and maximize value, transforming an income generating business into a wealth producing asset owners can monetize, by integrating exit planning as part of their value growth plan and business operations. Dozens of lower middle market companies have chosen to work with This Way Out Group to plan and achieve their growth acceleration goals. She is a frequent speaker, the host of the ground-breaking podcast Exit This Way, the acclaimed author of HARVEST Your Wealth, Don’t Murder Your Business, How to Manage a Gaggle of Advisors to Build Your All-Star Exit Team, and co-author of Why Plan For Due Diligence in The Sale Of My Company? Her industry leadership includes the Mid-Market Alliance and as a Board Member for the Exit Planning Exchange of Boston.

Kerri received a BA from Bates College in Maine, and an MBA from Boston University in Massachusetts with dual-concentrations in international marketing and operations management. Her ongoing training and certifications include TEFL, listening, productivity, emotional intelligence, sales, marketing, negotiations, leadership, coaching, metrics, value enhancement, planning, strategy and execution. Clients benefit from her extensive experience and continuous learning to achieve their value growth objectives aligned with their intended endgame.