International Exit Planning Association

Resource details

The International Exit Planning Association (IEPA) is a practitioner-led organization with approximately 275 senior-level advisors and consultants. Our mission is to offer professional advisors and business consultants exceptional training and guidance, enabling them to help business owners prepare for and achieve successful exits from their privately held businesses.

As the governing body for the CBEC® designation, the IEPA has helped thousands of advisors and business owners with this unique service, establishing and maintaining high standards. Unlike other designations, the CBEC® requires the completion of an actual exit plan with a real business owner before certification. This ensures that every CBEC® holder has practical experience and proven ability, which is a key part of the CBEC® brand and promise to the marketplace.

IEPA Members have access to our trademarked survey tools and customized links that may be given to business owners. These three tools are: Business Exit Readiness Index ™ (BERI™), Owner Dependence Index™ (ODI™), and the Growth Planning Index™ (GPI™) Each of these tools is designed to deepen engagement with business owners. After taking the BERITM and ODITM , an owner and an advisor can have a more informed conversation about the future, guided by answers that have been supplied by the owner themselves.

Our members are not just “exit talkers”; they are advocates – “Exit Doers” who provide high-quality, tailored solutions for every aspect of business exit planning. In exit planning, practical experience is crucial. Our team has developed hundreds of exit plans, advised on billions in illiquid wealth, and facilitated nearly half a billion dollars in liquidity events. This hands-on experience equips us to effectively support and train advisors, driving the development of our content, tools, and the IEPA member network.