XPX Cleveland - DRIVING VALUATIONS HIGHER WITH AI What Business Owners and Their Advisors Need to Know

Could artificial intelligence be one of the most overlooked opportunities to increase the value of a privately held business?

AI is changing how businesses operate, compete, grow, and ultimately how their value may be assessed by prospective buyers.

For business owners contemplating a future exit, the question is no longer simply whether to adopt AI. It's how to leverage AI strategically to improve business performance, reduce risk, strengthen competitive positioning, and potentially drive a higher valuation.

XPX Cleveland invites members, exit planning professionals, and their business owner clients to join us for a timely conversation with a panel of experts who will explore the intersection of AI, business performance, and enterprise valuation.

Key questions we'll explore:

• Where's the value? How can AI improve profitability, operational efficiency, scalability, and enterprise value?
• What are buyers looking for? How might AI capabilities—or the lack of them—influence buyer perceptions, due diligence, and valuation?
• Where should owners invest? Which AI applications offer meaningful business value rather than simply adding technology?
• What are the risks? How should owners and advisors evaluate implementation costs, data security, governance, and operational dependencies?
• Why does timing matter? What should business owners be doing today to strengthen their company's value ahead of a future transition?

BRING YOUR CLIENTS. EXPAND THE CONVERSATION.

This program is designed for valuation professionals, attorneys, CPAs, wealth advisors, investment bankers, business consultants, and other trusted advisors who help privately held businesses build, preserve, and transfer value.

We encourage you to invite a business owner client or colleague who would benefit from understanding how AI could influence the future value of their company.

Whether an ownership transition is two years away or ten, the decisions business owners make today can have a meaningful impact on tomorrow's valuation.

Join XPX Cleveland for a conversation that connects emerging AI technology to what matters most: building a stronger, more valuable business.

Our Panel:

Tom Harrison
Corrigan Krause
President & CEO

Tom Harrison is a CPA with 30 years of experience serving closely held businesses and individuals. He helps clients achieve their personal and professional goals through business acquisitions and sales, succession planning, and strategic planning. His expertise also includes acquisition financing and restructuring, individual and business tax planning, and employee benefit plan design and auditing. Tom brings a broad financial perspective to helping business owners plan for transitions and make informed decisions about their businesses and financial futures.

Christofer Karltorp
Moreland Connect
Business Development Officer

Christofer Karltorp works with company leaders at MorelandConnect to identify where AI and custom software can make a practical difference. He develops relationships, clarifies business problems, and brings together the right people to determine what is worth building. Christofer has built web products since the early 2000s and co-founded Zerply, where he served as CEO for 13 years. Now based in Greater Cleveland after a decade in Silicon Valley, he continues building products himself and helps leaders assess whether a challenge calls for AI, better software, or a simpler process.

Jack Kubicek
Carbon Wed
Co-Founder & CEO

Jack Kubicek is the founder of CarbonWeb, formerly Carbon Web Print LLC. He grew the company from a web development startup into an agency offering concept production, hosting, and marketing strategy and implementation. Through CarbonWeb’s exclusive partnership with monday.com, the company helps businesses create and automate workflows, integrate systems, and optimize digital processes to support growth. Jack’s entrepreneurial ventures also include the Friday App, a nightlife social app, and MyEquityMiner, which introduces nontechnical users to cryptocurrency mining.

Andy Smith
Houlihan Capital
Co-Founder & President

Andy Smith is co-founder and President of Houlihan Capital, established in 1996. He has completed more than 250 mergers and acquisitions and financing assignments for middle-market private and public businesses. He chairs the firm’s Fairness and Solvency Committees and frequently speaks on business valuation and corporate finance. Previously, he founded and co-led EVEREN Securities’ Mergers & Acquisitions Group and served as a Managing Director at Geneva Capital Markets. A CPA accredited in business valuation by the AICPA, Andy graduated with honors from Ohio Wesleyan University with a B.A. in Economics.

Registration Fees:  

Includes food and beverages.

Event Registration Cancellation Policy: You may request a full refund for your event registration up to 72 hours before the scheduled date and time. After that deadline, the sale is final and no refunds or credits will be issued. The registration fee is non-transferable, non-substitutable and no replacements are offered.

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