Check Out Bill Cates’ NEW Top Advisor Podcast™
Interviews with Top Advisors for Top Advisors!
Top Advisor Podcast™
Ep. #93 – Advising Business Owners Through Their Exit with Scott Bushkie, CBI, M&AMI, CM&AP
| Show sponsor: |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||
According to a recent study from Cornerstone Business Services, only 4% of business owners retain their financial advisor after selling their business. Say what?
My featured guest for this podcast, Scott Bushkie, reveals the findings from a national study that shed light on why so many business owners leave their financial advisor after selling their business – and what can be done to prevent that.
In this eye-opening interview, Scott explains the crucial conversations advisors should initiate early in the process, the power of assembling the right team, and why you should never take an unsolicited offer at face value.
TOP 3 TAKEAWAYS:
- Start Early, Start the Conversation
Don’t wait for your client to announce they’re selling. Be proactive—initiate discussions about exit strategy well before a sale is on the horizon. - Be the “Quarterback,” Not the Lone Wolf
You don’t need to be an M&A expert, but you should have a trusted team on hand—CPAs, M&A advisors, and especially M&A attorneys. Your value lies in orchestrating and connecting your client with the right experts at the right time. - Never Accept the First Unsolicited Offer
Scott made it clear: unsolicited offers rarely result in the best outcome for sellers. A structured competitive process almost always delivers a higher price and better terms for your client. If your client gets an offer out of the blue, bring in a team, do a fair market analysis, and make sure they don’t leave money on the table.
Want More Top Advisor Podcast Episodes? CLICK HERE!
Bill Cates & Scott Bushkie discuss:
- (06:03) The top reasons business owners switch advisors after selling
- (08:52) Key proactive moves advisors can make to maintain their client relationships
- (18:20) The importance of teamwork in selling and enhancing business value
- (24:29) Why it’s crucial to involve a team and never accept unsolicited offers blindly
- (30:31) Real-life case studies demonstrating successful business sales and advisor retention
- …And more!
Scott provides several real-life examples of what financial advisors get right and get wrong with their business owner clients.
Sponsors:
- SHOW SPONSOR: ProudMouth
Connect With Scott Bushkie:
Resources:
- RapidFire Referrals
- Get a copy of “The Language of Referrals”
- Get a copy of “Radical Relevance”
- Get here our new guide: The 3 R’s of Relationship Marketing
- Uncomparable: The Financial Advisor’s Guide to Standing Out through Niche Marketing by Kristen Luke
Connect With Bill Cates:
About Our Guest
Scott Bushkie is the Managing Partner and Founder of Cornerstone Business Services. With more than 20 years in the M&A industry, Scott is a recognized leader in the field, providing exit strategies and M&A advisory services to business owners in the lower middle market. He has successfully executed sales to domestic and international buyers, private equity firms, family offices, and strategic buyers.
Scott is the founder and past chair of the Wisconsin chapter of MBBI and also the past chair of the IBBA. In 2014, Scott became the youngest person ever awarded the IBBA prestigious fellow designation. In 2017, Scott was named a fellow of the M&A Source, once again the organization’s youngest recipient. He writes for regional business press, including a monthly syndicated column for Gannett, and has been quoted by the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, and other news outlets across the country.
In 2018, Scott launched the Cornerstone International Alliance, providing member firms with enhanced buyer reach, access to industry experts, resources, and structured best practice sharing. Operating with the philosophy that success breeds success, the alliance helps top-tier lower-middle-market M&A firms create more value for their clients.
Scott holds the Mergers & Acquisitions Master Intermediary (M&AMI) certification. He is a Certified Business Intermediary and a FINRA registered broker holding securities licenses 62 and 63.
Never Miss an Episode!
Click below to subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform.
P.S. Don’t keep Top Advisor Podcast a secret … share with a friend or colleague!
Click Here to Subscribe Tell a Friend
About Your Host
Bill Cates, CSP, CPAE, works with established financial advisors to speed up their growth without increasing their marketing budget. Advisors tap into Bill’s proven process to multiply their best clients through introductions from advocates and Centers of Influence (such as CPAs and attorneys), communicate their value proposition more effectively, and create a reputation in a profitable target market. Bill helps advisors move from push prospecting to magnetic marketing – to attract more Right Fit Clients™.
Bill is the author of four best-selling books, Get More Referrals Now, Don’t Keep Me a Secret, Beyond Referrals, and Radical Relevance. Bill is a highly sought-after international speaker and coach, as well as the founder of The Cates Academy for Relationship Marketing™.
Do you know someone Bill should interview (including yourself)?
Do you have a topic you’d like to see covered?
Contact Bill Cates directly: BillCates@ReferralCoach.com
