A cyber breach during a due diligence process can kill a deal — or dramatically reduce a purchase price. And yet cybersecurity is one of the most consistently overlooked exit planning topics for privately held business owners. Brian Guenther, CISSP, CCP and founder of Exceed Cybersecurity & I.T. Services in Frederick, Maryland, joins Pat and Walter to explain what cyber resilience actually means for a small or mid-sized business, what buyers are looking for during diligence, and the practical steps owners should take — well before they go to market — to protect both their business and the value of their eventual exit.  

Guest: Brian Guenther, CISSP, CCP, Founder & President, Exceed Cybersecurity & I.T. Services Connect with guest: exceeditmd.com

“We want you to help you build a business that is sellable and exit successfully on your own terms and conditions.” - Pat Ennis



Conversations that move you closer to a regret-proof exit.

Subscribe To The Channel By Clicking HERE!

Learn more about working with Pat and Walter at ennislp.com 
Connect with Pat: linkedin.com/in/pat-ennis-25b4a111/
Connect with Walter: linkedin.com/in/walter-deyhle-cpa-abv-cff-maff-cexp-cepa-57386614/

#PatEnnis #WalterDeyhle #ExitReadiness


DISCLAIMER: The information in this presentation is provided as education only. 
Neither the presenter nor ENNIS Legacy Partners is engaged to render legal, accounting, or other professional services. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation. ENNIS Legacy Partners assumes no legal liability for any loss related to information contained in this presentation.

There is no substitute for the perspective of someone who has actually been through it. Wayne Cates joins Pat and Walter for a candid, first-person account of selling his business — what he got right, what he wishes he had done differently, and the surprises that caught him off guard in the process. This is the kind of unfiltered conversation that only someone who has lived through a business sale can deliver, and it's packed with practical takeaways for any owner thinking about their own exit.  

Guest: Wayne Cates, Business Owner | Seller

“We want you to help you build a business that is sellable and exit successfully on your own terms and conditions.” - Pat Ennis




Conversations that move you closer to a regret-proof exit.

Subscribe To The Channel By Clicking HERE!

Learn more about working with Pat and Walter at ennislp.com 
Connect with Pat: linkedin.com/in/pat-ennis-25b4a111/
Connect with Walter: linkedin.com/in/walter-deyhle-cpa-abv-cff-maff-cexp-cepa-57386614/

#PatEnnis #WalterDeyhle #ExitReadiness


DISCLAIMER: The information in this presentation is provided as education only. 
Neither the presenter nor ENNIS Legacy Partners is engaged to render legal, accounting, or other professional services. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation. ENNIS Legacy Partners assumes no legal liability for any loss related to information contained in this presentation.

A podcast isn't just a marketing tool — when done right, it builds the kind of thought leadership, brand equity, and audience trust that makes a business more valuable and more transferable. Joe Ennis, founder of Podcasts By Joe and the production talent behind the ExitReadiness® Podcast, joins Pat to share how business owners can leverage podcasting to build authority in their niche, reduce owner dependency by making expertise scalable, and create content assets that live beyond any individual. A practical conversation about a channel most business owners are underleveraging.  

Guest: Joe Ennis, Producer, ExitReadiness® Podcast 

“We want you to help you build a business that is sellable and exit successfully on your own terms and conditions.” - Pat Ennis




Conversations that move you closer to a regret-proof exit.

Subscribe To The Channel By Clicking HERE!

Learn more about working with Pat and Walter at ennislp.com 
Connect with Pat: linkedin.com/in/pat-ennis-25b4a111/
Connect with Walter: linkedin.com/in/walter-deyhle-cpa-abv-cff-maff-cexp-cepa-57386614/

#PatEnnis #WalterDeyhle #ExitReadiness


DISCLAIMER: The information in this presentation is provided as education only. 
Neither the presenter nor ENNIS Legacy Partners is engaged to render legal, accounting, or other professional services. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation. ENNIS Legacy Partners assumes no legal liability for any loss related to information contained in this presentation.

Transferring a business to a key employee or family member sounds straightforward — until the legal complexities start surfacing. Paul Schwinn, Shareholder at Shulman Rogers and Co-Chair of its Startups and Emerging Growth Companies Practice Group, joins Pat and Walter to walk through the legal do's and don'ts of internal transactions. From deal structure and equity mechanics to the mistakes that derail these transitions at the last minute, Paul brings a business-minded legal perspective that every owner considering an insider transfer needs to hear before they get too far down the road.  

Guest: Paul M. Schwinn, Shareholder & Co-Chair, Startups and Emerging Growth Companies Practice Group, Shulman Rogers
Connect with guest: shulmanrogers.com/attorneys/paul-m-schwinn/

“We want you to help you build a business that is sellable and exit successfully on your own terms and conditions.” - Pat Ennis

Conversations that move you closer to a regret-proof exit.

Subscribe To The Channel By Clicking HERE!

Learn more about working with Pat and Walter at ennislp.com 
Connect with Pat: linkedin.com/in/pat-ennis-25b4a111/
Connect with Walter: linkedin.com/in/walter-deyhle-cpa-abv-cff-maff-cexp-cepa-57386614/

#PatEnnis #WalterDeyhle #ExitReadiness


DISCLAIMER: The information in this presentation is provided as education only. 
Neither the presenter nor ENNIS Legacy Partners is engaged to render legal, accounting, or other professional services. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation. ENNIS Legacy Partners assumes no legal liability for any loss related to information contained in this presentation.

ESOPs have long been the dominant employee ownership exit route in the U.S. — but a newer vehicle, the Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), is gaining serious traction as an alternative. Loren Rodgers, Executive Director of the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) and one of the nation's foremost authorities on employee ownership, joins Pat and Walter to explain the key differences between ESOPs and EOTs, when each makes sense for a business owner, and what the growing interest in EOTs means for exit planning. A deep and essential conversation for any owner weighing an employee ownership exit.  

Guest: Loren Rodgers, Executive Director, National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) Connect with guest: nceo.org


“We want you to help you build a business that is sellable and exit successfully on your own terms and conditions.” - Pat Ennis



Conversations that move you closer to a regret-proof exit.

Subscribe To The Channel By Clicking HERE!

Learn more about working with Pat and Walter at ennislp.com 
Connect with Pat: linkedin.com/in/pat-ennis-25b4a111/
Connect with Walter: linkedin.com/in/walter-deyhle-cpa-abv-cff-maff-cexp-cepa-57386614/

#PatEnnis #WalterDeyhle #ExitReadiness


DISCLAIMER: The information in this presentation is provided as education only. 
Neither the presenter nor ENNIS Legacy Partners is engaged to render legal, accounting, or other professional services. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation. ENNIS Legacy Partners assumes no legal liability for any loss related to information contained in this presentation.

Receiving a Letter of Intent (LOI) feels like the finish line — but experienced M&A advisors know it's actually where some of the hardest work begins. Todd Taskey, M&A advisor at Potomac Business Capital and host of the Second Bite Podcast, joins Pat and Walter to demystify the critical period between the LOI and closing. Todd explains what buyers are really doing during this phase, the most common ways deals fall apart after the LOI is signed, and how sellers can stay in control of a process that can feel overwhelming. One of the most practically useful conversations for any owner in or approaching a transaction.

“We want you to help you build a business that is sellable and exit successfully on your own terms and conditions.” - Pat Ennis

Conversations that move you closer to a regret-proof exit.

Subscribe To The Channel By Clicking HERE!

Learn more about working with Pat and Walter at ennislp.com 
Connect with Pat: linkedin.com/in/pat-ennis-25b4a111/
Connect with Walter: linkedin.com/in/walter-deyhle-cpa-abv-cff-maff-cexp-cepa-57386614/

#PatEnnis #WalterDeyhle #ExitReadiness


DISCLAIMER: The information in this presentation is provided as education only. 
Neither the presenter nor ENNIS Legacy Partners is engaged to render legal, accounting, or other professional services. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation. ENNIS Legacy Partners assumes no legal liability for any loss related to information contained in this presentation.

More than 80% of businesses that go to market never successfully sell — and the reasons are more preventable than most owners realize. Christine Nicholson, UK-based award-winning Business Mentor of the Year and author of four books on exit planning, joins Pat and Walter to break down the three primary reasons business sales fail. Drawing on decades of experience helping owners get exit-ready in the UK and internationally, Christine brings a refreshingly direct perspective on what business owners need to fix — and when they need to start.  

Guest: Christine Nicholson, Award-Winning Business Mentor | Author, SELL IT | christinenicholson.co.uk
Connect with guest: christinenicholson.co.uk

“We want you to help you build a business that is sellable and exit successfully on your own terms and conditions.” - Pat Ennis




Conversations that move you closer to a regret-proof exit.

Subscribe To The Channel By Clicking HERE!

Learn more about working with Pat and Walter at ennislp.com 
Connect with Pat: linkedin.com/in/pat-ennis-25b4a111/
Connect with Walter: linkedin.com/in/walter-deyhle-cpa-abv-cff-maff-cexp-cepa-57386614/

#PatEnnis #WalterDeyhle #ExitReadiness


DISCLAIMER: The information in this presentation is provided as education only. 
Neither the presenter nor ENNIS Legacy Partners is engaged to render legal, accounting, or other professional services. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation. ENNIS Legacy Partners assumes no legal liability for any loss related to information contained in this presentation.

The Japanese concept of Ikigai — finding the intersection of what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for — is at the heart of one of the most important and overlooked dimensions of exit planning: what comes next. Joe Markovitch, Certified Exit Planner and Senior Business Advisor, joins Pat and Walter to explore how Ikigai provides a blueprint for business owners to plan not just their exit, but a meaningful and purposeful life after the business. A conversation that speaks directly to the 75% of owners who report unhappiness within a year of leaving.  

Guest: Joe Markovitch, CExP, Senior Business Advisor | ennislp.com
Connect with guest: linkedin.com/in/joe-markovitch

“We want you to help you build a business that is sellable and exit successfully on your own terms and conditions.” - Pat Ennis



Conversations that move you closer to a regret-proof exit.

Subscribe To The Channel By Clicking HERE!

Learn more about working with Pat and Walter at ennislp.com 
Connect with Pat: linkedin.com/in/pat-ennis-25b4a111/
Connect with Walter: linkedin.com/in/walter-deyhle-cpa-abv-cff-maff-cexp-cepa-57386614/

#PatEnnis #WalterDeyhle #ExitReadiness


DISCLAIMER: The information in this presentation is provided as education only. 
Neither the presenter nor ENNIS Legacy Partners is engaged to render legal, accounting, or other professional services. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation. ENNIS Legacy Partners assumes no legal liability for any loss related to information contained in this presentation.

What should a business owner actually be doing right now to build their ExitReadiness®? Pat and Walter close out the year with a practical, actionable checklist of exit planning priorities for 2025 — covering goal-setting, business valuation, financial gap analysis, transferable value drivers, succession planning, and personal readiness. Whether you're 10 years out or closer, this episode gives you a concrete framework for the year ahead and a clear sense of where to focus first.  

“We want you to help you build a business that is sellable and exit successfully on your own terms and conditions.” - Pat Ennis



Conversations that move you closer to a regret-proof exit.

Subscribe To The Channel By Clicking HERE!

Learn more about working with Pat and Walter at ennislp.com 
Connect with Pat: linkedin.com/in/pat-ennis-25b4a111/
Connect with Walter: linkedin.com/in/walter-deyhle-cpa-abv-cff-maff-cexp-cepa-57386614/

#PatEnnis #WalterDeyhle #ExitReadiness


DISCLAIMER: The information in this presentation is provided as education only. 
Neither the presenter nor ENNIS Legacy Partners is engaged to render legal, accounting, or other professional services. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation. ENNIS Legacy Partners assumes no legal liability for any loss related to information contained in this presentation.

A business owner's ability to give honest, effective feedback to employees is directly tied to the transferable value of the business — because management teams that only perform with the owner in the room aren't truly independent. Sarah Goelitz, leadership consultant and founder of Sarah Goelitz Consulting, joins Pat for a focused conversation on what effective employee feedback actually looks like, why so many owners avoid it, and how building a feedback-rich culture is one of the most practical steps you can take toward building a business that runs without you.   Guest: Sarah Goelitz, Founder, Sarah Goelitz Consulting Connect with guest: sarahgoelitz.com

“We want you to help you build a business that is sellable and exit successfully on your own terms and conditions.” - Pat Ennis



Conversations that move you closer to a regret-proof exit.

Subscribe To The Channel By Clicking HERE!

Learn more about working with Pat and Walter at ennislp.com 
Connect with Pat: linkedin.com/in/pat-ennis-25b4a111/
Connect with Walter: linkedin.com/in/walter-deyhle-cpa-abv-cff-maff-cexp-cepa-57386614/

#PatEnnis #WalterDeyhle #ExitReadiness


DISCLAIMER: The information in this presentation is provided as education only. 
Neither the presenter nor ENNIS Legacy Partners is engaged to render legal, accounting, or other professional services. Consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation. ENNIS Legacy Partners assumes no legal liability for any loss related to information contained in this presentation.