When Howard Schultz took over as CEO of Starbucks, the company had just two locations and only sold coffee beans: no prepared drinks, no comfortable seating, and no “third place” between work and home. What Schultz understood wasn’t just that people needed their daily caffeine fix – he grasped the invisible system surrounding coffee consumption, along with people’s desire for status and affiliation, and reimagined it entirely. Today’s exit planning professionals face a similar opportunity: to understand the systems they operate within and transform them into something more valuable. 

Every exit planner operates within a system that shapes their behavior in subtle but powerful ways. RIAs work within fee-based structures that reward asset gathering and retention. Insurance professionals operate in commission-based environments that incentivize product placement. Investment bankers exist in transaction-driven ecosystems that prioritize deal flow. These systems aren’t just operational frameworks – they’re invisible cloaks that influence how we think, act, and serve our clients. 

See more at the Exit Planning Institute website > 

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