The Exit Planning Institute (EPI), a leading authority on exit planning for advisors and business owners, announced a strategic partnership with SkillStacked Strategies on September 18, 2026. SkillStacked, founded by Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) Skylar Dean, offers on-demand teams of specialists to help advisors deliver advanced planning without expanding internal staff. This collaboration aims to bolster the resources available to EPI's community of advisors and business consultants.
EPI's decision to welcome SkillStacked as an Alliance Partner underscores the growing demand for specialized expertise in exit planning. "We are excited to welcome CEPA-founded SkillStacked as a member of our Alliance Partners," said Josh Koza, director of strategic relationships at EPI. "Skylar's background as a CEPA gives him a firsthand understanding of what advisors need to deliver Value Acceleration well, and that shared foundation makes this partnership a natural fit for our community." Value Acceleration is a core methodology in exit planning that focuses on building business value to ensure a successful transition.
SkillStacked's bespoke Fractional Family Offices include specialists in finance, operations, marketing, artificial intelligence, estate planning, and personal planning. This range of expertise allows advisors to offer comprehensive services to their clients without the overhead of hiring full-time staff. "As a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) and financial planner, I founded SkillStacked to serve as a fractional advisory 'bench' of specialists for financial professionals working with main street business owners," said Skylar Dean, founder. "Our goal is to work with CEPAs on both sides of our business—some as the specialists that we connect with financial advisors and other as advisors, who are looking for a team of experts to support their clients."
The partnership is part of EPI's Strategic Alliances program, a group of trusted collaborators that work closely with EPI to support advisor development, member engagement, and the broader EPI community. Through educational content, programming, events, and collaboration, alliance members provide valuable resources and expertise that help advisors and business owners navigate the exit planning process. This alliance is particularly significant as it addresses the increasing complexity of exit planning, which often requires input from multiple disciplines including legal, financial, and operational areas.
For leaders in business and technology, this partnership highlights the trend toward fractional and specialized advisory services, especially in the realm of artificial intelligence and estate planning. As more business owners seek to transition their companies, the need for integrated, expert-driven solutions will continue to rise. EPI's CEPA credential program is the most widely endorsed professional exit planning program globally, providing advisors with the content, tools, and training needed to engage business owners and become their most valued advisors. For more information, visit exit-planning-institute.org or follow EPI on LinkedIn.
This collaboration is expected to enhance the capabilities of EPI's advisor network, ultimately benefiting main street business owners who rely on expert guidance for successful exits. As the exit planning landscape evolves, partnerships like this one may become essential for advisors seeking to deliver holistic, high-value services.
