For RIAs, CFPs, Exit Planning Advisors
In the Next 5 Years, Your Best Business-Owner Clients Will Transition.
Will You Be in the Room?
75% of owners switch financial advisors during or after the sale.
B.U.I.L.T. By Design™ gives you a repeatable process to lead the business value and exit conversation, so you stay in the relationship before, during, and after the liquidity event.
For certifications, you may earn Continuing Education (CE) Credits for EPI and CFP Board.
Built by a former CEO who led a $100M company through a Fortune 50 acquisition and has guided 50+ founders through 7- and 8-figure exits.
Laurie Barkman, MBA, CM&AA, CEPA
THE ADVISOR RISK
By the time you hear about the deal, someone else is leading the wealth conversation.
If the owner stepped away for 90 days, what would the business be worth?
That's the first question a serious buyer asks.
For most owners, the honest answer is: less than they think.
The gap between what the business is worth today and what it would be worth without the owner, that's the work nobody else is doing with your clients.
You manage the portfolio.
But 80% of your client's wealth sits inside the business — outside the conversation you're having.
A banker is in that room. An attorney is. A new wealth advisor is.
By the time the transition deal reaches you, the relationships are already set.
The Solution
B.U.I.L.T. By Design™
The Framework That Puts You in the Room.
Advisors don't need more knowledge. They need implementation.
If you've earned your certification and asked "now what?" — this is the answer.
A practice-ready framework that gives you a repeatable way to lead business value and exit conversations, years before a transaction.
B.
Blueprint
Vision & firm model
U.
Unlock
Operational bottlenecks
I.
Integrate
Systems & team
L.
Lead
With clarity, not chaos
T.
Transition
With confidence & control
The result is a practical roadmap that helps your clients build a more profitable, more transferable business — one that's less dependent on any one person, including themselves.
That conversation positions you as the advisor they can't replace.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
The Accelerator Package
Everything you need to start using the framework with clients.
1-Year Advisor Membership
The complete B.U.I.L.T. framework. All modules, all updates, all tools.
Continuing Education Credits
Qualifying CE credits upon completion and knowledge checks:
6.0 Exit Planning Institute | 4.5 CFP Board.
BONUS: Advisor Conversation GPT
Your on-demand coaching partner for the B.U.I.L.T. By Design™ conversation framework. Whenever you need questions, framing, or next steps.
BONUS: Implementation and Monetization Guides
Support for the business side. How to position with business owners, pricing, introducing to clients. It's all mapped out.
BONUS: Advisor Community Portal
Invitation to private network of advisors. Reduce your learning curve in a peer forum.
BONUS: Learning Lab Sessions
Live monthly sessions to help you differentiate your practice and deepen client relationships.
Optional Client Seats.
Scale when you're ready, add seats at $100/month per client (12-month subscription). No large licensing commitment.
Price Today:
$699/month
(minimum 12 months commitment)
HOW IT WORKS
Advisor First. Client Ready.
Get the Framework.
Complete the modules. 40+ lessons, 5+ hours. Annual access.
Integrate Into Your Practice
The Implementation Kit and Learning Labs to help you launch and monetize quickly.
Pre-Sell Clients + Scale-Up
Add client seats at $100/month when you're ready.
No large commitment. No guessing. No pressure to scale before you're ready.
HOW ADVISORS ARE USING B.U.I.L.T. BY DESIGN
Advisors are already bringing these conversations into client relationships.
"B.U.I.L.T. By Design™ opened my eyes to a major opportunity I was missing. CEPA gave me the language. B.U.I.L.T. gave me the process and the confidence. I’ve started applying the framework with clients and within 6 months, there was 10% revenue growth with one of my clients and deeper relationships”
Michael Laliberté
MSPFP, MPAS, ChFC, CEPA
Coastal Family Wealth Advisory
"B.U.I.L.T. By Design™ gave me a foundation to expand beyond traditional planning and become more valuable to my clients.”
Ethan Stewart
CFP, CEPA
Centennial Financial Group
"B.U.I.L.T. By Design™ gave me a foundation to expand beyond traditional planning and become more valuable to my clients.”
Ethan Stewart
CFP, CEPA
Centennial Financial Group
Individual experiences may vary. These examples are not guarantees of outcomes.
THE IMPACT
WHAT BUSINESS OWNERS ARE SAYING
Real feedback from business owners who went through B.U.I.L.T. By Design™ with their financial advisor.
GETTING STARTED
Your Practice. Enhanced Today.
B.U.I.L.T. By Design™ is built around two phases.
FREEDOM PHASE:
Personal Readiness
Learn the mindset and operational shifts that make an exit possible.
Identify what’s driving your readiness to transition
Spot dependency on the owner and reduce key-person risk
Define life after the business
Clarify financial goals and the “freedom point”
SUCCESS PHASE:
Business Value
Master the factors that make a business attractive to a buyer.
Understand buyer types and deal structure
Identify key value drivers and growth opportunities
Strengthen cash flow
Address transferability risks across customers, team, and operations
IS THIS FOR YOU?
Right fit. Right time.
This is a FIT if:
You work with business owners and want to be part of the exit conversation
You've watched a client sell with someone else managing the process
You want a repeatable framework, not another certification
You're ready to connect business value to the wealth plan you already manage
You want to engage clients years before the transaction, not after
This is NOT for you if:
You don't work with business owners
You only want investment conversations
You're looking for another certification
You want guaranteed outcomes instead of a proven process
You're not ready to implement with actual clients
You don't work with business owners
You only want investment conversations
You're looking for another certification
You want guaranteed outcomes instead of a proven process
You're not ready to implement with actual clients
In the Next 5–7 Years, One of Two Things Will Happen.
Your business-owner clients will transition with you at the center of the conversation.
Or they'll transition without you.
The difference is whether you engage before the transition begins. Now you have the opportunity.
About the Creator
Laurie Barkman
Founder, Business Transition Sherpa®
MBA · CEPA® · CMAA
A former CEO who led a $100 million company through a successful sale to a Fortune 50 company, Laurie has guided more than 50 founders through transition planning and multi-million-dollar exits.
Her unique perspective comes from viewing businesses through a buyer's lens, helping owners identify the factors that drive business attractiveness, transferability, and enterprise value long before a transaction.
Today she helps financial advisors move from theory to implementation: uncovering value gaps, strengthening business fundamentals, and helping clients build businesses that are more valuable, more transferable, and ready to transition — whether that exit is next year or a decade away.
Have questions?
Have questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is B.U.I.L.T. By Design™ for?
Financial advisors who work with business owner clients and want a structured framework for value-building and transition-readiness conversations.
What will I gain from this program?
You'll have a practical framework, supporting tools, and conversation guides designed to help you engage business owner clients around succession and value-building topics.
How is the program delivered?
Entirely online, with self-paced modules, videos, and downloadable templates.
Will I get support?
The B.U.I.L.T. By Design Accelerator includes 12 months of group sessions and support calls with creator Laurie Barkman, CEPA. You won’t be left alone, our team is here to actively support your implementation.
Can I use this system with my clients?
Enrolled advisors can invite clients into your own guided portal by purchasing client seats for $100/month per seat (minimum 12 months license).
What is the expected time commitment for clients?
Clients should expect to commit 2–4 hours per month, including bi-weekly sessions with you as the financial planner and light independent work between meetings.
Are there additional resources available for clients?
The Business Transition Handbook is an excellent companion to B.U.I.L.T. By Design. It’s available for purchase on Amazon. For customized orders or quantities exceeding 20 copies, contact [email protected].
Is my access transferable or shareable?
This proprietary framework is licensed for individual advisor use only. Access is non-transferable and should not be shared with colleagues, teams, or third parties.
What are the licensing terms?
Life-time access is only available for Advisors who join the Founding Cohort. Standard licensing for Advisors is one year licensing term.
Client seats are available for one year licensing terms which are renewable under the subscription agreement.
To review the License Agreement, click here.
Who created B.U.I.L.T. By Design™?
The proprietary framework was developed by Laurie Barkman, founder of The Business Transition Sherpa, a former CEO who led a $100 million company through a successful acquisition, adjunct professor, Certified Exit Planner Advisor (CEPA), and M&A Advisor specializing in business succession.
Will this qualify for CE credit?
Yes, this is accepted by Exit Planning Institute (EPI) for 6 CE hours and CFP Board for 4.5 CE hours.
If you've reached this point and you're not ready yet, start with our 7 Questions Guide. It will help you start the right conversation with your business owner clients.