The Exit Planning Institute (EPI), a leading authority on exit planning for advisors, business consultants, and business owners, has announced a strategic partnership with SkillStacked Strategies. The alliance, revealed on September 18, 2026, aims to enhance the resources available to EPI's community of Certified Exit Planning Advisors (CEPAs) and the business owners they serve.
SkillStacked Strategies, founded by Skylar Dean, a Certified Exit Planning Advisor and financial planner, offers an on-demand team of specialists through its bespoke Fractional Family Offices. These teams include experts in finance, operations, marketing, artificial intelligence, estate planning, and personal planning. The partnership is designed to help advisors deliver advanced planning services without the need to expand their internal staff.
Josh Koza, director of strategic relationships at EPI, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration. "We are excited to welcome CEPA-founded SkillStacked as a member of our Alliance Partners," Koza said. "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 and preparing owners for a successful transition. By integrating SkillStacked's fractional specialists, EPI aims to provide its members with a scalable solution to meet the complex needs of main street business owners.
Skylar Dean explained the motivation behind founding SkillStacked. "As a Certified Exit Planning Advisor and financial planner, I founded SkillStacked to serve as a fractional advisory 'bench' of specialists for financial professionals working with main street business owners," Dean said. "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 falls under 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 news is significant for the exit planning industry, as it addresses a growing need for specialized expertise without the overhead of hiring full-time staff. For financial advisors and business consultants, the alliance offers a way to expand their service offerings and better serve clients who are preparing for ownership transitions. For business owners, it means access to a wider range of professional support through their advisors, potentially leading to more successful exits.
EPI was formed in 2005 to serve the educational and resource needs of professional business advisors. Its CEPA credential program is the most widely endorsed professional exit planning program in the world, 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.
Advisors interested in learning more about EPI's Strategic Alliances can visit the EPI website.
