40 Years Buying and Selling Businesses
Interconnected:
Succession Planning
Exit Strategies
Tax Minimization
Estate Planning
Wayne M. Zell JD, CPA, CExP, Author, Podcaster
Wayne routinely speaks to audiences for NAPFA, BEI, Vistage, WealthCounsel and trains private financial advisory firms.
Speaking Topics
Content is built around whom those advisors serve - not a generic lecture. Sessions can be a high-level landscape or a deep dive, typically 45 minutes with 15 min for questions.
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01 Pre-Transaction Planning for Entrepreneurs and Financial Advisors
02 7 Steps to Prepare a Client to Exit Their Business
03 Architecting the Multimillion-Dollar Exit
04 Planning Priorities Under and Over $30M
05 The Finish Line Tax Trap for Exit Advisors
06 Is the Business Sellable? Readiness Red Flags
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07 Legal Mechanics of a Third-Party Sale
08 Tax Implications of a Third-Party Sale
09 Quality of Earnings and EBITDA: What Buyers Really Pay For
10 QSBS — Qualified Small Business Stock After OBBBA
11 Earnouts, Escrows, and Rollover Equity
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12 Business Succession for Closely Held Businesses
13 Continuity in Crisis: Preparing for the Unexpected
14 Family Offices and Holding Companies
15 When the Next Generation Takes Over — and When It Shouldn't
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16 The $15M Exemption Era: What Changed for 2026
17 Trust “Alphabet Soup” — Dynasty, SLATs, GRATs, CRUTs, CRATs, ILITs, BDITs
18 Advanced Planning with IDGTs
19 BDITs and Dynasty Trusts
20 ILITs and Planning After OBBBA
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21 Estate Planning for Large Employer Stock Options
22 Estate Planning for Art Collections
23 Special Needs Trusts
24 Audit Defense for Gift and Estate Returns
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25 What Works in Asset Protection (and What Doesn't)
26 Asset Protection Primer
27 DAPTs and SPATs
28 PPLI — Private Placement Life Insurance
29 Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation
30 Derivatives Explained
Don’t see it here?
Most of Wayne's sessions begin with a firm’s question. Tell us your advisors’ issues, and we’ll tailor the session.
Reviews From Past Attendees
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"An engaging and brilliant speaker! Wayne uses real life examples and makes difficult information easy to understand."
-Clark J.
Who is this for?
Financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and owners of closely held businesses looking for transition planning.
About the Speaker
Wayne M. Zell, JD, CPA, CExP
Most advisors see only one piece of the picture.
Wayne Zell works at the intersection of strategy, law, and tax, helping advisors and entrepreneurs make decisions that hold up not just today — but years from now, when the stakes are highest.
Get in Touch
Fill out the form below to book Wayne to speak at your event.
Enter the Ecosystem
Stay ahead of the ever-evolving legal and tax landscape with Wayne as he designs the next generation of strategies and Deal Tools that empower advisors and business owners to create their Exit Advantage and protect what they've built.
Join Our Community
Find out when Wayne’s new book comes out and keep up to date for the latest news and events for powerful business owners
NEW BOOK COMING OUT SOON
FAQ
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