Broker Check
(814) 536-4200
team@centennialfg.com
Client Login


Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) | Johnstown, PA | Centennial Financial

Work With a Certified Exit Planning Advisor


A Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) is trained to do one thing well: help you grow the value of your business and transition out of it on your terms. Our Managing Partner holds the CEPA® designation and guides Western Pennsylvania owners through every step.

Meet With a CEPA® Advisor
30+ Years Of experience
CFP™ Certified professionals
Fiduciary Your interests first
National Helping business oweners across the country

What a CEPA® Advisor Does

The Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) designation is conferred by the Exit Planning Institute. It trains advisors to coordinate the three sides of a business transition that usually get handled in separate silos: the business itself, the owner's personal goals, and their financial plan.

As a CEPA®, Ethan Stewart is equipped with the training and tools to strengthen the value of your company before you exit, and to plan for your life and finances afterward. A CEPA® does more than help you sell. The role is to make sure the business is ready, you are ready, and your money is ready, all at the same time.

This page explains how the credential shapes our process. It is a spoke of our broader exit and succession planning service.

Why the CEPA® Approach Matters

Most advisors focus on investments. Exit planning asks a harder question: is the largest asset you own truly ready to sell, and are you ready to live on the proceeds? Research from the Exit Planning Institute shows why so many transitions fall short.

80–90%
of a typical owner's wealth is locked inside the business, illiquid until a planned exit releases it.
70–90%
of private businesses listed for sale never close, most often because the company depends too heavily on the owner.
3 Gaps
the value, wealth, and profit gaps a CEPA® identifies early, so you can close them while there is still time.

Statistics are published by the Exit Planning Institute and are provided for general educational purposes. See the Exit Planning Institute. They are not a guarantee of future results and do not reflect the experience of any Centennial Financial Group client.

The CEPA® framework treats value as something you build years ahead of a sale, not something you discover at the closing table. That is the difference between a transition you control and one that controls you.

How We Use the CEPA® Process

We apply the Value Acceleration Methodology®, the process taught in the CEPA® program, to align your business, personal, and financial goals into one plan.

Discover

We begin with an Enterprise Value Assessment to establish what a buyer might pay today and identify the three Gaps.

Prepare

Through focused 90-day sprints, we build transferable value and reduce the company's reliance on you.

Decide

With the groundwork done, you choose whether to sell or keep growing, backed by a plan for life after the business.

Related Exit Planning Resources

Business Exit & Succession PlanningReturn to the full hub for our complete exit process and FAQ.Back to the hub → Value Your BusinessStart with an Enterprise Value Assessment for your Johnstown-area company.Read more → Take the Exit Readiness SurveyA short assessment of how prepared your business is to transition.Start the survey →

Value Acceleration Methodology® is a registered mark of the Exit Planning Institute. Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®) is a designation conferred by the Exit Planning Institute.

Why Work With Us

Exit planning sits where your business, your taxes, and your family's future meet. You want an advisor who holds the credential, runs a defined process, and understands ownership from the inside.

A credentialed CEPA®

Our Managing Partner holds the CEPA® designation and the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification.

Fee-based and client-first

We are an independent, fee-based firm. Our advisory relationship is a fiduciary one, so your interests lead the plan.

An owner himself

Ethan runs his own ventures, so he plans transitions from the owner's seat, not a textbook.

Working Nationwide

Providing financial guidance for business owners for over 30 years in our local communities and across the country.

Ethan Stewart, CFP, CEPA

Ethan Stewart, CFP®, CEPA

Managing Partner

A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Certified Exit Planning Advisor, Ethan joined the firm in 2014 and leads how the whole team serves clients. A business owner himself, he earned the CEPA® designation to help owners get the full value of their businesses through sound succession and sale strategies.

Areas We Serve

Our office is in downtown Johnstown. We work with business owners across Western Pennsylvania in person and nationwide by video. Stop by, or start with a call.

Centennial Financial Group, LLC
227 Franklin Street, Suite 302
Johnstown, PA 15901

(814) 536-4200

  • Johnstown
  • Greensburg
  • Washington
  • Greater Pittsburgh
  • Westmont
  • Southmont
  • Ebensburg
  • Somerset
  • Indiana, PA
  • Cambria County

Talk With a CEPA® Advisor

If you are within a few years of a transition, or simply want to keep your options open, a conversation now gives you the most room to plan. Let's map your next chapter together.

Meet With a CEPA® Advisor

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA®)?

A Certified Exit Planning Advisor is a professional who has earned the CEPA designation from the Exit Planning Institute after completing an executive-style program and passing a proctored exam. CEPAs are trained to help business owners maximize transferable value and coordinate the business, personal, and financial sides of a transition. It is one of the most widely recognized exit planning credentials.

How is a CEPA® different from a regular financial advisor?

A traditional financial advisor typically focuses on your personal investments. A CEPA adds a business dimension: assessing what the company is worth, finding ways to grow its transferable value, and coordinating the sale or succession alongside your personal financial plan. The goal is to connect the value of the business to the life you want after you exit.

Does Centennial Financial Group have a CEPA® on staff?

Yes. Managing Partner Ethan Stewart holds the Certified Exit Planning Advisor designation along with the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification, and he is a business owner himself. You can read his background on his advisor page.

When should I start working with a CEPA®?

Earlier is better. Because most of an owner's wealth is tied up in the business and building transferable value takes time, starting several years before a target exit gives you the most options and the strongest position. Many owners begin with an Enterprise Value Assessment to see where they stand.

What is the Value Acceleration Methodology®?

The Value Acceleration Methodology is the process taught in the CEPA program, introduced by Exit Planning Institute CEO Christopher Snider. It integrates the owner's business, personal, and financial goals into a single strategy and moves through three stages: Discover, Prepare, and Decide.