About Business Enterprise Institute
For over three decades, BEI has equipped advisors with the knowledge, tools, and community to help business owners build transferable value and achieve successful exits.
Our Story
BEI was founded on a simple but powerful insight: most business owners lack a strategic plan for their most valuable asset. We exist to change that by empowering the advisors who serve them.
Our Mission
Empower advisors with the structure and support to grow business value and guide successful owner transitions
Our Methodology
Systematic, research-backed processes that translate complex business and exit planning.
Our Community
A nationwide network of certified and trusted professionals.
Founded by estate planning attorney John Brown, BEI was built on decades of real-world experience working directly with business owners. John developed one of the industry’s earliest structured approaches to exit planning, work that later became the BEI Seven Step Exit Planning Process™️ and helped shape exit planning as a professional discipline.
Since our founding in 1991, BEI has trained thousands of financial advisors, accountants, attorneys, and consultants in business and exit planning. Our programs combine deep technical expertise with practical tools advisors can immediately implement with clients. What sets BEI apart is our commitment to both tracks of business ownership, building value throughout the ownership lifecycle through Owner Based Planning and executing successful exit transitions through Exit Planning. This dual approach ensures advisors can serve business owners at every stage of their journey.
The BEI Journey
A clear, guided path from learning to applying business and exit planning.
1
Build Your Planning Expertise
Develop business and exit planning skills through BEI’s training and credentialing programs.
2
Apply the Tools
Use BEI’s PlanIt software, templates and assessments to structure and streamline your planning work.
3
Execute Planning
Access hands-on coaching and community support from BEI as you work with business owners.
Meet Our Team
Experienced professionals dedicated to supporting the business and exit planning.
Fletcher Brown
CEO
Felicia Wright
Chief Growth Officer
Shannon McCullagh
VP of Client Success
John Brown
Founder
Ready to Transform Your Advisory Practice?
Join thousands of professionals who have elevated their business and exit planning with BEI.