Founders (pre-exit)
Founder and early-employee planning in the pre-exit window: QSBS eligibility, 83(b) strategy, secondary-market decisions, founders-equity concentration, estate tools (GRATs, QSBS stacking), and the cash-flow model before and after a liquidity event. Advisors in this specialty work with a small number of founder households at a time and understand the fiduciary, legal, and tax coordination involved.
By the numbers
The Wellspent public graph lists 1,440 fee-only financial advisors focused on founders (pre-exit) at 426 firms, most in Houston, Atlanta and Austin. 42% hold the CFP certification. Of the 1438 with fees on file, 95% charge percentage of assets.
- Advisors listed
- 1,440
- Firms
- 426
- Cities
- 367
- Hold the CFP
- 42%
- Other credentials: CFA 11% · CPA 1% · EA 1%
- How they charge (of 1438 with fees on file): percentage of assets 95% · fixed fees 58% · hourly 45% · ongoing planning fee 9%
Source: Wellspent public graph, data as of . Shares are of advisors listed here; an advisor can hold several credentials or fee types. Methodology
Advisors with depth in founders (pre-exit)
| Advisor | Firm | City | Credentials | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Eberhard | Ridgeline Private Wealth | Mesa | Not listed | Ongoing planning fee |
| Adam Snow | Bellwether Wealth | Lincoln | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Alan Beaulieu | Bellwether Wealth | Lincoln | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Andrew Guez | Tomoro | Colts Neck | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Ben Duronio | Tomoro | Colts Neck | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Bradley Kowalczyk | Ascent Wealth Partners | New Hartford | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Brian Beaulieu | Bellwether Wealth | Manchester | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Catherine Cory | Gryphon Financial Partners | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Charles Saunders | Gryphon Financial Partners | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Chris Rebich | Toro West Capital Advisors | Louisville | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Clark Bellin | Bellwether Wealth | Lincoln | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Craig Sumerel | Gryphon Financial Partners | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| David Mozeika | Tomoro | Red Bank | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Douglas Bissonette | Ascent Wealth Partners | New Hartford | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Eileen Ortega | Fortress Wealth Planning | Jacksonville Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Emilee Knudson | Bellwether Wealth | Lincoln | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Gerard Murray | Ascent Wealth Partners | Tribes Hill | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Giani Kurniawan | Global Key Advisors | San Francisco | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Jason DeLuca | Bellwether Wealth | Lincoln | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Jay Rolfe | Fortress Wealth Planning | Jacksonville Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Jeremy Suarez | Tomoro | Red Bank | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Joel Guth | Gryphon Financial Partners | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Josh Schein | Global Key Advisors | San Francisco | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Kristen Nicholson | Gryphon Financial Partners | Toledo | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Lance Norquest | Bellwether Wealth | Lincoln | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Martin Moshier | Ascent Wealth Partners | New Hartford | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Michael Karlin | Tomoro | Colts Neck | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Michael Skowfoe | Fortress Wealth Planning | Jacksonville Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Nancy Kowalczyk | Ascent Wealth Partners | New Hartford | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Neil Edmonds | Ascent Wealth Partners | New Hartford | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Noran Knobbe | Bellwether Wealth | Lincoln | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Oisin Thompson | Fortress Wealth Planning | Jacksonville Beach | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Fixed fees |
| Randi Bellner | Gryphon Financial Partners | Columbus | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Robert Sigler | Global Key Advisors | Las Vegas | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Scott Dunn | Tomoro | Colts Neck | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Sophia Tsoupelis | Ascent Wealth Partners | New Hartford | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Stephen Basile | Ascent Wealth Partners | Saratoga Springs | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Timothy Welchons | Ascent Wealth Partners | New Hartford | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
| Todd Levine | Tomoro | Colts Neck | Not listed | Percentage of assets, Hourly |
| Valerija Martinovic | Global Key Advisors | San Francisco | Not listed | Percentage of assets |
Guides
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Financial advisor for selling a business
The right advisor starts years before the sale: deal structure and tax, gifts to family while values are low, and a plan for the money after. On $5 million of proceeds, 1% is $50,000 a year; a one-time plan has a median of $2,000.
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Selling a business in Canada: the lifetime capital gains exemption
In 2026 the lifetime capital gains exemption shelters up to C$1,275,000 of gain on qualifying small business shares, but only if the company passes tests that run for two years before the sale. A one-time plan from a Canadian fee-only planner costs a median C$1,900.
-
Family office vs wealth manager: what's the difference?
A single family office works for one family and is exempt from SEC adviser registration; the ones in UBS's 2025 survey managed an average of $1.1 billion. A multi-family office is a registered wealth manager with more household services. Fee-only wealth managers charge a median 1% of assets.