A Message From Our Founder

Why Understanding Who Christy Bender Is Can Change the Way You Think About Your Business Future

When business owners first meet me, they often expect an advisor who talks strictly in numbers: valuation formulas, deal structures, tax implications, and timing. And while those pieces matter deeply, the truth is this: most owners aren’t looking for a spreadsheet. They’re looking for a guide. Someone who understands the weight they’ve been carrying and can turn uncertainty into clarity. That is the heart of who I am and why Summit Exit Planning exists.

I’m Christy Bender, a Certified Exit Planning Advisor who spent years advising ultra–high-net-worth clients before realizing that the small and lifestyle business owners powering our communities deserve that same level of strategic care. These are owners who have poured themselves (time, identity, and often their family’s future) into something they built from scratch. And when it comes time to grow, transition, or exit, the stakes feel personal, because they are.

Many owners come to me in a place of quiet overwhelm. They know their business is valuable, but they don’t always know how to articulate that value, protect it, or improve it. They feel responsible for their employees, loyal to their customers, and uncertain about what comes next. There’s pressure in that. There’s fear in that. And there’s also opportunity, if they have the right partner.

My work is about creating the bridge between carrying it all alone and finally having space to breathe. I begin with a valuation, not as a report to sit on a shelf, but as a baseline of truth. From there, we look at readiness and attractiveness: two powerful levers that determine whether a business will sell for what it’s worth or whether the owner feels forced to simply close the doors. For many, this is the first time they’ve seen their business reflected back with both honesty and hope.

The benefit for the reader, the owner standing at a crossroads, is simple: you deserve clarity. You deserve options. And you deserve a trusted advisor who can bring structure to a transition that may feel anything but structured. My clients don’t just get numbers; they get a roadmap. They get a partner who understands both the financial complexity and the emotional reality of passing the torch.

In every engagement, my goal is to blend the rigor I once offered billionaires with the heart required to serve the people who built their businesses with grit, late nights, personal sacrifice, and an unwavering belief in possibility. I help owners scale when scaling is right, exit when exiting is right, and understand their choices so they never feel trapped by their own success.

If you’re reading this and wondering whether your business is ready for its next chapter (or if you are ready for yours) know this: you don’t have to navigate it alone. There is always a pathway, and it can be clearer, calmer, and far more empowering than you might think.

Let’s begin your climb together. Reach out, and I’ll help you take the next confident step toward whatever summit is calling your name.