On June 18, 2025 CBIZ hosted an Owners’ Roundtable (ORT) event – a reunion featuring 45 attendees of the previous 28 ORTs. Hosted by Mike Trabert, the 2025 reunion curriculum included a refresher on principles from Mike’s free eBook The Five Stages of Value Maturity and featured two guest speakers delivering their personal experiences and perspectives on business resilience and ownership transitions, respectively. The event also carved out time for an open discussion in which attending business owners raised their most pressing concerns as owners, generating dynamic conversation and candid insights into various owner-related issues and potential solutions. Finally, the four-hour program closed with a “product/service blitz” in which each attendee introduced themselves, their business, and its services to one another, followed by drinks, appetizers, and open networking.
One hot topic throughout was the recent testimony by Scott Snider of the Exit Planning Institute before the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. As expert witness, Scott explained to lawmakers a growing concern within the economy – 90% of small business owners’ wealth is within their company. That means there’s a clock ticking on up to $14 trillion in deals likely to occur over the next 10 years, a figure that accounts for approximately 73% of businesses. With so much competition for deals and a relatively short time frame to prepare, will owners be able to maximize the value of their businesses? ORT participants are actively seeking answers in Mike’s value maturity program and each other’s real-world experiences.
As is typical of reunion, attendees highlighted the practical value of the insights shared by their peers, saying “I really enjoyed hearing from all the business owners. Learning their stories and struggles was very valuable.” Others appreciated hearing the “insightful and important questions to ask yourself when running a business” and “lots of wisdom” from fellow attendees, speakers, and Mike.
Over the ORT program’s history, it has become celebrated as much for the practical insights shared by Mike as the free-flowing conversations and wisdom-sharing between ORT attendees. On average, ORT participants operate businesses with revenues of $17 million and are 50 years of age. Approximately 14% participate in more than one ORT, with one program per year, the International ORT, held overseas at destination resorts.
The 2026 International ORT will be held in Anguilla March 8-11, 2026. As always, Mike will combine educational sessions covering the principles of value creation with lively discussions, the perspectives of several speakers, and plenty of time to enjoy recreation and relaxation at the host resort.
Don’t miss your opportunity to take part in the upcoming International Owners’ Roundtable. If you have any questions about the event or would like to reserve your spot in Anguilla or an upcoming ORT event at CBIZ in Independence, Ohio on August 5, contact Mike Trabert, CPA, CVA, CMAP, CEPA, CMAA, CBEC and Exit Planning Institute’s 2017 Exit Planner of the Year.
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