Venture Asheville Business Buying and Selling Strategy Summit

📅 Date: April 3, 2024
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 Location: The Collider, Downtown Asheville
🎟 Limited Tickets Available: Only 120 spots – Reserve yours now!

For Business Owners, Future Owners, and Investors

Buying an existing business is one of the fastest and most secure paths to entrepreneurship. This summit brings together current business owners, aspiring buyers, and industry experts to explore the growing opportunities in Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) as well as helping business owners and founders prepare for a sale.

✅ Learn from top acquisition entrepreneurs
✅ Understand how to finance and structure deals
✅ Gain insights into the buying and selling process
✅ Build a network of sellers, buyers, and investors’

 ✔ Current business owners considering an exit or succession plan
✔ Investors & lenders interested in acquisition opportunities
✔ Franchisees & executives exploring business ownership

🎟 Limited Tickets – Secure Yours Today!

 Keynote Speakers

Deb Hatley – CEO & Founder, Hatley Pointe

🎿 The visionary behind Hatley Pointe, the newest ski resort in the U.S.
🏔 Dubbed the “Aspen of Appalachia”, this acquisition transformed a mountain into an iconic destination.
🌪 Hear how Deb navigated Hurricane Helene, revitalized the property, and built a thriving new business.

Meet Deborah, a visionary entrepreneur with a lifelong passion for service and crafting unforgettable atmospheres. From an early age, she dreamt of bringing imaginative business ideas to life. Deborah’s journey is best defined by a rapid immersion into the real world. As a young mother, she honed her skills in the hair industry, setting sky-high standards to distinguish herself. Along her journey, her passion for community projects and commitment to uplifting others led to her founding a nationwide online ministry which provided solace and support to countless women.  Later on, Deborah took a leap of faith and invested her entire savings into establishing her first brick-and-mortar business in Johnson City, TN. This salon, boutique, and women-only haven served as a catalyst for change, and further ignited her entrepreneurial spirit. Today, Deborah continues to follow her heart, as the Co-Owner & CEO of Hatley Pointe with her husband, David. Upon visiting what was formerly Wolf Ridge Ski Resort, she recognized the significant potential in revitalizing the beloved mountain resort. Deborah decided to invest not only in the ski resort, but the community itself. Her passion for making a positive impact has guided the plans for Hatley Pointe, as she is dedicated to transforming the area into a one-of-a-kind destination for both locals and visitors from all over. Deborah’s innovative ideas and strong leadership serve as a driving force for the Hatley Pointe team. She aims to create a destination that leaves a lasting impression on every guest’s heart, offering not just a getaway but an unforgettable experience. She and her team are determined to transform Hatley Pointe into a top destination on the East Coast. Deborah is most excited to see guests in the renovated and reimagined lodge and to experience the mountain she and her team have worked so hard on.

Baird Private Wealth Management

💼 National leaders in business transitions & succession planning
💰 Learn how to buy, sell, or transition a business successfully
📈 Insights on financing, valuations, and deal structuring

 Meet our Baird Private Wealth Management Speakers

	Andrew McKay Managing Director, Head of Business Owner Solutions	Andy McKay has over 35 years’ experience in executing middle-market M&A, investment, financial, valuation and other business transactions. Prior to joining Baird, he was Head of Investment Banking at Hilliard Lyons. He is a member of the Kentucky and Georgia bars, and the Kentucky Society of CPAs. He is Accredited in Business Valuation by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
	Jaleigh White, CPA, CPWA® Managing Director,Director of Family Wealth Private Wealth Management	Since coming to Baird through the 2019 acquisition of Hilliard Lyons, Jaleigh has been the architect to build the new Baird Family Wealth platform. The Baird Family Wealth team works with advisors and their most complex UHNW clients ensuring that all business owners, executives, and multi-generational client families have access to the resources they need to meet their individual goals and navigate major transitions in their lives.
	Robert J. Robes, JD, LLM Director of Wealth Strategists Private Wealth Management	Bob Robes is the Director of Wealth Strategists and is based out of Baird’s office in Charleston, South Carolina. Bob leads Baird’s team of Wealth Strategists who work with Financial Advisors to develop customized solutions for the complex planning needs of their highest net-worth clients. Bob also works with business owner clients to develop and implement coordinated strategies for the ownership of their business and their personal estate and wealth transfer plans, taking into consideration the personal and business goals and objectives of the business owner and their unique family dynamics. Bob also helps business owners understand external and internal transition solutions consistent with their vision, values and legacy desires.

What to Expect

🎤 Expert Panels & Workshops

• The ETA Playbook – How to find, evaluate, and acquire a business
• Financing Your Deal – From SBA loans to private equity
• The Seller’s Perspective – Preparing for a business transition
• Post-Acquisition Success – Operating and scaling an acquired business

🤝 High-Impact Networking

• Meet business owners looking to sell
• Connect with investors and lenders
• Build relationships with mentors and industry leaders

🚀 Success Stories & Case Studies

• Learn firsthand from entrepreneurs who have acquired and grown businesses

Who Should Attend?

✔ Aspiring entrepreneurs looking to buy a business
✔ Current business owners considering an exit or succession plan
✔ Investors & lenders interested in acquisition opportunities
✔ Franchisees & executives exploring business ownership

🎟 Limited Tickets – Secure Yours Today!

Agenda TBA Soon

Presenting Sponsor

Venue Sponsor