Top business exit / sale strategy financial advisors in Ames, IA

The right financial advisor for you depends on how you weigh location, expertise, experience, the clients they typically serve, and how they work with you.

Selling your business is a major life event that requires careful planning to protect your financial future. Without a clear exit strategy, you risk leaving money on the table or facing unexpected tax consequences.

  • Valuation insight. Ask how they determine your business's worth beyond simple revenue multiples, considering market trends and growth potential.
  • Tax impact planning. Confirm they understand local tax rules, including recent changes that may affect your retirement income after the sale.
  • Post-sale cash flow. Discuss how they plan for your income needs once the business no longer generates revenue.
  • Transition timing. Inquire about their approach to timing the sale to align with your personal and market conditions.

Here are top matches to get you started. Review each profile to compare experience, credentials, and approach.

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Richard N

Series 63, Series 65

Ames, IA

LPL Financial

Richard Nelson is a financial advisor with LPL Financial in Ames, Iowa, holding Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and bringing 29 years of industry experience. He has been with LPL Financial since 2001. LPL Financial is a national broker-dealer and SEC-registered investment adviser that serves individuals, retirement plan participants, banks, trust companies, and other institutions. The firm offers a range of advisory and brokerage services, including financial planning, model portfolio programs, third-party asset management, and institutional platforms.

Wealth management Retirement income strategy College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Tax-loss harvesting Annuities Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Darren G

Series 63, Series 65

Ames, IA

Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC

Darren Gauck is a financial advisor with Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC, holding Series 63 and Series 65 credentials and over 32 years of industry experience. He has worked with Ameritas entities since 2002 and is also the owner of Midwest Financial Solutions, LLC, where he is licensed as an independent insurance agent specializing in fixed insurance and annuity products. Ameritas Advisory Services, LLC provides investment advisory and planning services to a diverse client base, including individuals, high-net-worth investors, retirement plans, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm offers a range of services such as asset management and financial planning, utilizing model portfolios and various investment vehicles across discretionary and non-discretionary programs.

Private / alternative investments Wealth management Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Retirement income strategy Charitable giving & philanthropy Founder/Business Owner Retired Mid-Career Professionals

John T

Series 63, Series 66

Ames, IA

Edward Jones

John Tillo is a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Ames, IA, holding Series 63 and Series 66 designations and bringing 28 years of industry experience. He has been with Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. since 1997. Edward Jones is a full-service wealth management firm serving over four million individual and institutional clients. The firm manages approximately $1.01 trillion in assets and offers a range of advisory programs, including discretionary and non-discretionary wrap fee strategies, separately managed accounts, and affiliated mutual funds.

College savings (529s, UTMA, etc.) Retirement income strategy General estate planning guidance Retired Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Jay B

Series 63, Series 66

Ames, IA

Eagle Strategies (NY Life)

Jay Black is a financial advisor with Eagle Strategies (NY Life) based in Ames, Iowa, holding Series 63 and Series 66 licenses with 14 years of industry experience. He has worked at Eagle Strategies since 2019 and has been associated with New York Life and Nylife Securities since 2011. In addition to his advisory role, Black operates Innovative Financial Solutions Group, a business focused on selling New York Life products and brokering non-registered insurance products. Eagle Strategies serves a diverse range of individual and institutional clients, providing financial planning, investment management, and retirement-plan advisory services. The firm offers multiple program types tailored to client and plan sponsor objectives and manages the majority of its assets on a non-discretionary basis.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Business exit / sale strategy General retirement planning Retirement income strategy Founder/Business Owner Executive
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Derrick H

Series 66

Ames, IA

STIFEL

Derrick Hannah is a financial advisor at Stifel with 10 years of industry experience. He holds a Series 66 designation and has previously worked at Bank of America and Merrill. Stifel serves a diverse client base including individuals, institutional clients, and charitable organizations, offering brokerage and investment advisory services supported by a proprietary investment methodology developed by its Investment Strategy Group.

General retirement planning Income planning
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Sally H

Series 63, Series 65

New York, NY

Seasons of Advice Wealth Management

Sally Hyman is a financial advisor with Seasons of Advice Wealth Management in New York, NY. She holds Series 63 and Series 65 licenses and has 43 years of industry experience, including roles at Ameriprise Financial Services and RBC Capital Markets. Outside of her advisory work, she records and sells vocal CDs and is involved in publishing her father's book on the spiritual meaning of disease and science. Seasons of Advice Wealth Management provides financial planning and discretionary investment management to individuals, high net worth clients, trusts, small business owners, professionals, and families. The firm uses a proprietary planning process that integrates goal tracking, asset allocation, and tax planning, tailoring investment recommendations to each client’s objectives and risk tolerance.

General estate planning guidance Business exit / sale strategy Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner Executive Values-based investing
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Kristin M

Series 66

Mt Pleasant, SC

Guardian Life

Kristin Manna is a financial advisor at Guardian Life with one year of industry experience. She holds a Series 66 designation and has worked previously at Consolidated Planning Holdings, Inc. and Charleston County School District. Outside of her advisory role, she is an author and publisher of books including The Basketball Coach's Notebook and works as a math tutor for high school students. Guardian Life’s subsidiary, Park Avenue Securities LLC, offers brokerage and investment advisory services to individuals, corporate and retirement plan sponsors, charitable organizations, and businesses. The firm provides tailored client solutions through a combination of advisor-led discretionary management, model-based strategies, and access to proprietary and third-party platforms.

Business exit / sale strategy Tax-loss harvesting Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Charitable giving & philanthropy Founder/Business Owner Executive Financial Professional Approaching retirement Established Professionals Mid-Career Professionals
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Geoffrey T

Series 66

Chicago, IL

Sanctuary Advisors, LLC

Geoffrey Tomes is a financial advisor with Sanctuary Advisors, LLC, holding a Series 66 credential and 26 years of industry experience. He has worked at Noyes Advisors LLC for 11 years and David A Noyes & Company for 26 years. His other business activities include involvement in fixed life and health insurance and fixed annuities. Sanctuary Advisors, LLC serves a diverse client base including individuals, corporations, pension and profit-sharing plans, trusts, estates, and charitable organizations through a network of over 400 independent investment adviser representatives. The firm offers a range of portfolio management and financial planning services employing various analytical approaches and maintains distinctive features such as negotiated performance-based fees for large institutional clients and affiliations with specialized asset management firms.

Retirement plans for business owners (SEP, solo 401k) Cash flow / budgeting General retirement planning
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Amanda Q

Series 66

Richmond, VA

Wells Fargo Advisors

Amanda Quicke is a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors in Richmond, VA, holding a Series 66 designation and 18 years of industry experience. She has worked within Wells Fargo entities since 2016. Outside of her advisory role, she has ownership interests in an investment-related business, Granite Wealth Management, LLC. Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network serves individuals, trusts, and institutional clients by providing a broad range of investment and financial planning services. The firm utilizes proprietary research and planning tools to develop tailored recommendations, offering both brokerage and advisory programs.

Divorce financial planning Planning for children with special needs Business exit / sale strategy Cash flow / budgeting Founder/Business Owner
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Keith E

CFP®

Pittsburgh, PA

Keith L. Eliou, CFP

Keith Eliou is the principal of Keith L. Eliou, CFP, an investment management firm based in Pittsburgh, PA. He holds the CFP® designation and has one year of experience as a financial advisor. In addition to his advisory role, he practices law focusing on elder law and real estate and is involved in insurance, mortgage lending, and real estate brokerage businesses. The firm primarily serves pooled vehicles and institutional accounts, offering portfolio management, retirement plan services, and financial planning. It utilizes an open-architecture investment approach with third-party money managers and employs multiple analytical methods and strategies, conducting annual account reviews.

Social Security optimization Retirement income strategy Cash flow / budgeting Charitable giving tax strategies Business exit / sale strategy Founder/Business Owner
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