ADVISORY BOARD

The Value Builder System™ relies on an International Advisory Board of experts who guide our strategic direction and lead our community of advisors:

Chris Barnard
Managing Partner, Marigold Resources
Biography

Marigold Resources' founder Chris Barnard is an expert at identifying and connecting successful transition and acquisition partners. Barnard's extensive business development experience serving Fortune 100 companies has served Marigold's customers very well since founding the independent M&A firm in 2011.

Steve Conwell
Final Ascent
Biography

Steve Conwell is an accomplished entrepreneur with more than 25 years of business growth advisory and financial consulting experience.  As the CEO and owner of Final Ascent LLC, he leverages his team of professional exit advisors to help business owners achieve the American Dream.  His firm works with sellers to transform their businesses into built to sell companies and partners with an extensive network of strategic business brokers and M&A firms to sell their businesses for top dollar at exit. Throughout his career, Steve has leveraged public accounting, internal audit, and controls experience with Fortune 500 and middle market companies, always returning to his entrepreneurial roots.

From 1993 to 2002, Steve worked at Ernst & Young in public accounting, business advisory services, and technology auditing. At Whitman-Hart, Steve served as the COO of the Dallas office and Global Director of Business Operations across the 72-office, $2b management consulting firm.

In 2002, he began his entrepreneurial adventures co-founding and building ECC, a national consulting and recruiting firm. The company led global risk and controls engagements for Fortune 500 and middle market clients, partnering with Tier-1 accounting firms. He successfully sold the business in 2008. Steve realized at this time he had a passion and love for business owners and their entrepreneurial spirit.

From 2009 to early 2017, Steve was the Market President of a consulting firm that provided professional accountants to small businesses to complement their internal accounting staff.

Most recently, he was the interim CFO for Rylex Capital in residential real estate. He led the cash to accrual conversion and the year-one audit, earning an unqualified audit opinion from the 8th largest public accounting firm.

Steve has a Bachelor and Masters of Science in Accounting and is a member of several professional associations. He is a Certified Value Builder and expert in getting companies “built to sell.” Steve was the past president of the Fort Worth Institute of Internal Auditors. He was a National Board Member and Dallas Advisory Council Chairman with the American Lung Association. He is an accomplished speaker, presenting several topics on business and entrepreneurship to business leaders and college students.

Steve is a native Texas and attended nine different schools growing up, It’s why he embraces change and loves thinking out-of-the-box. He lives in the Dallas area with his college sweetheart and their two children.

Ray Croff
CEO and President of Mobius Financial Advisors
Biography

Ray Croff—CEO and President of Mobius Financial Advisors—is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) who provides Financial Planning and Business Advisory Services for Entrepreneurs and Families.

Before entering the Financial Services profession, he owned his own business with numerous employees, equipment, and real estate for over 15 years. Combining this invaluable experience with his financial knowledge and education makes him well suited to help business owners increase the value of their business.

Ray has has been recognized as one of the top Certified Exit Planning Advisors in the US:

  • Nominated National Exit Planner of the Year 2019 by The Exit Planning Institute
  • Current VP of the Dallas Chapter of the Exit Planning Institute—incoming Chapter President
  • Named Exit Planning Institute Chapter Member of the Year for 2019
  • Named National Agent of the Year for Global Atlantic Financial in 2017
  • Speaks around the country on exit planning
  • Adjunct at the University of North Texas
  • Created a nationally recognized and copyrighted program designed to educate business owners on how to build value in their business
Marla DiCarlo
Raincatcher
Biography

Marla DiCarlo is an accomplished business consultant with more than 28 years of professional accounting experience. As co-owner and CEO of Raincatcher, she helps business owners get their business ready to sell so they find the best buyer and get paid the maximum value for their business. Marla has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and is a member of several professional organizations.

Originally from Arizona, Marla, her husband, and three children relocated to Colorado in 2007. From 2000 to 2008, Marla worked as Director of Accounting for an M&A and Investment group that specialized in purchase, capitalization, and management of real estate and businesses in various sectors. While there, she was responsible for new business deals, investments, and financing. She worked with groups such as Credit Suisse First Boston, ISS Group, Venture West Group, and Madison Dearborn Partners.

In 2012, she opened Kaizen Business Results, a fractional CFO, accounting and bookkeeping firm, to help small business owners understand the story behind their numbers and get to the next level. Using her experience in cash management, strategic planning, operations, and budgeting, she was able to help the small business owner scale, working with owners between $100k to $15mm in revenue.

Marla’s prior industry experience includes real estate, commercial development, and investments. She also has formal training and practical knowledge in computer implementation and consulting. Marla has a background in strategic planning and projecting, calculating valuations, forecasting, and budgeting. She also has extensive experience in accounting software such as Great Plains Dynamics and SAP, and as a QuickBooks Proadvisor for more than 15 years, she has the knowledge and ability to handle a multitude of accounting projects.

Marla is an accomplished speaker and has taught classes with her local SBDC and SBA, plus various lenders and banking institutions. She is a certified Value BuilderTM Advisor and has several years working in management accounting with an emphasis in taxes.

As a serial entrepreneur and small business owner, Marla has the heart and passion to help the owner get to that next level preparing them to make their Final Ascent.

Dr. Nolan Duck
Founder & CEO of DBG Advisors
Biography

Dr. Nolan Duck is focuses on helping business owners Determine, Build and Get Full Value for their companies. He is the founder and CEO of DBG Advisors, a Richardson, Texas based M&A Advisory and Business Brokerage Firm. For over 15 years, Nolan has provided essential guidance to Business Owners who are looking to increase the value of their business to ensure a lucrative exit. Whether they plan to sell now or ten years from now, his goal is to help them be prepared to sell if someone comes calling. His Firm guides business owners through both the exit planning process and the sale of their company.

Nolan specializes in shifting the way owners think about every aspect of their company so they can get the full value out of its sale, provide for their families, and secure the future success of the business they built. His book, Are You Read To Sell Your Business? addresses “10 Critical Issues Every Business Owner Must Address To Get Their Business On The Right Path For A Lucrative Exit.” A practicing minister, Nolan has the knowledge and experience to earn his place as a trusted business growth exit advisor.

Dr. Duck is the President of the Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter of the Texas Association of Business Brokers (TABB), a member of the Alliance of Mergers & Acquisition Advisors (AM&AA), the Trusted Authority Alliance, the North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors (NTCAR), a Board Certified Broker, a Real Estate Broker, a Certified Value Builder, a Certified CVI Coach, an ordained minister who in 2012 was recognized as the Outstanding Intentional Interim in Texas and a Rotarian.

Nolan received his Bachelor’s from the University of Arkansas (History/Finance), Master’s degrees in both Theology and Religious Education and a Doctorate in preaching all from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Nancy Dilday Duck, live in Richardson, Texas. They have two married children and three grandchildren.

TODD MCGREEVY
Managing Partner, Marigold Resources
Biography

Marigold Resources' co-founder Todd McGreevy excels at distilling and distributing relevant data that expedites transactions. McGreevy was running two media & advertising companies, plus a real estate holding company when managing partner Chris Barnard invited him to create the high-touch midwestern M&A firm in 2011.

Edwin Mysogland
Managing Partner Indiana Business Advisors
Biography

As Managing Partner of Indiana Business Advisors in Indianapolis; Edwin Mysogland guides the development of the organization, its knowledge strategy, and the IBA initiative, which is to continue to be Indiana’s premier business brokerage by bringing investment banker caliber of transactional advisory services to small and mid-sized businesses. Over the last 29 years, Ed has been appraising and providing pre-sale consulting services for small and medium-size privately held businesses as part of brokerage process. He has worked with entrepreneurs of every pedigree and offers a unique insight in consulting with them to a successful sale outcome. The development of his experience stems from appraising many types, sizes, and interests. He has valued businesses in 28 states over his career. He has saved buy-side clients millions and successfully defended the business value of his sell-side clients. He has served as an expert witness and has taught about business valuation and exit planning.

Ed is a graduate of the distinguished Indianapolis’ Stanley K. Lacy Leadership Series; chapter President of the Exit Planning Institute and has served several not for profit organizations. Ed is a Certified Valuation Analyst, a Certified Exit Planning Advisor, Certified Value Builder, and a Certified Machinery and Equipment Appraiser.