CERTIFIED SUCCESSION PLANNER™

Unlock Success with World-Class Training & ISPA Membership

Become a Member

Distinguish Yourself from The Competition

Professionals can now participate in distinguishing education and certification programs that acknowledge their training, experience and specialization related to the business succession planning field. Take your practice to new heights through world-class training that will help your clients succeed and ultimately grow your own business. The CSP program is just one key element of the ISPA membership designed to provide the necessary training, resources, and tools to better serve your clients.

Certified Succession Planner™ Curriculum Overview

The Certified Succession Planner curriculum provides an in-depth understanding of the Succession Matrix, a collection of complex family, financial, personal, and management dynamics that impact business longevity and success. Understanding these dynamics positions you to identify and facilitate complex issues that arise in the succession planning process of a business.

  • Insight into the fundamentals of a results-driven succession planning process 
  •  Strategies for facilitating emotional issues that impact teamwork, communication, and business decisions 
  • Keys for identifying and addressing diverse succession planning challenges that most business owners have difficulty discussing   
  • Processes to distinguish you as a succession planning professional 
  • Sample templates and tools to integrate into your practice  

the Succession Framework

  • 12 full modules of deep-dive learning & training
  • A Comprehensive diagram of the interdependent nature of Succession Matrix® factors 
  • Supplemental bonus materials

Immersive Educational Experience 

  • On-demand video training modules 
  • Interactive virtual lessons to increase engagement quizzes and assignments to test your comprehension 
  • Downloadable tools & templates

Comprehensive WORKBOOK

  • 272 pages of educational and supplemental resources 
  • Sample templates and governance agreements 
  • Sample case history to apply concepts and principals covered in The Succession Matrix textbook 

Benefits of the CSP Education & Certification Process

Separates you from your competition and position you as a highly relied-upon, relational advisor resulting in additional revenue streams for your core services.

Provides comprehensive training in the circumstances impacting the transition of a business legacy through the next generation of owners, leaders, and managers.

Acknowledges the ability to identify succession assets and liabilities within the Succession Matrix®, develop an integrated action plan and lead a collaborative planning process amongst a team of advisors.

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Module Overviews & Learning Objectives

Introduction 1: Defining Succession™ Success

Succession is dependent upon success. Therefore, for succession to be an option, there must be a good foundation for business success to fulfill the dream of succession. However, a complication to identifying or achieving success is that we all define success differently. And adding to the complexity, there are six fundamental approaches to measuring business value. "Defining Succession Success" discusses varying definitions of success, how they impact an owner's attitudes toward family, employees, and the community, and how they influence business planning and value.

  • Varying Definitions of Success and How it Influences Owner Attitudes
  • Philosophy of Succession Planning 
  • Science Behind the Succession Matrix®
  • Six Approaches to Business Value and Their Influence on Succession Planning
  • Navigating Owner's Disposition Decision
  • How Succession Planning Builds Value
  • Applied Learning: How to Take Your Practice to New Heights

Introduction 2: How Succession Planning Builds Value

Succession is dependent upon success. Therefore, for succession to be an option, there must be a good foundation for business success to fulfill the dream of succession. However, a complication to identifying or achieving success is that we all define success differently. And adding to the complexity, there are six fundamental approaches to measuring business value. "Defining Succession Success™ discusses varying definitions of success, how they impact an owner's attitudes toward family, employees, and the community, and how they influence business planning and value.

  • Business Success vs Business Succession
  • Understanding the Succession Matrix
  • Succession Planning and Business Value
  • Business Disposition
  • Applied Learning: How to Enhance Your Practice

Module 1: Owner Motivation and Perspective

The study of succession planning starts with Owner Motivation and Perspective as it influences all business operations and planning areas. The owner's views determine the succession planning direction, options, and opportunities. More succinctly expressed, Owner Motivation and Perspective represent both the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end of business succession planning.

  • Overview of Owner Attitudes & Influence on the Business 
  • How an owner views, defines, and prioritizes success sets the tone for an organization's purpose and service mentality.  
  • How to Identify Business Owner Attitudes  
  • Discuss 4 common owner attitudes and perspectives and common characteristics to help you determine what may be influencing owner motivation and decision making  
  • Strategies for Coaching Different Attitudes to Motivate Action  
  • Understanding the underling perspectives of your client helps you determine the right questions and approach to motivate your client to act on fulfilling their long-term vision.  
  • Owner Motivation & Perspective’s Influence on the Succession Matrix®   
  • Interdependent influence of Owner Motivation & Perspective on Other Areas of the Succession Matrix®  
  • Applied Learning: How to Enhance Your Practice

Module 2: Personal Financial Planning

A fundamental succession planning consideration involves progressively utilizing the fruits of business success to achieve personal financial independence from the business. The accumulation of financial resources enables a business owner to become free of credit guarantees, initiate an exit strategy, and empower succession by transferring leadership and control of the business to partners, family members, or key manager successors.

  • Overview of the 4 Key Components of Personal Financial Planning for Succession Success®  
  • Impact of an Owner’s Financial Dependence Upon the Business  
  • 6 Common Estate Planning Issues Impacting the Succession of a Closely Held Business  
  • Credit Continuity and its influence on transferring ownership and leadership  
  • The Three Key Considerations for Developing an Exit Strategy for Seamless Transition  
  • Personal Financial Plannings Influence on the Succession Matrix®   
  • Applied Learning: How to Enhance Your Practice

Module 3: Business Structuring

Business structuring has a direct impact upon tax on profits, gifts, sales and, ultimately, cash flow to shareholders. These issues in turn impact financial security of owners, strategic planning resources, ownership agreements, and estate planning.

  • How Business Structuring influences business value 
  • Two dynamics influencing effective business structuring for business succession
  • Appropriate business structures for business succession 
  • How business agreement addresses owner concerns 
  • Pros and Cons of different business structures for succession planning 
  • Business Structuring’s Influence on the Succession Matrix® 
  • Applied Knowledge: How to Enhance Your Practice

Module 4: Business Performance

Succession planning demands attention to business performance and therefore increases business value. Enhanced business performance benefits family members, employees, managers, and vendors.

  • The threshold of business performance required for succession planning 
  • 6 key performance metrics for succession planning 
  • Measuring business performance 
  • Appropriate business structures for business succession 
  • Strategies for addressing underperformance 
  • Business Performance’s Influence on the Succession Matrix® 
  • Applied Learning: How to Enhance Your Practice

Module 5: Strategic Planning

A foundational long-term initiative, the confirmation of a comprehensive succession strategy is a fundamental component of strategic planning. Strategic planning confirms operational strengths and weaknesses and evaluates resources relative to the achievement of priorities. A predictable priority of a business owner is the continuation of success, business succession.

  • Strategic planning’s purpose and impact on Succession Success
  • The 4 fundamental steps to Strategic Planning 
  • Strategies for facilitating fulfillment of strategic planning objectives 
  • The difference between strategic planning and succession planning 
  • Strategic Planning’s Influence on the Succession Matrix® 
  • Applied Learning: How Enhance Your Practice

Module 6: Leadership & Management Continuity

The identification, motivation and retention of highly qualified supporting managers and development of bench strength are essential to maintaining the viability of succession plans. Therefore, the development and constant regeneration of a management culture that can sustain and enhance historical success is imperative to succession.

  • Understanding common leadership styles of business owners & their respective results 
  • Three components influencing leadership and management continuity 
  • Strategies for developing leadership & management bench strength 
  • Tactics for supporting successor & leadership shortfalls 
  • Leadership & Management Continuity’s Influence on the Succession Matrix® 
  • Applied Learning: How to Enhance Your Practice

Module 7: Management Synergy & Teamwork

Business succession is a reasonable business goal that requires collaborative interaction (teamwork) to effectively address the diverse challenges of the interdependent factors of the Succession Matrix. The call for team synergy includes ownership, supporting family members, partners, aspiring successors, key managers, employees, vendors, suppliers, and advisors. However, teamwork is not a natural behavior among competitive, ambitious, and aggressive parties that aspire to be recognized for their achievements.

  • Attitudes impact synergy and teamwork 
  • Characteristics of High-Performance Teams 
  • Building trust in team environments 
  • Defining roles and responsibilities 
  • Effective communication and conflict management 
  • Creating accountability and performance 
  • Developing cross department teamwork and collaboration 
  • How to align team expectations 
  • Management Synergy and Teamwork’s Influence on the Succession Matrix® 
  • Applied Learning: How to Enhane Your Practice

Module 8: Successor Preparation

Moving the business to and through the next generation requires available, capable, competent and committed successors who will provide leadership through the transition.

  • 6 criteria for identifying qualified successors 
  • Steps to create an effective successor development program 
  • Family member employees and successor development 
  • Building a successor development team for family successors 
  • The role of key managers in successor development 
  • How to determine a successor amongst multiple candidates 
  • Addressing shortcomings in a prospective successor 
  • Successor Preparation’s Influence on the Succession Matrix® 
  • Applied Learning: How to Enhance Your Practice

Module 9: Family Dynamics

Family relationships can be an inherent advantage or disadvantage to succession planning. Effective interaction among the family members of current and/or prospective business owners is critical to achieving the unity and harmony needed to address complex business succession issues.

  • What constitutes a family business 
  • Understanding the family business oxymoron 
  • Family business versus the business family 
  • Balancing family and business perspectives 
  • Evolution of the family business 
  • Understanding family business harmony 
  • 9 key areas impacting family communication and harmony 
  • Family Dynamic’s Influence on the Succession Matrix® 
  • Applied Learning: How Enhance Your Practice

Module 10: Family Governance

“Families” come in all forms, shapes and sizes including in-laws, cousins, children, step children, business partners and employees.  Establishing the forums and processes for optimal family communication regarding business and estate issues provides the foundation for a unified succession vision and builds a strong business that can be sustained through multiple generations. 

  • The role of family governance in succession planning 
  • Forces impacting the family member employee  
  • Governance mechanisms to balance the family business oxymoron  
  • Effective family business policies  
  • How to set up forums for discussing the family business  
  • Family Dynamic’s Influence on the Succession Matrix®   
  • Applied Learning: How to Enhance Your Practice  

Jacques D. Blais

Tax Service Partner - Rehman

"I took the training and I would say that the Succession Matrix is more applicable today in that there has been a significant uptick in the transition of closely held businesses. The “greying of America” as well as the repercussions from the pandemic has accelerated the exit strategies of many business owners. It also helps that the economy has been booming for the last few years.

High multiples plus burned-out owners equals early exits.

The economy is starting to slow down, but the baby boomers are still exiting in droves, so succession planning is high on most business owners' lists."

Is it time to expand your skills and offer more services to your clients for their long term success?

Course Curriculum

Get certified and become the "go to" advisor you clients go to for issues impacting their busienss goals. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

We know that learning online can be tough sometimes, which is why we brought in experts in virtual training to help us build more than just videos over powerpoint. You will have a wide variety of methods to learn including videos, interactive lessons, quizzes, and surveys. Our goal is to ensure that you grow through the learning, not just go through it.

The Certified Succession Planner program will be delivered on-demand and as a continuous enrollment model which means you can enroll any time and learn at your convenience.

Training has been developed by the Authors and Contributors of numerous succession planning textbooks and training programs. Additionally, the ISPA Board has contributed feedback, time, and resources to help ensure the success of the programs. Learn more about the ISPA and team here. 

The program does not have any deliverables for you to complete and submit directly to the ISPA, however as you go along, you will need to demonstrate your comprehension through ongoing competency tests which will allow you to progress further.

You can expect that each module should take you approximately 1-2 weeks to complete, depending on the time you put in. We suggest you commit to 1-2 hours per day and around 10-15 hours per module in total. We also understand that each learner will work at their own pace.

The topics covered in the Certified Succession Planner program are not entry-level, meaning that we recommend that you have a combination of both professional and educational experience in executive coaching, law, finance, or accounting.

The CSP program has been built on a platform that is both desktop and mobile friendly, so most laptops and desktop computers will be sufficient to work through the materials. While you may access the content easily on your mobile device, we do recommend a desktop computer. You also might want to use a printer to print out the supplemental resources like textbooks, guides, workbooks, etc.

Anytime you need help, feel free to reach out to [email protected] and we will do our best to work with you on your challenges.

"I was always trying to find better ways to speak with business owners about succession planning. This training helped me transition from selling to asking better questions. This also enhanced my listening skills and I pivoted to teaching/consulting to their issues. I was better able to help privately held businesses move through the process of Succession, Exit and Transition.

The majority of a business owners wealth is locked in their business. To help them move, spend, transfer and distribute their wealth you need to be able to address and serve them where they need you. Our future is dependent of the continued success and growth of our Entrepreneurs."

Michael C. Valdez, AIF, CLU
Founder & President- Business Transition Council

© 2024 International Succession Planning Association