Who Will Win The Exit Planning Institute Thought Leader of the Year in 2026
Who should win Thought Leader of the Year at the 2026 Excellence in Exit Planning Awards?
In this episode, we break down the three nominees for one of the most interesting honors in the exit planning world and do what most people won’t: evaluate them against a real rubric. Not popularity. Not politics. Not who has the loudest platform. Actual thought leadership.
We look at:
Todd Yeiter, whose work is rooted in the structural and financial mechanics of business transitions
Kristen Carlson, who helps owners move from owner-dependent to enterprise-ready
Jerome Myers, whose work focuses on the human side of exit and what happens after the deal closes
This episode explores a deeper question too:
What actually counts as thought leadership in exit planning?
Is it technical mastery?
Public influence?
Original frameworks?
Operationalizing ideas into action?
Or changing the way the profession understands the founder journey itself?
In This Episode, We Cover
The official criteria for Thought Leader of the Year
Why evaluating thought leadership is harder than evaluating business performance
The seven dimensions used to score the nominees
Todd Yeiter’s case as a structural strategist inside a Fortune 500 ecosystem
Kristen Carlson’s practical work helping owners build transferable businesses
Jerome Myers’ argument around the Founder’s Exit Paradox and the “transaction illusion”
Why public footprint, originality, and ecosystem impact matter
The strongest case for each nominee
The most likely winner and why
Key Ideas
Thought leadership is not just about having a theory. It is about moving ideas from strategy to action.
Exit planning has historically focused on money, tax, and deal structure, but the post-exit identity crisis is becoming harder to ignore.
A true thought leader changes how professionals do their jobs, not just how they talk about them.
The Scoring Categories
We evaluate the nominees across:
Originality of ideas
Distinctiveness of niche
Evidence of influence
Public-facing footprint
Credibility in exit planning
Practical applicability
Collaboration and ecosystem impact
Final Prediction
This episode makes a clear prediction for the 2026 winner, explains the confidence level behind that prediction, and lays out the strongest counterarguments so listeners can judge for themselves.
Why This Matters
Even if you are not in exit planning, this conversation matters.
Because every major transition raises the same question:
Have you only prepared for the transaction… or have you also prepared for the transition?
Comment Prompt
Who would you pick to win Thought Leader of the Year in 2026, and what does real thought leadership mean to you?
#ExitPlanning #ThoughtLeadership #EPI #BusinessExit #FounderTransition