About

Exit Factor Western Chicagoland Thano completed onboarding call. Joined Chamber primarily to expand referral network and build leads pipeline, with secondary goal of meaningful community engagement and giving back. Community involvement is personally important to him. Wife is originally from St. Charles; they moved back during Covid after living in Flint, MI for 20+ years. They have three children, oldest in 4th or 5th grade. Strong local roots and long-term commitment to area. Brother-in-law of Ashley Zehman. Professional background: Thano spent 8 years with Accenture. His wife previously served as Social Media Manager for Allstate Insurance. Strong combination of strategy/operations and marketing expertise. Building Exit Factor together. Ideal referral partners: financial advisors (often first point of contact when owner considers valuation), CPAs, business attorneys, and business brokers. Clear opportunity for curated introductions within Chamber network. Ideal client profile: business owners who are overwhelmed and stuck in day-to-day operations without time to focus on growth. Key messaging point: the more time an owner spends firefighting, the less valuable the business becomes. Engagement typically begins with an exit assessment and development of a structured game plan. Shared flyer outlining their 3-step process. Engagement strategy: Registered for Fox Valley Rising Professionals networking event. Strong interest in multi-Chamber events. Self-described extrovert who gains energy from networking and social environments. Open to speaking opportunities in future and comfortable with public presentations. Next steps: Send information on all four LEAD$ groups as strong early integration opportunity. Prioritize strategic networking events and referral-based connections. Longer-term plan includes speaking engagement and eventual use of e-blasts and web banner once marketing strategy is finalized

We expertly guide entrepreneurs through the growth, maturity, and exit phases, creating businesses that are profitable, efficient, and valuable.