Built to Be Worth More: Employee Equity, Exit Planning and Business Value

What makes a business truly valuable?

It’s more than revenue. More than growth. And definitely more than hoping someone writes a big check when you’re ready to move on.

In this three-part 10 Minute Tech Talks series, Jonathan Kersting sits down with Christine Robinette and Bryan Reft of Fragasso Financial Advisors to unpack how smart companies build value from the inside out. They explore how employee equity can attract and retain talent, why exit planning should begin long before an exit is on the horizon, and what really makes one business worth more than another.

If you own or lead a growing company, consider this a fast-moving primer on building something that works today, creates options for tomorrow and is ultimately worth more.

Skin in the Game: How Tech Entrepreneurs Build Loyal Teams

Ever wonder what the smartest tech companies are using to win the talent war—besides just bigger paychecks?

In this episode of 10 Minute Tech Talks, Jonathan Kersting of the Pittsburgh Technology Council anf TechVibe sits down with Christine Robinette and Bryan Reft of Fragasso Financial Advisors to break down equity compensation in a way that actually makes sense.

The Tech Entrepreneur's Guide to Exit Planning and ESOPs

How will you eventually exit your business?

In Part 2 of our miniseries with Christine Robinette and Bryan Reft of Fragasso Financial Advisors, host Jonathan Kersting of the Pittsburgh Technology Council explores how employee ownership and ESOPs can become a powerful succession strategy.

Learn the "three legs of the stool" — personal, financial, and business goals — and why every entrepreneur should treat exit planning as present-day business strategy, not an afterthought. Whether your exit is two years or twenty away, the smartest time to start planning is now.

What Is Your Tech Business Really Worth? The Wealth Gap Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know

What determines what your business is actually worth? In this episode of 10-Minute Tech Talks, host Jonathan Kersting of the Pittsburgh Technology Council sits down with Christine Robinette and Bryan Reft of Fragasso Financial Advisors for the final installment of a three-part mini-series on exit planning and business valuation.

Bryan breaks down two critical concepts every Tech Entrepreneur should understand: the wealth gap: whether your business can fund the life you want after you sell; and the value gap: why a company that looks just like yours might be worth millions more. The answer comes down to one word: risk.