Do You Actually Know What Your Business Is Worth?

You've spent decades building it. In the 2026 market, there's a real gap between what you hope your business is worth and what a buyer will actually write a check for.

Strategies for Maximizing Your Business Value
Thursday, May 7 · 5:30 PM · Williston ARC

A private working dinner for 25 Western ND business owners. Pizza and non-alcoholic drinks provided. No hype. No pitch.

We'll cover what buyers are actually paying for Western ND businesses in 2026, the mistakes that quietly cost owners millions at closing, and the valuation and tax traps most advisors won't warn you about.

Hosted by Erik Peterson (Proven Business Advisors, $400M+ in deals) and Ben Brickweg (Sagewood, 200+ closed). For owners 1–5 years from selling, $500K–$25M revenue.

Seats capped at 25.

I'm am excited as ever! We're hosting one of the most valuable evenings I've put together in a long time, and I want to make sure you have the chance to be in the room.

Let me tell you about my long time friend and business partner, Ben Brickweg. Ben runs Sagewood, a business advisory firm built on a single, powerful principle: most business owners leave millions on the table because they never optimize their company for exit value. Ben is a beast, and a rare breed. A combination of elite skills all packaged to help his clients win: Attorney, licensed securities advisor, realtor, business badass. He's closed over 300 business transactions personally and consulted on more than 3,000. That's not theoretical expertise. That's the kind of veteran who's seen every angle, every mistake, every missed opportunity, and every quiet win that most owners never even realize was on the table. When Ben walks into a room, he's walking in with the collective intelligence of thousands of business transitions. And he's flying in from Colorado to be with us. Thursday. 5:30 at the ARC. For you.

My wife and I flew all the way to Cancun to hear him keynote at a Legacy Navigators event in January. In a room full of over $800M in net worth and business owners just like you who had recently exited for hundreds of millions of dollars, Ben spoke about how his team helps owners become Exitworthy now, not later and maximize valuation. As soon as he got off stage, I convinced him to come to the Bakken to share his expertise with you. To help you properly plan for your exit, the right way.

Here's what I want to be clear about: This isn't a real estate event. Ben isn't here to talk about homes or markets or property. He's here for one reason and one reason only—to help you strategize how to dramatically increase the value of your business and make it exit-worthy. That distinction matters. Because whether you ever plan to sell or not, the principles Ben teaches are the same principles that build stronger, more profitable, more resilient companies. An exit-worthy business is simply a better business. Period.

Most owners don't think about this until they're ready to walk away—and by then, it's too late. The decisions that determine your company's value aren't made in the final year. They're made in the years leading up to it. The systems you build. The financials you keep. The team you develop. The processes you document. The customer concentration you manage. The recurring revenue you create. Every one of these is a lever, and Ben knows exactly which ones move the needle.

On Thursday night, he's walking through NINE concrete, actionable steps you can implement right now to maximize your company's value. Not eventually. Not in five years when you finally decide to sell. Now. Today. Because the decisions you make today directly impact what your business is worth tomorrow—and what kind of life it gives you in the meantime.

This is strategy. This is education. This is the kind of conversation that changes trajectories.

And here's the opportunity beyond Thursday night: If you want to go deeper, Ben and I are making ourselves available for private one-on-one sessions to strategize your specific situation. Your business. Your numbers. Your timeline. Your goals. Think of Thursday as the keynote, and a private session as the masterclass built specifically for you.

Two ways to take action: Come to our event Thursday at 5:30, or reach out to schedule a private meeting with Ben and me. Ideally, do both.

Now—on the real estate side, I have to share something with you before I sign off.

Our market is absolutely on fire. We are back to the days of 8-10 showings, multiple offers and properties pending on day one. Homes are moving fast, often above asking price, with serious buyer demand pushing the market forward. I'm proud that our team at Proven has closed and pended over 100 real estate transactions this year! In a slow market with high interest rates and low inventory.....and the momentum isn't slowing down. We are ready to help our clients win their dream home.

To every client who's worked with us, referred us, trusted us, and championed us—thank you. You are the reason we get to do what we love. This community is the heartbeat of everything we're building, and we don't take a single transaction or relationship for granted.

If you're even thinking about buying or selling, call us right away. We've developed some genuinely exceptional practices to help our clients achieve maximum results in this market—and would love to share them with you. Let us use our Experience to give you World Class Service to get you the Results you deserve.

See you Thursday.

Erik

Mark your calendar for Band Day Weekend in Williston! Kick things off with Food Truck Friday on May 8, 2026 at 1:00 PM at Harmon Park, then enjoy the main event on Saturday, May 9 with vendors from 10 AM–5 PM and the parade starting at 12 PM. This long-standing tradition brings together music, food, and community pride—featuring a special performance by Seattle’s Blue Thunder drumline.

April was another strong month for our team, with 19 closings totaling $5,870,509 in volume. That brings our year-to-date numbers to 73 sides and $19,394,112 in closed volume.

We’re continuing to see steady activity across Western North Dakota, and we’re grateful for the trust our clients place in us every step of the way. It’s a direct reflection of what we focus on every day—delivering consistent, proven results in every market condition.

At Proven Realty, our vision is to be the leading real estate company in North Dakota and Eastern Montana, known for our exceptional customer service, deep local expertise, and unwavering commitment to our clients. We believe that our impact extends beyond transactions; we are dedicated to changing the lives of our clients, as well as our agents and employees

Attention Agents: Do you have clients moving to Western North Dakota, eyeing commercial properties or looking to buy or sell a business? Partner with us, earn referral fees!