The insight that launched Exit IQ came from a pattern Cory Tanner watched repeat far too often. Growing and selling his own companies, the Co-Founder and President saw talented Owners spend entire lifetimes building successful businesses only to arrive at the moment of exit unprepared financially, emotionally and strategically. Strong revenues on paper masked hidden risks beneath the surface: poor transferability, over-dependence on the Owner and a lack of clarity around true value. These gaps often surfaced only during due diligence, when leverage had already shifted away from the seller.

Rather than accept this as simply how exits work, Tanner set out to change the model entirely. He believed Owners deserved earlier insight, clearer data and a practical roadmap long before any transaction reached the table. That conviction became the foundation of the firm he built with his partner Ric, designed to help Founders understand their businesses through the eyes of a buyer years in advance. By combining financial analysis, operational risk assessment and strategic planning into a single actionable framework, the company empowers Owners to build stronger enterprises whether they choose to sell, transition internally or keep scaling.

What began as a personal conviction has grown into a nationally recognized firm that has served more than 700 companies. Tanner has redefined how business Owners think about value, risk and readiness, shifting exit planning from a last-minute scramble into a long-term discipline. Where much of the mergers and acquisitions industry watches most companies fail to sell, he has turned that widespread failure rate into a success rate approaching near-certainty across hundreds of companies and industries. His gift lies in translating complex analysis into clarity that Owners can actually act upon.

Selection to the Titan 100 recognizes a leader who is a builder as much as an advisor. Named a top 100 innovator and entrepreneur and a top 100 business leader in the United States, Tanner is a sought-after speaker on growth, value creation and exit readiness. He helped develop the firm’s proprietary Business Analytics Report, a tool that evaluates companies through the same lens sophisticated buyers, private equity firms and lenders use to assess value and risk, allowing Owners to uncover hidden weaknesses and identify the exact levers that increase valuation.

The road ahead points toward something even larger. Tanner envisions the firm evolving from a premier advisory practice into the definitive platform for business health, growth and exit readiness across the middle market. He imagines a technology-enabled ecosystem giving Owners continuous, real-time insight into the strength of their companies, so no Founder ever again wonders what a buyer might find. Above all, he leads with integrity and stewardship, elevating an entire profession by making sophisticated preparation accessible, repeatable and measurable for the Owners who need it most.

Editorial Note: This profile reflects information submitted by the honoree at the time of their Titan 100 recognition in August 2026. Professional roles and affiliations may have changed since publication.