About Us

Business planning experts supporting small to medium-size businesses

Freedom Path Planning was built on our core values of integrity and partnership. After 20 years of working with businesses of all sizes, we recognized that small to medium-sized businessowners were struggling to find the resources and guidance they needed to reduce expenses and develop long-term plans to not only grow their business but enjoy life to the fullest. From growth management to succession planning, our research showed that over 86% of small to medium-sized business owners did not have any kind of business succession plan, 87% had no retirement plan, 98% had no business consultant, 100% want to pay less in taxes, and 100% will try to sell at some point in the future.

Our vision and mission is to help business owners identify the greatest needs of the owner/business and guide them on the path to fulfilled hope and freedom. Most owners feel burned out, stressed and sometimes completely hopeless depending on the season of life they are in. If you look closely at our mission portrait picture, you will see 2 different paths. The path on the left looks like it would be the easiest to travel. The path on the right does not look very pleasant. Which path to take? What if the path on the right saves you time, energy and money? The only problem is you need a guiding light to help you navigate the path. This is where we come in to help you on your journey. Let us be your guiding light.

About Steve Detray

Steve DeTray has been helping business owners since 2004. Steve started his career in the wealth management arena helping business owners plan for the sale and exit of their business. He focused on the transition to retirement and the challenges of this new unknown season of life ahead. Being a lifelong learner and reader, he has a unique ability to put the complicated topics into the right perspective.

In 2019, Steve sold his wealth management practice and focused full time on helping business owners find freedom before the sale of their largest asset. Since selling his extremely successful wealth management practice, he brings the insight of that personal business exit. Now as a certified Value Builder Advisor, Steve is an expert on building value and developing a plan for a successful exit using a systematic approach to measure and improve the value of a business. More than that, Steve is a skilled facilitator who helps enable businesses to thrive without their owners, thus enabling them to gain control back of their life or exit their business.

Highlighted Associates

Michael Sauer

Business owners who are seeking to have someone proactively represent their best interests, both personally and professionally, during the sale of their business hire Michael Sauer to be their strategic business advisor.

After becoming an Eagle Scout, Michael earned his Electrical Engineering degree before graduating from law school. Before becoming a business broker, Michael represented business owners as an attorney regarding all legal matters during the sale process including negotiating the seller’s terms with both the buyer and the buyer’s lawyers. To be able to represent business owners nationwide in the sale of their business, Michael sought to become the first attorney to be admitted in all 50 States and currently holds the Guinness World Record for having the most active bar licenses with 47.

To further be a trusted advisor to business owners before and during the sale of their business, Michael decided to become an expert in every aspect of succession planning and became a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), Certified Value Builder Advisor (CVBA), Certified Value Growth Advisor (CVGA), Accredited Business Intermediary (ABI), Certified Merger and Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA), Certified M&A Professional (CM&AP), Harvard Law Master Negotiator, Certified Behavioral Consultant, Certified Franchise Executive (CFE), and Profit First Professional (PFP).

Today, Michael utilizes his unique background to diligently represent business owners as a business broker in any industry, and he specializes in the trades service industry, including plumbing, HVAC, and electrical.

Peter

Peter says “each day I have the good fortune to work with business owners in search of financial freedom–freedom to choose if, when, and how they want to work in and on their business.” He does this by working together with the owner to grow the value of their business-by creating a valuable asset that they can step away from when they want to and on their terms. Peter meets people where they are and comes to understand who they are, where they want to go, how they want to evolve, and what they want to be known for. Thru collaboration, Peter helps owners create the future they desire for not only their professional life but also their personal life as well, so they can enjoy true freedom.

On this journey to freedom, Peter serves as an executive, business, team coach, a guide, and a people connector–and sometimes a mentor or consultant. He uses proprietary tools to assess which business drivers, when adjusted will yield the greatest increases in business value, the extent to which the business owner is psychologically ready to step away from their business, and how much business value needs to be created in order for the business owner to reach their own self-defined “freedom point.”

As a founder of four successful businesses, he knows what it takes to build value and become free. Today Peter lives with family in Atlanta and continues to enjoy volunteering and opportunities to travel and experience new environments, cultures, and friendships.

Jane

Jane specializes in business valuation and litigation support services. She provides business and intangible asset valuations and consulting services. Jane helps business owners understand and drive value in their business and move forward towards their goals. Her professional experience includes over15 years of public accounting. She is a member of the American and Wisconsin Institutes of Certified Public Accountants and is a Member of the American Society of Appraisers.

Jane has served, or currently serves, on the Board of Directors for the YWCA–Madison, YWCA of Madison Foundation, Saint Maria Goretti Finance Council and is a member of Madison South Rotary. Jane is also a graduate of Leadership Greater Madison 20.

What clients say about us

Thank you for all your help. With what Freedom Path Planning was able to help us with, we were able to pay back a loan in full and get us through Covid-19 issues without going out of business.

- D.P.