Pathways to Success: Get Involved and Boost Your Brand—First Quarter 2021
One of the most enjoyable things I do every day is interacting with our members. I frequently receive calls or messages on questions that cover a broad range of issues unique to the business valuation and financial litigation disciplines. During these interactions I get to know our members better, hear about their successes, and even discuss challenges they currently face. Ultimately, I look for ways to help them, and sometimes the solution is just a matter of boosting their visibility and influence within their respective markets.
A model of success that I have seen replicated over and over again is from members that intentionally work to develop their personal brand by projecting an authentic manifestation of themselves or even building a perception of themselves that is based on their experience, competencies, and achievements within their community or industry.
As I have gotten to know our members better, I have noticed that many of them have successfully pivoted their career to business valuation or financial litigation specialties. This provides an even greater opportunity to promote their expertise, differentiate their skill set, and build a personal brand that is relevant to their specific line of work. I have seen success come to those that purposefully build their brand by pursuing and accepting career broadening opportunities that present themselves through their industry associations (i.e., NACVA).
NACVA has several ways for our members to develop their personal brand. The best way is to get involved. Sure, it may be difficult to quantify the return from the investment of this added commitment, but I have found the dividends from the time spent far outweigh the costs. This kind of involvement provides breadth and refinement to your career and can build a legacy that can even transcend your own personal brand.
NACVA has an abundance of ways to increase your visibility and involvement that will help shape your career, create more opportunities, and build lasting relationships. Included below are four ways to accomplish this endeavor. If you would like to view a full menu of options available to you as a member of NACVA, please take a few minutes to complete our Support Group Application.
Build a Professional Online Presence
A quick way to boost your visibility in your specific field is to complete your profile description in NACVA’s online Directory. When someone conducts an internet search for a valuation or financial forensics expert, and they come across your profile, what kind of impression do they get? What is in your profile that will compel them to contact you?
Another way to increase your online presence is by getting more involved with social media, specifically LinkedIn. This social platform is a simple way to get tied-in with thousands of other business valuation and financial litigation professionals. You can accomplish this in just a few minutes by going to NACVA’s LinkedIn Page, and then clicking the “Follow” button. Also, if you haven’t already, I highly recommend adding to your LinkedIn profile that you are a member of NACVA, and list all of your licenses and certifications. In just a matter of minutes you can not only be tied-in to our communications, but you can boost your chances of returning in search terms where someone is looking for your specific skill set.
Participate on Advisory Boards
NACVA holds board nominations and elections every year for its five boards that oversee Association activities in critical areas that have the greatest impact to its members. The five boards include:
Executive Advisory Board (EAB)
Valuation Credentialing Board (VCB)
Ethics Oversight Board (EOB)
Litigation Forensics Board (LFB)
Standards Board (SDB)
During the 2021 board nomination period, NACVA received more than 150 nominations for its five boards—a high-water mark for the Association’s 30-year history. This is a healthy signal for any organization with so many individuals wanting to volunteer their time to the collective benefit of our association. It is within these professional relationships where NACVA members have built their reputation, credibility, expertise, and friendships.
Board participation does not begin and end with filling a seat on a board. It includes nominating and voting for individuals that represent your best interest. NACVA’s board election voting will be open until May 2, 2021, and I encourage every NACVA member to vote! New board members will be announced during the NACVA and the CTI’s Business Valuation & Financial Litigation Hybrid & Virtual Super Conference being held June 21–25, 2021.
Have you had a chance to attend a NACVA State Chapter event? We believe that all successful careers have at their roots a network of peer professionals who support and mentor each other. As part of our non-profit arm, the NACVA State Chapter Foundation has more than 35 active state chapters around the country. The Foundation has its own board of directors, and the board appoints officers for each state chapter. Several of our members attend these local events to:
- Promote their status, credentials, and esteem within their communities;
- Create an opportunity to network and develop mentoring relationships with other members;
- Deliver relevant, industry-related information and educate members on a range of support services available as benefits of membership; and
- Receive CPE on timely and relevant topics.
We encourage all NACVA members to take advantage of these opportunities by attending local state chapter events. If you are interested in serving in a leadership position in one of the following state chapters, please contact me at JonathanJ1@NACVA.com.
Arizona, Arkansas, California (Bay Area), Florida (Southeast, and Southwest), Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, West Virginia, Wyoming
Volunteer as a Mentor
We have been actively recruiting mentors to join our Mentor Support Exchange (MSX) program and have 45 mentors who have expressed an interest in joining the program. We plan to double this number. Why? Because NACVA fields dozens of phone calls a month from members asking for advice on valuation and litigation matters. These calls usually range in length from 10 to 20 minutes, and the questions encompass the entire spectrum of business valuation and litigation support services.Additionally, our HQ staff and our members refer business within this group—which is a great benefit for volunteering as a mentor.
NACVA’s MSX is comprised of credentialed designees (CVA/MAFF) with five or more years of experience in valuation and litigation consulting services. To be listed on our Mentor Directory, please complete the Application and Qualification Form.
I recommend investing the time, every single day, to build your personal brand. This thoughtful and meaningful pursuit will help you identify ways to get involved. The professional opportunities and visibility that await are quite compelling, and absolutely worth it!
