About Q5

Transformation Through Value Creation

How a business performs and how it develops its transferable value is where the Q5 Experience excels. Q5 is a collaboration between a group of business consultants that, when working together, helps create and build seamless value that allows a business to grow and transform beyond the foreseeable future. While we typically plan based on weeks, months, quarters and years, Q5 challenges you to look further than what can easily be envisioned. It’s a fifth quarter, so to speak. How does Q5 look to you? 

How do you create transferable value in a company that can withstand changes in ownership and leadership? We believe that it’s never too early to strengthen the three key elements that make any transition successful. These elements are optimizing the BUSINESS itself, as well as the FINANCIAL strategy and PERSONAL interests and fulfillment of the owner and the next generation.

A successful business is bigger than its owner. It only partially defines the entrepreneur, just as the entrepreneur can only do so much on their own to define the company. Successful entrepreneurs strive to create a company and culture that will long outlast their ability to contribute to its success. They want to create and position a business that’s prepared for the next generation as they prepare for their exit. Let Q5 work for you.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF YOUR BUSINESS LOOK LIKE?

LET'S FIND OUT

Meet Our Collaborators

DANETTE BELL — People
With an extensive background in business process development, Danette understands the development of processes, the people, and the culture that business owners leverage to maximize the growth of their organizations. This experience helps her understand the challenges that the owners of a business encounter when moving from success to their next stage in life: Significance. Currently, Danette is the managing partner in the Business Coaching Group in addition to her activities with Empowering Futures, LLC and The LifeMethod™ team.  At Q5, Danette focuses on the “people” leg of the stool and joins in helping business owners determine the clear vision for their future.

JOHN BELL — People
Since 1993, John with his wife Danette, have been providing consulting services to successful business owners through their company, The Business Consulting Group. More recently, John, in the search to gain additional insight into the biology of decision making, achieved a Bachelor of Science in Bio-Psychology Cognition and Neuroscience from the University of Michigan. Today, he heads up Empowering Futures, LLC and The LifeMethod Process ™ and its many facets.  As part of The Q5 Experience, John works with business owners and their teams on the “people” leg of the stool.  He dives into their “whole life” with them by taking a look at the truth of the current situation to ensure that in the transition they are minimizing risk and maximizing the strengths that exist with them.

CHRIS COUSINS — CEPA
Chris is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor, working as part of the Q5 business transition team. Having spent 30 years as an entrepreneur in the wealth management business, he has expertise in tax, estate planning, asset management, protection, charitable planning, and wealth/business strategy. Chris continues to apply that expertise into working with owners to transition them through the Q5 Experience, with the objective of helping them transform their current thinking related to the future of their companies. To further the connection to the entrepreneur community he is an active member of Strategic Coach and a member of a Michigan chapter of Vistage, a business owner peer group organization.

MATT DERY — Marketing
Matt is the Marketing, Recruiting, and Business Development Coordinator at Financial Architects, Inc in Farmington Hills, MI.  He joined the firm in 2019 as a career changer after three years as a teacher at U of D Jesuit High School and over 20 years as a sports broadcaster in Detroit.  He still hosts the popular daily “Locked on Lions” podcast and the weekly Detroit Pistons “Pistons Pod.” Matt also handles the marketing strategy for Q5 working closely with the team on video production, messaging, and communications.  Just like Q5, Matt has a passion for people and truly enjoys the interaction with our clients and showing them the process.

SARAH GREIFENBERGER — Business
Sarah has been a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) for over 10 years and is also a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA).  Prior to becoming a CVA, Sarah was Director of Financial Planning at United Technologies Corporation. She performed many valuations in that role to support the corporation’s mergers and acquisitions activity as well as for purposes of international tax planning. Sarah is committed to helping clients across many industries with their valuation needs. She is also interested in working with family enterprises on succession planning and exit strategies.  Sarah enjoys spending time with family, reading, playing the piano, hiking, traveling, cooking and visiting National Parks.

PATRICK MARODY — Financial
Patrick is the Co-Owner and Vice President of Financial Architects, Inc. in Farmington Hills, Michigan.  A financial advisor since 1987, Patrick joined FAI in 1990 and purchased the company in 2019. Patrick coaches his clients through the unique but structured process of financial architecture. Building wealth,  reducing financial risk, and enhancing his client’s current lifestyle are the primary objectives. For The Q5 Experience, Patrick works closely with “outrepeneurs” to ensure the financial leg of their proverbial stool is foundationally strong to sustain their bright futures. As an entrepreneur himself, Patrick has a firsthand understanding of the financial, business, and personal concerns of his business owner clients. He also shares the desire of his Q5 clients to leave a business legacy in the beautiful state of Michigan. Both Patrick and his wife, Lisa were born, raised, and educated in Michigan.    They have three children and as a result are passionate hockey, equestrian, and music fans.

CHRIS MESO — Business
Chris is the owner/founder of T-Rex Advisory in Oak Park, MI.  His company focuses on strategic business coaching.  Business brings with it a level of chaos and complexity and at T-Rex, they help show the steps to implement simple, proven organizational frameworks to tone down chaos, earn more, and go back to falling in love with your business.  Chris has an expertise in working with companies to build their transferable value.  He himself sold his business, Mobile Air, and went through the exit planning process with success.  Chris has built successor management teams and his expertise with the business leg of the stool is a real asset to The Q5 organization.  Meso’s office in Oak Park, also known as “The Mastermind Grotto” has hosted numerous Q5 networking events.

BECCA BARBES
Becca Barbes joined the Q5 team in the fall of 2023, bringing extensive experience in administrative support and customer service. At Q5, she excels in scheduling, organizing meetings, managing communications, and maintaining the CRM system. Previously, she was an Administrative Assistant at Gat Marketing, handling office supplies, proposals, and client budgets. She also served as a Lead Dental Assistant at Kacy Family Dentistry, overseeing administrative tasks and assisting in procedures. Her background includes roles as a Caregiver and Patient Registration Representative. Proficient in Microsoft Office and both Windows and MacOS, Becca is currently pursuing an Associate’s Degree at Macomb Community College. Her dedication and skills make her a valuable asset to Q5.