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    Kevin Valley, CBV

    Kevin Valley is a Chartered Business Valuator, consultant, coach, speaker, and podcaster who didn’t want to be one of the many Chartered Financial Analysts (CFAs) out there. After going through almost all the exams and steps for CFA certification, he switched at the last minute and pursued business valuation which allows him to help “businesses measure value, raise capital and scale”. Through his podcast and speaking engagements, he also educates business owners and helps investors source profitable opportunities. He wholeheartedly believes that “life is a loan which we repay through our service to others” so he is using his voice and talents as best as he can. Here is his story:

    I was a quiet, shy and curious boy who spent a great deal of my childhood in my own head: daydreaming, observing and questioning things.  I was more introspective than expressive. I treated everything I saw, heard, and experienced as interesting observations and spent a lot of time trying to understand the world around me.

    My parents placed a great deal of emphasis on educational achievement and I often felt a lot of pressure to excel academically. My father was an entrepreneurial-minded politician who was well known in our community and my mother owned a bakery and later opened her own language school. Both of my parents were very driven and hard-working. Around the house, my older siblings and father often spoke about matters related to finance and the economy. I guess being in that environment planted the seed for where my career is today.

    I began my financial career as a bank Teller at RBC before attending university . During my July/August vacation breaks, I also completed internships in corporate finance to gain additional experience. After finishing my Bachelor’s degree in Banking and Finance in June 2009, I followed in the footsteps of my older sister and many of my friends by beginning the process to become a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charterholder. I became a Corporate Credit Analyst after graduating and then a Senior Investment Analyst one year later.

    “I started to consider other options”

    After sitting the second of three CFA exams in 2012, I began to feel like I was working too hard to be just one of many. So I started to consider other options. During my research, I learned about the Chartered Business Valuator (CBV) designation and its rarity in the Caribbean. I was drawn to the unique and specialized focus of the CBV program and decided to pursue it instead.

    While at RBC, I regularly engaged in career reverse engineering exercises, starting with my long-term goals and working backwards to my current position. My ultimate goal was to become a Business Valuator, Corporate Finance Consultant, and Venture Capitalist. I would update the branches of my career tree each time I took on a new role to ensure that I was making progress towards my long-term goals. Finally, in February 2020, I achieved my dream of becoming a Chartered Business Valuator.

    Using my voice

    In September 2017, my CEO asked me to give a talk called “Becoming Investible: Business Ideas and Funding” to a group of young professionals aged 18-30 years. I spent a few days preparing for the talk, recounting my own experiences with trying to raise financing for a startup. The audience was highly engaged and had many questions after the talk, which made me reflect on the many financing requests I had seen that were not ready for investor funding. 

    This led me to conceptualize the “Become Investible” venture as a communication bridge between companies seeking financing and investors seeking investible companies to fund. As a qualified Chartered Business Valuator, I understand how to add value by bringing a wealth of experience, tenacity, and unbiased insight to business owners and investors alike. I have always admired the power of business to change lives, create jobs, and foster sustainable wealth. This is why I am incredibly passionate about the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems that improve not only businesses but also lifestyles. 

    In addition to being the Founder of Become Investible, I am also Host of the The Value podcast, a business show for entrepreneurs, business owners, and investors interested in building businesses that are scalable, investible, and highly valuable. I’ve found that while many business owners possess the passion and zeal to build enterprises that solve big problems and change the world, their business models and practices had common blindspots that prevented them from being attractive to investors, and able to command high valuations. I thus decided to use my voice to educate business owners at scale while working with investors to source profitable opportunities.

    “I strive to make a difference”

    One of my proudest professional highlights was recording my first podcast episode on my birthday in November 2017 and subsequently launching the show in January 2018. Launching a podcast was something I had always wanted to do, but I was held back by my fear of public speaking. However, I finally got over that fear and took the plunge, and it has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Another highlight for me was being the Master of Ceremonies for the launch of the Kenneth Cyril Valley Foundation (KCV Foundation) in May 2019. It was an honor to be a part of a cause that is so close to my heart.

    In addition to these specific accomplishments, I have also achieved some other milestones that I am proud of. Overall, these experiences have been incredibly rewarding and have helped me to grow both personally and professionally.

    “Making a positive impact while also making money”

    Notwithstanding these accomplishments, “success” to me is about making a positive impact while also making money. Whether it’s through my work, my relationships, or my contributions to society, I strive to make a difference and create a positive legacy. I believe that these two things go hand in hand, and I wouldn’t want to achieve one without the other. 

    In ten years, I hope to be the founder of a multibillion-dollar business that educates entrepreneurs and investors globally on the principles of value, building more valuable businesses and economies, enabling me to live a life of freedom, financial abundance, actualization, service, and love.

    I will like to leave these five short sentences and I hope they connect with someone out there:

    1. Daydreams are powerful -> pay attention to yours.
    2. It’s not about you:your purpose is to serve.
    3. Resilience wins the long game.
    4. Your network is the difference maker.
    5. Be constantly inspired by the future version of yourself – do it for “Future You”.

    Kevin attended Maria Regina Grade School and St. Mary’s College (CIC), both in Trinidad; The UWI Mona Campus, Jamaica and the Chartered Business Valuators (CBV) Institute. You can learn more by checking out https://kevinvalue.com/ and The Value Podcast – The Language of Business: https://thevalue.show/ 

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