We have a fantastic panel of very successful speakers to talk about Behind the Deal: From Executive to Owner

What Financial Executives Need to Know About Buying, Running, or Cashing Out a Business

They’ll have beer, wine, and light hors d’oeuvres available as you settle in.

Raleigh Chapter Presentation Meeting (In Person)

Date:    Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Time:   6:00 pm to 8:00 pm ET

Location:

Carolina Place (2626)

2626 Glenwood Ave

Raleigh, NC 27608

Host: Mark Scarbrough, Founding Partner, Encompass Financial Partners - 150 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh, NC 27601 Suite 300 - See below for more info.

AGENDA:

Topic: Behind the Deal: From Executive to Owner

What Financial Executives Need to Know About Buying, Running, or Cashing Out a Business

This month's meeting brings together a business growth expert and a private equity investor to explore what actually drives value in a business — from the inside and the outside. Shipman Northcutt will share lessons from leading National Sales for CarQuest — including his role in its merger with Advance Auto Parts — and 30 years of operating experience, the kind of top-line growth that makes a business worth buying, running, or eventually selling. Robert Williams will share how private equity raises capital and decides which deals are worth funding — the capital side of that same equation. Each will present their background and perspective, followed by a moderated panel discussion.

Speaker: Shipman Northcutt, Business Broker for Oak Capital Advisors and Vice President, South Atlantic Sites

Shipman Northcutt began his career in a family-owned business that instilled a strong work ethic and a focus on client service. He went on to lead National Sales for CarQuest Auto Parts, driving new market development and building a North American division serving clients in all 50 states — helping land the largest single account ever added to the brand and grow the company from $280 million to $3 billion before its acquisition by Advance Auto Parts. Over a 30-year career, Shipman has also owned and operated three businesses, worked in business development and consulting, and managed significant profit-and-loss responsibility as a VP in a Fortune 500 company. He currently serves as a Business Broker for Oak Capital Advisors and is Vice President at South +Atlantic Sites, a leading commercial real estate firm in Raleigh. He attended the Georgia Institute of Technology. Shipman will share his background and speak on what actually drives revenue growth inside a business.

Speaker: Robert Williams, Managing Partner, 2nd Line Equity

Robert Williams is Managing Partner of 2nd Line Equity, a Raleigh-based private equity firm he leads alongside Executive Director and Partner Charmaine Riggins. Founded in 2023, 2nd Line Equity manages roughly $250 million and targets B2B and B2C services, energy, manufacturing, industrials, and metals, mining, and oil and gas businesses. Robert also serves as Managing General Partner of the Triangle University Fund and Managing Partner of CaWaSa Inc., with prior roles at Three Waves Capital and FCO Asset Management. He holds an MBA in MIS from Tulane University's A.B. Freeman School of Business and a BA in History from Lake Forest College. Robert will share his background and speak on how his firm raises capital and decides which deals are worth funding.

Format

1. Shipman Northcutt — background and talk: Growing Revenue Through Sales (Lessons from National Sales at CarQuest and 30 Years in Business as an Owner)

2. Robert Williams — background and talk: Raising and Deploying Capital — How 2nd Line Equity Decides Which Deals to Fund

3. Panel discussion, moderated by Mark Scarbrough, connecting the two perspectives and taking audience questions

Each panelist will briefly introduce themselves (3-5 minutes) and then Mark will be prompting questions around the topic, “Behind the Deal: From Executive to Owner” (which will be about 30 minutes) then Q&A (for about15 minutes).

Please Register no later than noon on October 12^th so our host has a good headcount to plan for food and drinks.

  Agenda:

6:00 to 6:30 pm – Open Networking

6:30 to 6:45 pm – Welcome, future events, introductions, & general comments.

6:45 to 7:00 pm - Career Corner – CareerPro

7:00 to 7:45 pm – The speakers will talk for 45 minutes saving time for Q&A

7:45 to 8:00 pm – Open networking

Our host, Mark Scarbrough is Founding Partner of Encompass Financial Partners, a financial planning and wealth management firm serving the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill market, which he co-founded in 2024. He brings nearly 30 years of financial services experience, including over a decade as a Financial Consultant with MassMutual North Carolina working with business owners and the C-suite on executive deferred compensation, exit strategies and business valuations, and corporate retirement plans, as well as 11 years at AXA Advisors, including a decade as a Divisional Vice President recruiting, training, and developing financial planners. Mark will host this month's meeting, introduce each speaker, and moderate a panel discussion following their individual presentations.