About Ashland Capital Advisors

Ashland Capital Advisors

Ashland Capital Advisors (Ashland Capital and ExitView) is headquartered in Evanston, Illinois, with deep experience in scores of industries and across a wide range of engagements types.

Ashland and ExitView collaborate with small and medium sized business owners to plan for the ultimate exit from their business. We help you create value and wealth in your business by providing strategy/exit planning, guidance and education, business valuation, wealth engineering , and ultimately, transactional services.

It may sound old fashioned, but the number one thing Ashland does best is to listen and learn first. Only then can relevant and insightful plans be created and pursued. Strategy and Exit Planning is an iterative process…Ashland serves as a sounding board over the course of months and years, refining a plan and ensuring outcomes.

Finally, your business exit can be just the first step in the next part of your business owning journey. Ashland is there for you long-term…as a collaborator and strategic partner, helping to evaluate new opportunities and help get you to where you want to be.

Paul Pappageorge

Principal

Paul Pappageorge is well regarded by many business owners for his thoughtful approach to business. His 30+ years in business started in public accounting and migrated to business ownership, successful exits, and now helping others to do the same.

He is a life-long learner with degrees in finance and accounting, and MBAs from both DePaul University and The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Paul is also a member of the American Institute of Public Accountants, the Exit Planning Exchange, and the Exit Planning Institute who has certified him as a Certified Exit Planning Advisor.

Paul’s Personal Journey

One word to describe me: CURIOUS. I recall helping my dad to fix the washing machine at the age of four and taking apart my parent’s phone when I was five years old. Always reading. Always learning. Friends and family called me “The Little Professor”.

Years later, after working in public accounting, I came to work for the family dry cleaning business started by my grandfather in 1919. The industry was in a time of great turmoil requiring us to be especially nimble. I had enormous satisfaction recasting the business, transitioning it from a dry cleaning company to a full-fledged industrial laundry offering uniform rental services.

I sold that business in 2004 (by that time there were NO family left!) to the Aramark Corporation, handling all the details from getting the business ready, to working on integration with my buyer. The process was thrilling!

It was that exhilarating process that captured my imagination and lead me to the work I do now at Ashland, and specifically, ExitView.

Understanding how machines work, taking things apart and putting them back together, always learning, always optimizing, have all been metaphors for how I help business owners now. There’s no such thing as a perfect plan – it’s a live process that requires continuous attention. One thing I know for certain is that not planning is planning to fail. Nothings gets me revved up better than seeing a client imagine and then capture success!

I feel so blessed to love the work that I do and ignites my passion in pursuit of sharing what I’ve learned over all these years. I look forward to focusing my energies on your unique circumstances and find a great path forward for your and your family.

Select Clients


“I simply don’t know how we could have sold our business without Ashland.”

Melanie — Right at Home


“You understand the financial end of my business better than I ever did.”


“It felt great to make a plan for building enterprise value…a roadmap to where we are now confidently going.”

Faye — Big Grove Brewery


“Our engagement with Ashland changed three times; each seamless.”

Ben — Kegcraft Services