Let's say you want to sell your business. To prepare, you mustshow not only increasing revenues in the past several years, butalso a strong pipeline that portends increasing revenues in theforeseeable future. What better way than to plant the equivalent ofseedlings in the orchard you're currently managing? These seedlingsrepresent future revenues that can grow in an incubator under yourwatchful eye. When the time comes for them to blossom, you'llautomatically benefit from the fruit they bear.

Every small business in America embraces this metaphor. Thoseservicing small businesses, like many retirement plan advisers,live this metaphor every day. The small businesses they currentlyserve, while providing modest revenues today, offer the promises ofgreat multiples of revenues as they grow in the future. In a sensethen, these small-business clients represent the saplings, aninvestment the service provider is making today for greater rewardstomorrow.

But did you know even saplings can produce seeds? That is, ifyou're a retirement adviser, your small-business clients canprovide a future even greater than the small business itself. Thisis virtually a self-perpetuating future. We all know how the idealgrowth strategy, because it is so cost effective, comes throughword-of-mouth advertising. The seeds small businesses contain arefrom the mouths of babes. Better yet, the retirement adviser whoplants these seeds not only helps himself, but provides anincredibly attractive service to his clients.