Grow Your Estate Sale Business: How IESP Training & the CESF Certification Turn Beginners Into Trusted Pros

Running an estate sale company is one of the most rewarding small businesses you can build. You help families through some of their hardest moments, you turn a lifetime of belongings into real money for the people who need it, and you get to work with history, beauty, and treasure every single day. But almost nobody hands you a playbook for how to do it well — so most operators learn the expensive way, one painful mistake at a time.

That's exactly the gap the Institute for Estate Sale Professionals (IESP) was built to close. Founded by Jenna Pecor — the estate sale pro behind Jennarocity Estate Sales, with 12+ years in the field — IESP is the umbrella organization that turns hard-won, real-world experience into clear, repeatable training and a respected industry credential. And here's the part we're genuinely excited about: EstateSaleFinder has partnered with IESP, and every IESP student gets 3 months of Pro Plus free on our platform. More on that below.

Who this is for

IESP was designed for estate sale company owners at every stage of the journey:

No matter where you are, the lesson is the same one Jenna learned: you were never not good enough — you were just missing the training and the tools.

Meet Jenna and the IESP mission

Jenna Pecor spent over a decade building a thriving estate sale company from the ground up, making every mistake so you don't have to. She founded IESP in 2026 to give the industry something it never had: real, structured education from someone who's actually done the job — not theory, not fluff, but the exact systems that work on the ground.

IESP organizes its training around three learning paths, so you can jump in wherever you are:

1. Foundations — for new and aspiring operators who need to learn the business from the ground up.
2. Professional Development — for established companies refining their craft or working through the things that aren't quite clicking.
3. Business Scaling — for owners ready to grow revenue, hire, and build a company that runs without burning them out.

The training: Estate Sale Project Management

IESP's flagship live course is Estate Sale Project Management ($199) — eight modules with six months of access that walk you through an entire sale from the first client call to the final payout. It tackles the exact things operators struggle with: pricing with confidence, writing contracts that protect you and the family, staging a home so it sells, running a smooth sale day, and handling the money side professionally. More courses are on the way as IESP expands its curriculum.

The credential: Certified Estate Sale Fiduciary™ (CESF)

Trust is everything in this business. Families hand you the keys to a loved one's home, their heirlooms, and their finances — and they need to know you'll honor that. The Certified Estate Sale Fiduciary™ (CESF) certification ($149) is your proof. Over six months of access, it trains you in ethics, fiduciary duty, handling client funds the right way, confidentiality, documentation, and risk management. Earn it, and the designation is valid for 24 months — and you get to display the CESF badge on your website, your marketing, your email signature, and your EstateSaleFinder profile.

That badge isn't decoration. It tells every grieving family who's interviewing companies that you take this responsibility seriously. In an industry that's largely unlicensed and unregulated, a real credential is one of the fastest ways to win trust and the job.

Learn for free on the IESP YouTube channel

Not ready to enroll yet? Start free. IESP runs a YouTube channel and podcast (@InstESProf) packed with practical advice, behind-the-scenes lessons, and the kind of honest, real-world tips you can put to work on your very next sale. It's the easiest way to get a feel for Jenna's teaching style and start leveling up today, at zero cost.

Our partnership: 3 months of Pro Plus free for every IESP student

Here's where IESP and EstateSaleFinder come together for you. As IESP's official industry partner, we're giving every IESP student 3 months of Pro Plus free on EstateSaleFinder — the modern marketplace and toolkit built specifically for estate sale companies.

With Pro Plus, you get:

Training teaches you how to run a great company. Pro Plus gives you the modern tools to grow it. Together, they're the head start the estate sale industry never had.

How to get started

1. Explore IESP's courses and certification →
2. Subscribe to the IESP YouTube channel for free training →
3. Create your free EstateSaleFinder account → and see how it works for companies.
4. Complete an IESP course, then claim your 3 months of Pro Plus free.

What is IESP? The Institute for Estate Sale Professionals is an education and certification organization founded by estate sale expert Jenna Pecor. It provides structured training and the Certified Estate Sale Fiduciary™ (CESF) credential for estate sale company owners at every stage.

What is the CESF certification? The Certified Estate Sale Fiduciary™ (CESF) is IESP's professional credential ($149, six months of access, valid 24 months). It certifies that you understand the ethics, fiduciary duties, and best practices required to handle a family's home, heirlooms, and funds with integrity.

Do I need experience to start? No. IESP's Foundations path is built specifically for new and aspiring estate sale operators. You can also start for free on the IESP YouTube channel.

How do I get 3 months of Pro Plus free? EstateSaleFinder is IESP's industry partner. Every IESP student qualifies for 3 months of Pro Plus free — create your account and complete an IESP course to claim it.

You don't have to keep learning this business the hard way. With IESP's training, the CESF credential, and 3 months of Pro Plus on EstateSaleFinder, you have everything you need to start strong, build trust, and grow. Start your IESP training today →