Is your business ready to sell?

Most owners do not have an accurate picture of how ready their business is to sell, or what a buyer would actually pay for it today.

Think of this as your report card. You rate your business across the 10 areas that drive value and shape buyer demand. It takes about 15 minutes. When you finish, you will see where your business is strong, where it is exposed, and which areas to work on before you go to market.

What the assessment measures

Buyers and investors look at far more than revenue when they value a business. They look at how durable that revenue is, how dependent the company is on the owner, and how much risk comes with it. The assessment scores your company across the 10 value drivers that have the biggest effect on what a buyer will pay and whether a deal closes.

• Strong financial performance. Clean, accurate, and timely financials that show predictable cash flow, clear profit drivers, and numbers that hold up in due diligence.
• A diversified customer base. Revenue spread across many customers and segments, so losing any single account would not put the business at risk.
• Recurring revenue. Contract-based, subscription, or repeat income that keeps producing month to month, even without new sales.
• Management team quality. A leadership team that can run the business without the owner involved every day, with clear roles and a succession plan.
• Proprietary products or processes. Offerings, intellectual property, or methods that are hard to copy and give you a real competitive edge.
• Scalability and operational efficiency. Systems, processes, and technology that let the business grow without costs rising at the same pace.
• Margins and EBITDA growth. Healthy, improving gross margins and EBITDA that grows year over year, with pricing power you can defend.
• Market position and brand strength. A respected brand and market position that make customers choose you for reasons beyond price.
• Strategic planning and documentation. A documented strategic plan, standardized processes, and KPIs that guide decisions and reduce key-person risk.
• Advisor influence and deal team readiness. Trusted advisors and a deal team in place, so you are prepared when it is time to sell or transition.

You score five statements in each area. When you finish, you get an average for every driver and an overall picture of where your business stands today, plus a clear view of what to work on before you go to market.

What to do with your score

A high score means your business is in a strong position. A low score is not a problem. It is a list of opportunities, and most of the value owners leave on the table comes from a few fixable areas.

Focus on your lowest three drivers first. Those gaps usually have the biggest effect on what a buyer will pay.

When you are ready to know what your business is worth in today’s market, a Real Market Analysis gives you a clear, defensible number and shows you how to get there.