Exit Value Assessment
For each statement below, rate your business from 1-5, where 1 is weak and 5 is strong. Put yourself in the mindset of being objective and try and remove bias. This is an important part of getting a real understanding of your business value.
1. You Know What Your Business Is Worth
"I have a current valuation based on real market data—not just a guess. I know the range of multiples that companies like mine are actually selling for right now."
2. You Know What Life After Business Looks Like
"I've written down what I want life to look like after exit—what I'll do with my time, how I want to live, what gives me purpose—and I've done the math on my personal wealth goal and exactly how much money I need to make that happen."
3. The Business Runs Without You
"The company operates just fine when I'm not around. The team handles key client relationships, makes important decisions, and keeps things moving even when I'm gone for weeks."
4. Your Exit Strategy Is Written Down
"I have a formal exit strategy in writing with a realistic timeline, specific milestones, clear accountability, and a plan to maximize the value of the business in that timeframe—all aligned with my personal wealth goals."
5. You Understand All Your Exit Options
"I know the full menu of ways I could exit—strategic sale, management buyout, employee ownership, recapitalization, family succession, partnerships—and what each one really means for me and the business."
6. You Have a Strong Management Team
"I have a complete leadership team—not just good people, but defined roles, succession or contingency plans for key positions, and they can execute our strategy without me telling them what to do."
7. Your Revenue Isn't Too Concentrated
"No single customer makes up more than 10% of my revenue, and my top 5 customers are less than 25% of the total. I'm not dangerously dependent on any one relationship."
8. Your Financials Are Clean and Ready
"My books are clean and organized. I understand normalized financials and track them, I track key metrics, and I could hand a buyer a complete financial package the same day they ask for it."
9. Your Systems Are Documented
"My core processes, systems, and methods are written down. Someone new could learn how we do things without relying on what's in people's heads."
10. You Have a Real Growth Plan
"I have a written strategic growth plan—a clear 10-year vision, a detailed 3-year path, and a solid 1-year plan with financial forecasts that show I'm not just winging it."