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Who Referred You?

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1. Are financial statements (P&L, Balance Sheet) available? *Buyers commonly review several years of financial records to understand business performance.

2. Are tax returns available and consistent with reported income? *Discrepancies between books and tax returns are deal-killers.

3. Is revenue stable or growing over the past 2–3 years? *Trending growth can increase your multiple by 0.5–1x.

4. Are profit margins consistent and predictable? *Margin consistency = lower buyer risk = higher valuation.

5. Is there clear separation between personal and business expenses? *Mixed expenses reduce credibility and SDE calculations.

6. Is the business consistently profitable? *3+ years of profitability dramatically increases buyer confidence.

7. Are add-backs (owner benefits) clearly identifiable? *Properly documented add-backs can significantly increase SDE.

8. Is cash flow predictable month-to-month? *Predictable cash flow = lower perceived risk = premium price.

9. Are expenses controlled and well understood? *Bloated or unclear expenses reduce your net income story.

10. Is working capital sufficient to operate smoothly? *Buyers assess whether they need to inject capital immediately.

11. Does the owner handle most day-to-day operations? *

1. Owner handles nearly everything

2. Owner handles most operations

3. Owner and team share operations

4. Team handles most operations

5. Team runs daily operations

High owner dependency = buyers see a job, not a business.

12. Are key decisions dependent on the owner? *Systemize decision-making before going to market.

13. Can the business run for 30+ days without the owner? *This single factor can increase or decrease your multiple by 1–2x.

14. Is there a second-in-command or manager? *A strong #2 dramatically reduces transition risk for buyers.

15. Are key relationships tied only to the owner? *

1. Relationships rely entirely on owner

2. Most rely on owner

3. Some are shared with team

4. Most are managed by team

5. Relationships fully transfer to team

Vendor and customer relationships should survive ownership change.

16. Are standard operating procedures documented? *SOPs allow buyers to operate from day one with confidence.

17. Is there a CRM or system for managing customers/leads? *

1. No customer tracking system

2. Scattered notes or spreadsheets

3. Basic system with gaps

4. Consistently used CRM

5. Integrated and well maintained CRM

Technology infrastructure signals a scalable, modern business.

18. Are processes repeatable and structured? *Repeatable processes reduce buyer risk and increase confidence.

19. Are vendors and suppliers organized and reliable? *

1. Unreliable and disorganized

2. Frequent supplier issues

3. Generally reliable with gaps

4. Reliable and well organized

5. Reliable with documented backups

Transferable vendor relationships protect revenue continuity.

20. Is inventory (if applicable) tracked and controlled? *Accurate inventory records prevent surprises during due diligence.

21. Is revenue diversified across many customers? *Over 30% from one customer is flagged as a risk by all buyers.

22. Does any single customer represent more than 20% of revenue? *

1. Largest customer exceeds 50%

2. Largest customer is over 40–50%

3. Largest customer is over 30–40%

4. Largest customer is over 20–30%

5. No customer exceeds 20%

Score 5 if no single customer > 20%. Score 1 if one customer > 50%.

23. Is there recurring or repeat business? *Recurring revenue (contracts, subscriptions) commands premium multiples.

24. Are customer relationships stable and long-term? *

1. Frequent customer losses

2. Mostly short relationships

3. Mixed customer retention

4. Stable, lasting relationships

5. Strong, long-standing relationships

Average customer tenure is a key metric buyers analyze.

25. Is there a clear target market/customer profile? *A defined ICP signals marketing scalability to buyers.

26. Does the business have consistent lead generation? *Predictable lead flow = predictable revenue = higher valuation.

27. Are there multiple lead sources (not just one)? *Single-source dependency is as risky as single-customer dependency.

28. Is there any digital presence (website, ads, social)? *

1. No digital presence

2. Limited or outdated presence

3. Basic, current presence

4. Strong and active presence

5. Established, effective digital presence

Digital assets increase perceived value and brand transferability.

29. Are conversion rates known or tracked? *Data-driven sales processes command premium multiples.

30. Is marketing intentional and strategic vs random? *Documented marketing strategy signals scalability.

31. Are there key employees critical to operations? *

1. Critical roles have no backup

2. Most critical roles lack backup

3. Some critical roles have coverage

4. Most critical roles have coverage

5. All critical roles have strong coverage

Key employees must be retained — or risk is elevated.

32. Is employee turnover low? *Low turnover signals good culture and stable operations.

33. Are roles and responsibilities clearly defined? *

1. Roles are unclear

2. Many responsibilities overlap

3. Core roles are defined

4. Most roles clearly documented

5. All roles and accountability are clear

Defined org chart reduces transition uncertainty for buyers.

34. Is there a management structure in place? *Management depth allows for smoother ownership transitions.

35. Are employees trained and replaceable? *

1. No training or backup coverage

2. Limited training and backups

3. Some documented training

4. Most roles trained and covered

5. Cross-trained team with strong backups

Replaceability = lower key-person risk = higher valuation.

36. Are there clear opportunities to grow revenue? *

1. No clear growth opportunities

2. Limited ideas only

3. Some realistic opportunities

4. Clear, achievable opportunities

5. Validated opportunities with a plan

Identified growth levers justify premium buyer projections.

37. Is the business currently underutilized? *

1. No usable spare capacity

2. Limited usable capacity

3. Some capacity with a basic plan

4. Good capacity with a clear plan

5. Significant capacity with a clear plan

Underutilization + clear strategy = compelling buyer narrative.

38. Could marketing increase revenue significantly? *Businesses with untapped marketing potential command higher multiples.

39. Are there expansion opportunities (locations, services, products)? *Expansion roadmap gives buyers a vision they'll pay for.

40. Would a new owner likely grow the business? *Transferable growth potential is the highest-value buyer motivator.

41. Are there any legal or compliance issues? *

1. Serious unresolved issues

2. Significant issues remain

3. Manageable issues being addressed

4. Minor issues nearly resolved

5. No known outstanding issues

Undisclosed legal issues kill deals at the worst possible moment.

42. Are licenses and permits current and transferable? *

1. Missing or expired licenses

2. Major renewal or transfer issues

3. Some items need resolution

4. Current with minor transfer steps

5. Current with transfer path confirmed

Non-transferable licenses can reduce buyer pool dramatically.

43. Is the business clean from a liability standpoint? *

1. Major unresolved liabilities

2. Significant liability concerns

3. Manageable, documented concerns

4. Low, well managed exposure

5. Clear and well documented position

Clean liability profile accelerates due diligence and close.

44. Is the owner mentally and emotionally ready to sell? *Seller readiness directly impacts negotiation outcomes.

45. Is there a clear reason or goal for selling? *Buyers always ask. A clean, credible answer builds confidence.

CONFIDENTIAL EXIT READINESS

What’s Your Exit Score?

See how prepared your business is for a future sale. Answer forty-five questions to identify strengths and gaps across nine areas, then receive an exit-readiness score to guide your next steps.

Development45–79 points

Build the fundamentals.

Opportunity80–129 points

Address preparation gaps.

Good130–179 points

Strengthen key areas.

Premium180–225 points

Plan your next steps.

These categories describe exit readiness. This self-assessment is a planning guide, not a business valuation or a guarantee of sale.