About Your Business
Let's start with the basics.
Your answers help us assess where you stand and what stands between you and a successful exit.
How long have you owned this business?
Less than 3 years
3–7 years
8–15 years
More than 15 years
What is your approximate annual revenue?
Under $500K
$500K – $2M
$2M – $10M
Over $10M
Financial Readiness
How clean are your financials?
Buyers pay premiums for businesses with clear, auditable books and consistent earnings.
How would you describe your financial records?
Mixed — some years are cleaner than others
Organized but not reviewed by a CPA
Reviewed or compiled by a CPA annually
Audited financials with 3+ years of clean history
How consistent is your EBITDA over the last 3 years?
Volatile — significant swings year to year
Somewhat consistent with one off year
Consistent with steady growth
Strong and growing consistently every year
Operational Independence
Does the business run without you?
Owner dependence is the #1 value killer in small business exits. Buyers discount heavily for it.
How dependent is the business on you personally?
I am the business — everything runs through me
I'm heavily involved but have some team in place
I have a management team handling most operations
The business runs without me for months at a time
Do you have documented processes or SOPs?
No — most knowledge is in people's heads
Some documentation, mostly informal
Core processes are documented
Comprehensive SOPs for all major functions
Revenue Quality
How sticky and diversified is your revenue?
Buyers underwrite revenue quality. Recurring, diversified income commands higher multiples.
What percentage of revenue comes from your top 3 customers?
More than 60%
40–60%
20–40%
Less than 20%
How would you describe your revenue model?
Entirely project-based or one-time sales
Mix of recurring and one-time revenue
Majority recurring (contracts, subscriptions, retainers)
Highly recurring with multi-year contracts
Exit Planning
How prepared are you for an exit?
Most owners wait too long. The best exits are planned 2–5 years in advance.
When are you thinking about selling?
Within the next 12 months
1–3 years from now
3–5 years from now
5+ years away, just exploring
Have you worked with an advisor on exit planning?
No — this is the first step I'm taking
I've had some informal conversations
I've worked with an attorney or accountant on it
I have an active exit plan with a transaction advisor
Do you know what your business is worth today?
No idea
I have a rough guess
I've done informal benchmarking
I have a formal valuation