The more specific you are, the more specific your report. Be as direct as you would with a trusted advisor — there are no wrong answers here.
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Sections 5
Questions 26
Time 12–15 minutes
Section 1 of 5
Section 1 of 5
The Business
These inputs are the foundation of your report. Be as specific as possible — vague descriptions produce generic analysis.
Q1. Company name
Q2. What does this business actually do?
Describe what the business does, who it serves, how it delivers value, and what makes it different from competitors. 3–6 sentences. Write it the way you'd explain it to a serious buyer — not a customer.
Q3. Your role in the business
AI run it day-to-day — I am the primary operator
BI'm actively involved but have a team that handles daily operations
CI'm largely removed — the business runs without me
DI'm involved at the board or advisory level only
Q4. What's driving your interest in an exit?
Buyers read exit motivation carefully. Be honest — there are no wrong answers, and withholding this produces a less accurate report.
AThe business is strong and the timing feels right strategically
BI'm ready for the next chapter personally — lifestyle, retirement, new venture
DI want to understand my options before deciding anything
EI've already received inbound interest and want to understand where I stand
Q5. Approximate annual revenue
A$1M – $3M
B$3M – $7M
C$7M – $15M
D$15M – $25M
E$25M+
Q6. Years in business
AUnder 3 years
B3–7 years
C7–15 years
D15–25 years
E25+ years
Q7. Industry
Section 2 of 5
Revenue and Customers
Revenue quality is the first thing serious buyers evaluate. Two businesses with identical revenue can have dramatically different valuations based on how that revenue is structured.
Q8. How does revenue come in?
ARecurring contracts or retainers — customers are committed in writing
BRepeat customers without formal contracts — they come back but aren't locked in
CProject-based or job-based — each engagement is discrete
DProduct sales — retail, wholesale, or e-commerce
EMixed model — multiple of the above
Q9. What percentage of revenue is recurring or under contract?
A75% or more
B50–74%
C25–49%
DUnder 25%
ENone — fully transactional
Q10. How concentrated is your customer base?
ANo single customer exceeds 10% of revenue
BTop customer is 10–20% of revenue
CTop customer is 20–35% of revenue
DTop customer exceeds 35% — or 1–3 customers together are the majority
Q11. How long have your top customers been with you?
AMost have been with us 5+ years
BMix of long-term and newer customers
CMostly newer — under 3 years
DCustomer turnover is high — we replace churned customers constantly
Q12. How does new business come in? Optional
AReferrals from existing customers or professional network
BInbound — customers find us (website, reputation, search)
COutbound sales effort — we prospect and close
DRepeat business — existing customers keep buying
EMix of the above
Section 3 of 5
Operations and Team
Buyers aren't just buying revenue — they're buying a system they can operate without you. This section is where most deals get complicated.
Q13. If you stepped away completely for 6 months, what happens?
AThe business runs normally — the team handles everything
BRevenue continues but quality or key decisions suffer
CRevenue declines significantly — key relationships or decisions depend on me
DThe business effectively stops — I am the product
Q14. How would you describe your management team?
AStrong team that operates independently and makes most decisions
BCapable team that handles daily operations but relies on me for key decisions
CI have staff but no real management layer — I'm still the manager
DI am the management team — it's primarily me
Q15. How documented are your systems and processes?
AFully documented — someone could run this without institutional knowledge
BWell documented — most things are written down but some knowledge lives in my head
CPartially documented — we have some SOPs but rely heavily on experience
DMostly undocumented — it runs on experience and relationships
Q16. What is your employee count?
AJust me or me plus 1–2 people
B3–10 employees
C11–25 employees
D26–50 employees
E50+ employees
Section 4 of 5
Financial Profile
You don't need to share exact numbers. Ranges are sufficient. The more specific you can be, the more specific your report.
Q17. What is your approximate EBITDA or SDE (net profit + owner add-backs)?
Use EBITDA if you have a management team in place. Use SDE (net profit + owner add-backs) if you're owner-operated — this is profit before your salary and personal expenses run through the business.
AUnder $200K
B$200K – $500K
C$500K – $1M
D$1M – $2M
E$2M – $5M
F$5M+
GI'm not sure / I'd need to calculate this
HPrefer not to disclose
Q18. What is happening with your margins?
AImproving year over year
BStable and consistent
CCompressing — costs are rising faster than revenue
DVolatile — they swing significantly year to year
EI don't track this closely
Q19. How clean are your financials?
Buyers will request 3 years of financials in diligence. This question is about how prepared you are.
AClean — professionally prepared, accrual basis, no personal expenses mixed in
BMostly clean — some owner perks or personal items that would need to be normalized
CCash basis or minimal accounting — would need significant cleanup
DI haven't thought about this
Q20. Do you own or lease your primary facility?
AI own the real estate
BLong-term lease — 5+ years remaining
CShort-term lease — under 2 years remaining
DHome-based or fully remote — no facility
Section 5 of 5
Competitive Position and Timing
This section surfaces how a buyer would assess defensibility and whether the timing of a sale works for or against you.
Q21. What makes this business hard to replicate?
Select all that apply.
☐Proprietary systems, processes, or IP
☐Long-term customer relationships with switching costs
☐Specialized licenses, certifications, or regulatory approvals
☐Geographic advantage or protected territory
☐Brand reputation built over many years
☐Exclusive supplier or distribution relationships
☐Skilled team that would be hard to replicate
☐Nothing meaningful — this is a competitive, replicable business
Q22. What is happening in your industry right now?
AGrowing — our market is expanding
BStable — steady demand, limited disruption
CConsolidating — larger players are acquiring smaller ones
DDisrupted — technology or new entrants are reshaping the landscape
EDeclining — structural headwinds we can't control
Q23. Has the business received any inbound acquisition interest?
AYes — serious inbound from a strategic or financial buyer
BYes — casual or exploratory inbound
CNo inbound, but I've thought about who the natural buyers would be
DNo inbound and I haven't thought about this
Q24. Do you have any key employees who could leave and materially harm the business?
ANo — the team is solid and depth exists
BYes — 1–2 people whose departure would be serious
CYes — including me, I am the most critical person
DI haven't thought about this carefully
Q25. Is there anything a buyer would discover in diligence that isn't obvious from the outside?
Buyers always find material issues in diligence. If your report accounts for them, the analysis is more accurate and the recommendations more useful. This information is used only to generate your report.
ANo material issues I'm aware of
BYes — pending litigation or legal issues
CYes — customer concentration or pending contract risk
DYes — key person dependency beyond what I've indicated
EYes — financial irregularities or cleanup needed
FYes — other (describe briefly in the notes field below)
GI'd rather discuss this separately
Q26. Anything else you want the analysis to account for? Optional
Competitive dynamics, pending events, family considerations, partnership structures, or anything else that would affect how a buyer would evaluate this business.
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