Exit Desk · Free Assessment

How Will a Buyer Value Your Business?

8 questions. 90 seconds. Buyer-side veteran's lens on what we look for.

Built on 25 years and 75+ transactions of M&A judgment — including the Rolling Stone and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve acquisitions.

$0 to take Buyer-Lens Audit™ from $199
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Question 1 of 8
Question 1 of 8 · Revenue Quality
What is your approximate annual revenue?
AUnder $1M
B$1M – $3M
C$3M – $7M
D$7M – $15M
E$15M+
Question 2 of 8 · Revenue Quality
How does most of your revenue come in?
ARecurring contracts or retainers
BRepeat customers without formal contracts
CProject-based or one-time engagements
DMixed model
Question 3 of 8 · Founder Dependence
If you stepped away completely for 6 months, what happens to revenue?
AContinues largely unchanged
BDeclines slowly — some things depend on me
CDeclines significantly — key relationships or decisions depend on me
DEffectively stops — I am the business
Question 4 of 8 · Revenue Quality
How concentrated is your customer base?
ANo single customer exceeds 10% of revenue
BTop customer is 10–25% of revenue
CTop customer exceeds 25% of revenue
DI'm not sure
Question 5 of 8 · Founder Dependence
How would you describe your management team?
AStrong team that operates independently
BCapable team that handles daily ops but relies on me for key decisions
CI have staff but no real management layer
DI am the management team
Question 6 of 8 · Financial Health
What is happening with your margins?
AImproving year over year
BStable and consistent
CCompressing — costs rising faster than revenue
DI don't track this closely
Question 7 of 8 · Competitive Position
What makes this business hard to replicate?
ALong-term customer relationships or brand reputation
BProprietary systems, licenses, or regulatory advantages
CSpecialized team that would be hard to rebuild
DNothing meaningful — this is a competitive, replicable business
Question 8 of 8 · Timing Alignment
What's driving your interest in an exit?
ABusiness is strong and timing feels right strategically
BReady for the next chapter personally
CFacing pressure — health, partnership issues, or market conditions
DJust exploring — want to understand my options
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Score by Dimension
Revenue Quality
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Founder Dependence
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Financial Health
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Competitive Position
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Timing Alignment
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