Exit Readiness Scorecard 14 questions, about three minutes. Choose the answer that is true today, not the one you are working toward. It is free, there is no email until the end, and your score and biggest gaps appear the moment you finish, with a PDF copy sent to your inbox.
Start the Scorecard Question 1 · Leadership If you stepped away from the business entirely for 90 days, what would happen to revenue?
Essentially unchanged. The team runs it A dip, then it recovers without me It would drop hard and stay down The business would not survive it
Question 2 · Leadership If you left, who runs the company on Monday morning?
A named successor who already does most of it A capable team, though nobody is clearly in charge Someone would have to be promoted in a hurry Nobody. It is me
Question 3 · Sales What share of revenue comes from your largest customer?
Under 10% 10% to 25% 25% to 40% More than 40%
Question 4 · Sales How much of next year's revenue is already contracted or recurring?
Most of it, under contract or subscription About half, with reliable repeat customers Some repeat business, but we rebuild each year We start from zero every January
Question 5 · Sales Who owns the customer relationships?
The company. Customers deal with the team Mostly the team, with me on the big accounts Mostly me, with the team supporting Me. They buy because of me
Question 6 · Marketing Why do new customers choose you over a competitor?
A clear reputation, and leads the company generates on its own Mostly referrals and reputation, with some marketing that works Mostly word of mouth, and much of it runs through me They know me. Without me there is no pipeline
Question 7 · Finance What shape are your financial statements in?
Audited or reviewed by a CPA, accrual basis CPA-prepared and clean, but compiled only Bookkeeper-maintained, cash basis, some personal expenses mixed in They would need real work before anyone saw them
Question 8 · Operations If a new manager started tomorrow, what would they have to learn from?
Written processes the team actually follows Partial documentation, plus shadowing Mostly shadowing and asking questions It is all in my head
Question 9 · People What keeps your most important employees from leaving after a sale?
Retention agreements or equity tied to staying Strong pay and a good culture, nothing in writing Loyalty to me personally Nothing, and I expect some would go
Question 10 · Legal Would your key customer and supplier contracts transfer to a buyer?
Yes, they are written and assignable Mostly, though a few would need consent Unsure. We have not looked Many are handshake arrangements
Question 11 · Planning Is there a written plan for the next few years that your team works toward?
Yes. Written goals, tracked regularly, owned by the leadership team A plan exists, but it is loose and mostly tracked by me The direction is clear in my head, but nothing is written We react to what comes in. There is no real plan
Question 12 · Planning What does a buyer see when they look at the last three years?
Consistent growth with a credible plan for more Steady and profitable, growing slowly Flat, or up and down Declining, or too volatile to read
Question 13 · Finance How clearly can you separate business assets from personal ones?
Completely. Nothing personal sits in the company Mostly, with one or two known items There is real overlap to untangle Vehicles, property or family payroll are mixed in
Question 14 · Owner readiness If the money were right and the sale closed next quarter, what would you do the following Monday?
I know exactly, and I am looking forward to it I have a rough idea and I am working on it I have not really thought past the closing Honestly, that question worries me most
