You are about three years from a sale. How ready are you, really?
A 16-question diagnostic for business owners with a sale, merger, or transition on the horizon. Answer on screen, see your readiness instantly, and print a branded result to bring to the table. The years before an offer are where value is won or lost.
One point per Yes. Sixteen points possible.
The goal is not the number. The goal is finding the highest-leverage next move while you still have time to make it.
0-6
Foundation
Early in the best possible way. Three years is exactly the runway you need to build value and a plan.
7-12
Building
Real momentum. The remaining gaps are usually the ones that quietly cost the most at closing.
13-16
Exit-Ready
Ahead of most owners. The work shifts from building readiness to protecting and optimizing it.
What we measure.
Business Value & Transferability
Could the business thrive, and sell, without you in the middle of everything? Transferable value is what a buyer actually pays for.
Financial Readiness
Does a sale get you to your number, after tax? Readiness is the link between the deal and the life it is meant to fund.
Deal & Tax Structure Readiness
Is the transaction positioned to keep more of what you built? The strategies that matter most need lead time to work.
Personal & Legacy Readiness
Are you, and your family, ready for the life after the exit? The part owners skip most often, and regret most.
How to take it.
This is a diagnostic, not a verdict. The goal is clarity, and a better next move.
- Answer honestly. There are no trick questions.
- Three to five minutes is enough.
- Skip nothing. Each question is its own diagnostic signal.
- Your score lives only in your browser. No email required.
0 of 16 answered
Business Value & Transferability
Could the business thrive, and sell, without you in the middle of everything?
This section tests whether the value lives in the company itself, or only because you are holding it together day to day.
The business could run for 60 days or more without my day-to-day involvement, because a capable management team makes the decisions.
The value does not depend on you being in the room.
Revenue is durable and diversified, not dependent on me personally, a single client, or a handful of relationships.
No single point of failure a buyer would discount for.
Our financials are clean and would withstand a buyer's quality-of-earnings review without surprises.
The numbers tell a clear, defensible story.
Systems, contracts, and processes are documented, so the value stays with the company rather than walking out with me.
What you know is written down, not just in your head.
Financial Readiness
Does a sale actually get you to the number that funds the rest of your life?
This section looks at whether a sale connects to your personal financial picture, or is just a hoped-for windfall.
I know my number: the after-tax proceeds I need from a sale to fund the life I want, independent of the business.
You have a target, not just a wish.
I have a current, realistic estimate of what the business is worth today and the gap between that and my number.
You know whether there is a gap to close.
My personal wealth is not concentrated almost entirely in the business; I am building assets outside of it.
Your security does not ride on a single outcome.
I understand how a sale would translate into sustainable income, not just a one-time lump sum.
The proceeds have a job after the wire clears.
Deal & Tax Structure Readiness
Is the transaction positioned to let you keep more of what you built?
This section checks whether the eventual deal is being shaped in advance, while the highest-leverage moves still have time to work.
I understand how deal structure (asset versus stock sale, installment notes, earn-outs, rollover equity) would change my after-tax outcome.
Structure is a lever you understand, not a surprise at closing.
We have explored strategies that require lead time, such as QSBS qualification, trust planning, or charitable structures, while there is still time to use them.
The clock-dependent moves are on the table early.
My entity structure and ownership are positioned ahead of a sale, not scrambled at the letter of intent.
The structure is set before a buyer sets the timeline.
I have, or know I will assemble, a coordinated deal team (M&A attorney, CPA, wealth advisor) working from one plan.
Your advisors are aligned, not siloed.
Personal & Legacy Readiness
Are you, and your family, ready for the life that comes after the exit?
This section focuses on the part owners most often skip: whether you and your family are ready for what the sale makes possible.
I have a clear answer to “what’s next” that I am moving toward, not just moving away from the business.
You are walking toward something, not just leaving.
My identity and sense of purpose are not so tied to the business that letting go would feel like losing myself.
Who you are survives the sale.
My family understands the plan, and we have aligned on what the wealth is for after a sale.
The people closest to you share the picture.
My estate plan, beneficiaries, and key documents are current and would reflect a post-sale reality.
The paperwork would match the new chapter.
For informational purposes only. This diagnostic is not individualized investment, legal, or tax advice. Advisory services are offered through Whitwell & Co., an SEC-registered investment adviser.