Business Buyer Scorecard

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Name* This field is required.
First Name
Last Name
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Email* This field is required.
example@example.com
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Which of the following best describes you?* This field is required.
I own an existing business
I'm still trying to buy a business
I'm thinking about acquiring a business
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In regards to the Learning Curve of Buying a Business, Question: "How comfortable are you with the different stages of acquiring a business, Deal Sourcing, due diligence, valuation, and integration? Have you had experience with these before, or is this something you're still learning?"* This field is required.
A) Highly experienced: I’ve handled all stages of acquisitions before.
B) Moderately experienced: I’ve been involved in some parts of the process but not all.
C) Limited experience: I’ve studied the process but haven’t been through a full acquisition.
D) No experience: I’m completely new to the acquisition process.
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How would you describe your current ability to generate consistent deal flow for potential business acquisitions, both on-market and off-market?* This field is required.
A) Highly confident: I have a strong and consistent deal flow with multiple lead sources.
B) Moderately confident: I have some deal flow but need more sources and consistency.
C) Limited confidence: I’ve started building deal flow but haven’t had much success yet.
D) No confidence: I’m struggling to find business opportunities and need help creating deal flow.
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Regarding the Financial Report Cards and Light Due Diligence: "How comfortable are you with conducting due diligence on a business? Understanding What a "Good Deal" is versus a "Bad Deal", Do you have the experience, or process or a team in place to ensure you don’t miss any red flags during your evaluation?"* This field is required.
A) Very experienced: I’ve led or been deeply involved in due diligence processes.
B) Some experience: I’ve participated in due diligence but didn’t lead it.
C) Limited experience: I know the basics but haven’t been involved deeply.
D) No experience: I have no experience with conducting due diligence.
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As far as Assessing Risk, "When evaluating a business, how confident are you in identifying potential risks, such as hidden liabilities or market weaknesses? Have you developed any strategies or processes to minimize guesswork?"* This field is required.
A) Highly confident: I have a solid process for identifying and mitigating risks.
B) Somewhat confident: I’ve done this before but could use more guidance.
C) Not very confident: I can spot some risks but might miss important details.
D) No experience: I don’t have a system for assessing risks yet.
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When it comes to the Emotional Investment required, Question: "How do you handle the emotional side of making high-stakes decisions, especially when it involves your money and time? Have you found any techniques that help you stay objective during the process?"* This field is required.
A) Very controlled: I stay objective and don’t let emotions affect my decisions.
B) Mostly controlled: I manage emotions well but occasionally struggle.
C) Somewhat emotional: I often find emotions influencing my decision-making.
D) Highly emotional: I find it difficult to stay objective when making big decisions.
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When it pertains to Financing/Raising Capital: Question: "Have you secured financing for a business acquisition before? What has been your experience with lenders or investors viewing you as a risk, and how have you navigated that?"* This field is required.
A) Highly experienced: I’ve secured financing for acquisitions multiple times.
B) Some experience: I’ve secured financing for other ventures but not acquisitions.
C) Limited experience: I’ve started exploring financing options but haven’t secured any.
D) No experience: I have no experience with financing an acquisition.
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As far as Negotiating a Deal: Question: "In previous negotiations, have you ever felt outmatched by more experienced parties? How have you ensured that you got favorable terms, especially when dealing with seasoned sellers?"* This field is required.
A) Very confident: I’ve successfully negotiated favorable terms in multiple deals.
B) Moderately confident: I’ve negotiated a few deals but could improve.
C) Somewhat hesitant: I’ve struggled with negotiations or needed help.
D) No experience: I’ve never been involved in business negotiations.
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Regarding your current Network (Accountants, Attorneys, Investors, Advisors, Brokers etc) : Question: "Do you already have a network of professionals—like brokers, lenders, or advisors—that you can rely on during the acquisition process? How have your connections helped you in the past?"* This field is required.
A) Well-connected: I have a strong network of professionals I can rely on.
B) Moderately connected: I have a few connections but need more.
C) Limited connections: I’m starting to build a network but it’s still small.
D) No connections: I currently have no network in the acquisition space.
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Lets talk about your process, and getting Overwhelmed: Question: "When you've been in complex, fast-moving situations, how do you manage information overload? Have you developed any systems to help stay organized and focused during the acquisition process?"* This field is required.
A) Highly organized: I have systems in place to manage complex information.
B) Somewhat organized: I manage, but it can get overwhelming at times.
C) Often overwhelmed: I struggle to handle the volume of information.
D) Completely overwhelmed: I find it hard to manage and process all the information.
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What is your credit score?
Above 760
650 to 760
below 650
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How much money do you have available for a down payment?
$250k to $500k
$100k to $250k
$25k to $100k
Zero to $25k
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What do you thinking is holding you back from buying a business - closing your first deal?
Huge
Large
Normal
Small
Ok
Ok
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Business Buyer Readiness Score:Thank you for completing the questionnaire! Each of your answers has been assigned a numerical score: A = 1, B = 2, C = 3, D = 4 When you add up your scores, here’s what they reveal: 10-15 points: Highly ready to buy a business. You have the experience, network, and knowledge to confidently proceed with minimal assistance. You likely have a strong handle on the acquisition process and can navigate due diligence, risk assessment, and deal flow effectively. With this score, you’re well-positioned to move forward swiftly, and with only minor adjustments, you could be closing deals faster than most. You’re focused more on the who—building relationships and securing the right deals—than on learning the how. Your next step could be fine-tuning your strategy or purchasing specific courses for targeted knowledge gaps. 16-25 points: Moderately ready. You have a strong foundation but still need guidance in critical areas like due diligence, financing, or negotiations. While you understand some of the how, there are still gaps that, if left unaddressed, could slow down your progress. The difference between you and someone more experienced is that you may still be working on how to make things happen rather than fully leveraging the right who—partners, networks, and resources. With a bit more focused learning and strategy, you can accelerate your readiness to buy a business. This is where group coaching or one-on-one sessions can make a significant difference. 26-35 points: Needs significant preparation. You have some understanding of the acquisition process but require support in key areas like risk assessment, negotiations, deal flow, and financing. A higher score in this range indicates that you’re likely still spending too much time on how to accomplish each step, without tapping into the power of the right who. This means you may feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of tasks or lack the confidence to move forward. Without additional learning and support, you risk making costly mistakes or, worse, losing momentum altogether. Now is the time to consider comprehensive courses or personalized coaching to address these gaps before you proceed. 36-40 points: Not yet ready. There are major gaps in your experience or knowledge that indicate you should focus on building your skills and network before proceeding with a business acquisition. A score in this range suggests you’re primarily focused on figuring out how to buy a business—how to secure financing, how to do due diligence, how to find deals—without leveraging the right who (experienced advisors, networks, or partners). The risk of moving forward prematurely is significant: you could overlook critical elements that result in poor deals, financial loss, or legal complications. Before progressing, it’s essential to prioritize learning the fundamentals and building a strong support system. Starting with a beginner’s business acquisition course and group coaching will provide the foundation you need to move forward. Consequences of a Higher Score: The higher your score, the more preparation you’ll need before confidently buying a business. A higher score reflects greater uncertainty in crucial areas like risk assessment, financing, and deal flow, all of which are essential to closing a successful deal. Without addressing these gaps, you may find yourself struggling to make progress, or worse, getting stuck in a deal that ends up costing you more than it’s worth—both in time and financial loss. Failing to learn the proper how or find the right who could mean spending years chasing deals without closing one, and even if you do, the risks of a bad deal increase significantly. The difference between success and failure often comes down to identifying the right partners, advisors, and resources—the who—to guide you through the process efficiently. Being Part of the Successful 3%: Buying a business is a complex endeavor. In reality, only about 3 out of 100 people who set out to purchase a business actually close a deal. Understanding your strengths and areas for improvement is a crucial step toward being part of that successful 3%. To increase your chances of success, focus not only on learning how to buy a business but also on surrounding yourself with the right people who can help you along the way—advisors, brokers, financing partners, and more. The faster you find your who, the faster you can execute your how. business an achievable goal. Your Business Buyer Readiness Report with Actionable Tips has been emailed to you.
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