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Find out what is actually holding your business back.

Answer a few guided questions. Get a plain-language diagnostic that names your real constraint and tells you where to start. Takes about three minutes.

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0 of 15 answered
01
Your Business
02
How the Business Is Running
If you took an unplanned two-week vacation tomorrow with no phone access, what would you come back to?
A. The business would likely lose revenue or customers in my absence.
B. Things would mostly run, but a pile of decisions would be waiting for me.
C. Operations would continue normally, and my team would handle most decisions.
D. Honestly, the team might run things better without me in the way.
If I asked three of your employees "what is our strategy and what are we choosing not to do," what would I hear?
A. Three different answers, or mostly blank stares.
B. Similar themes, but everyone would describe it differently.
C. Consistent answers about what we do, but fuzzy on what we don't do.
D. Tight, aligned answers including the trade-offs we have deliberately made.
What is the single biggest bottleneck holding back growth right now?
A. I'm not sure, it feels like several things at once.
B. I know what it is, but I haven't had time to address it.
C. I know what it is and I'm actively working on it.
D. We just removed our biggest constraint and are working on the next one.
When you make a major business decision, what do you most often rely on?
A. Gut instinct and experience.
B. Conversations with a few trusted people.
C. A mix of data and judgment, reviewed against goals.
D. A documented framework with cost, benefit, and risk weighed explicitly.
How does work actually get done in your business?
A. People mostly figure it out as they go.
B. The experienced people know what to do, newer people ask a lot of questions.
C. Most core processes are documented somewhere, but not always followed.
D. Processes are documented, followed, and improved on a regular cadence.
If you had to forecast next quarter's revenue right now, how confident would you be?
A. I could guess, but it would mostly be hope.
B. I have a rough idea based on past patterns.
C. I have a pipeline or recurring base I can forecast from with reasonable accuracy.
D. I can forecast with high confidence and I know which levers move the number.
When something important falls through the cracks, what usually happens?
A. I find out late and end up fixing it myself.
B. We talk about it, but it tends to happen again.
C. The person responsible owns it and we adjust.
D. Our system surfaced it before it became a problem.
Which sentence sounds most like you on a typical week?
A. I'm running hard just to keep up, and I can't see that changing.
B. I'm working long hours, but I believe it will get better soon.
C. I'm busy, but I'm working on the right things most of the time.
D. I have white space to think, plan, and work on the business.
03
Where You Want to Focus
Which area of your business concerns you most right now?
Select one. This will unlock a deeper set of questions specific to that area.
Operations & Systems
Team & Org Structure
Sales & Revenue Growth
Financial Management & Cash Flow
Marketing & Positioning
Exit or Transition Planning
Hiring & Onboarding
Leadership & Decision-Making
Operations & Systems
How would you describe your current operational processes?
Documented and followed consistently.
Mostly in people's heads. We know what to do but it is not written down.
Inconsistent. We do it differently depending on who is doing it.
We do not have defined processes. It is mostly improvised.
Where do things most commonly break down in your operations?
Handoffs between people or departments.
Inconsistent execution. The same task done differently every time.
Things get missed or fall through the cracks entirely.
We rely on one or two people who know how everything works.
On a scale of 1 to 5, how much does your business depend on you personally to function day-to-day?
1 = runs fine without me, 5 = stops if I step away
1Runs itself
2
3Mixed
4
5Stops cold
Team & Org Structure
How would you describe accountability on your team right now?
Strong. People own their outcomes and follow through.
Decent but inconsistent. Some people do, some do not.
Weak. Things get dropped and conversations are hard to have.
I am the only one holding anyone accountable and it is exhausting.
Where is the biggest structural gap in your team right now?
A key function has no clear owner.
Someone is managing people but does not have the time or skill to do it well.
The org has outgrown its current structure.
There is a performance issue I have not resolved.
How often does your team execute without needing direction from you?
Most of the time. They know what to do and do it.
Sometimes. Routine things run. Anything new needs me.
Rarely. Most decisions still come back to me.
Almost never. I have to tell them what to do constantly.
Sales & Revenue Growth
How predictable is your sales pipeline right now?
Very predictable. We know roughly what is coming in each month.
Somewhat. We have leads but conversion is inconsistent.
Unpredictable. Revenue varies a lot month to month.
We do not really have a pipeline. It is mostly referrals and luck.
Where does your sales process most commonly break down?
Not enough leads coming in.
Leads come in but we are not converting them.
We close deals but the wrong ones. Low margin or bad fit clients.
We do not follow up consistently after initial contact.
How dependent is your sales performance on you personally?
Not dependent. My team drives sales and hits their numbers.
Somewhat. I support the team but they can close without me.
Very dependent. I am the primary closer.
Completely dependent. Revenue stops if I stop selling.
Financial Management & Cash Flow
How often does cash flow create stress or uncertainty in your business?
Rarely. Cash flow is predictable and well managed.
Occasionally. Seasonal or timing issues come up but we manage.
Regularly. I am often watching the account balances closely.
Constantly. Cash flow is one of my biggest ongoing concerns.
How well do you understand where your profit actually comes from?
Very well. I know which clients, services, or products drive my margin.
Generally. I have a sense but not a precise picture.
Not well. I know total revenue but margin by segment is unclear.
I do not know. I look at the bank account to gauge how we are doing.
Do you currently operate against a budget or financial plan?
Yes. A detailed one we review and update regularly.
Yes, but we do not use it consistently.
Informal. I track some things but there is no real plan.
No budget at all.
Marketing & Positioning
How clearly defined is your ideal client or customer?
Very clear. We know exactly who we do our best work with.
Mostly clear but we still take work outside that profile.
Vague. We serve a broad range and have not really narrowed it down.
We take whoever comes through the door.
How clearly can you articulate what makes your business different from competitors?
Very clearly. Our differentiation is specific and clients feel it.
We have a general sense of it but struggle to communicate it consistently.
We say quality and service but so does everyone else.
Honestly we are not sure what sets us apart.
How consistent and intentional is your current marketing effort?
Consistent. We have a plan and execute against it.
Inconsistent. We do it when we have time or when business slows down.
Minimal. We mostly rely on referrals and word of mouth.
We do not really market at all.
Exit or Transition Planning
How far along are you in thinking about your exit or transition?
Early stages. I know I want to eventually but have not planned it.
Actively thinking about it. Within the next 3 to 5 years.
Serious planning mode. I want to move in the next 1 to 2 years.
I am not sure of the timeline but want to understand what I am working with.
How prepared is your business to operate without you right now?
Very prepared. Leadership is in place and processes are documented.
Partially. Some things could run without me but not everything.')}
Not very. A lot depends on me personally.
Not at all. The business would struggle significantly without me.
What do you believe is the biggest gap between where your business is today and being truly exit-ready?
Financial performance. The numbers do not support the valuation I want.
Owner dependence. Too much of the business lives in my head or relationships.
Documentation. Processes, contracts, and systems are not formalized.
I am not sure. I do not have a clear picture of what a buyer would see.
Hiring & Onboarding
How would you describe your recent hiring track record?
Strong. Most hires work out and stay.
Mixed. Some good hires, some bad ones.
Struggling. Turnover is high or the right people are hard to find.
We have not hired much but need to and do not know how to approach it.
How structured is your onboarding process for new hires?
Very structured. Clear plan, milestones, and manager checkpoints.
Somewhat. We have some structure but it is inconsistent.
Minimal. We introduce them around and hope they figure it out.
No process. New people sink or swim.
What is your most pressing hiring challenge right now?
Finding qualified candidates.
Retaining people once we hire them.
Getting new hires productive quickly.
Knowing what role to hire for next.
Leadership & Decision-Making
How would you describe how major decisions get made in your business?
Clear. We have a process and the right people are involved.
Mostly clear but some decisions stall or get relitigated.
Slow and painful. Decisions take too long and too much energy.
Everything comes back to me. I make almost all the calls.
How would you describe your relationship with delegation?
Comfortable. I delegate well and trust my team to execute.
Working on it. I delegate some things but still hold on to more than I should.
Difficult. It is faster to do it myself and I know it is a problem.
I do not have anyone I trust enough to delegate to yet.
Where do you feel most out of your depth as a leader right now?
Managing performance. Having the hard conversations.
Setting direction. Knowing what to prioritize.
Building culture. Getting the team aligned and engaged.
Developing people. Helping my team grow.
04
A Little More Context
Where to Send Your Analysis
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