1
How did this business start?
What's the short version of how you started or acquired this business, and why?
Business Transition Narrative
Every business has a story, and buyers respond to it as much as the numbers. This isn't something you need to finish in one sitting — it's a starting point for putting your business's story into words, before you ever need it for a real buyer conversation.
2
What does the business actually do, in plain language?
If you had 30 seconds to explain what the business does to someone outside your industry, what would you say?
3
What makes this business different?
Why do customers choose you over the alternative? Reputation, location, relationships, specialization, price, something else?
4
Who are your customers?
Describe your customer base in general terms: who they are, how long they tend to stay, how you reach new ones.
5
How does a typical year unfold?
Slow months, busy months, when cash is tight, when it's flush. How do you keep cash, staffing, and equipment lined up with the workload as it shifts through the year?
6
What does the team look like without you?
Who actually keeps the business running day to day? What would change if you stepped back for a month?
7
Where's the opportunity for a new owner?
What haven't you gotten to yet that someone with more time, capital, or a different skill set could take further?
8
Anything in the numbers worth explaining up front?
Anything in your financials that would raise an eyebrow at first glance? A slow year, a one-time expense, a change in how you ran things? Better to explain it here than have someone guess.
9
Why are you selling, really?
Buyers ask this early, and a clear, honest answer builds more trust than a vague one. Retirement, burnout, a new venture, health, partnership issues — whatever it is.
There's no need to have polished answers to all of this yet. The point is to start getting it out of your head and onto paper — it's easier to build a credible story from a rough draft than from nothing at all. If you'd like help turning this into something buyer-ready, that's part of what happens in a Readiness Pilot Session. Apply for a Free Session