STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT

A comprehensive diagnostic through a buyer's lens

All 8 PE diligence dimensions scored with full documentation. Enterprise value modeled under current and transition-ready scenarios. A prioritized 18-month action plan delivered — with clear ownership on every item.

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A Strategic Assessment is a comprehensive exit readiness diagnostic that evaluates your business across the 8 dimensions PE firms evaluate during diligenceowner dependency, revenue quality, sales infrastructure, financial reporting, operational documentation, management depth, growth trajectory, and legal transferability. It models enterprise value under current and transition-ready scenarios and produces a prioritized 18-month action plan. It's designed for owners within 1–5 years of a transition who want a rigorous, quantified picture of where they stand — and what it would take to close the gap.

HOW IT'S DIFFERENT

This is not a business valuation. It's a readiness diagnostic.

A business valuation tells you what your company is worth today. A Strategic Assessment tells you what it could be worth — and exactly what stands between those two numbers. The gap between your current state and a transition-ready state is where enterprise value is created. Our job is to quantify that gap, dimension by dimension, and build the roadmap to close it.

Where a Workshop gives you a 90-day action plan based on your Exit Readiness Score, the Strategic Assessment goes deeper: full documentation, stakeholder interviews, financial analysis, competitive positioning, and enterprise value modeling that shows you the dollar impact of each dimension improvement.

The question this answers: "What would a sophisticated buyer see if they evaluated my business today — and how much enterprise value would I gain by closing the gaps they'd find?" Most owners are surprised not by how many gaps exist, but by how much value is tied up in 2–3 specific dimensions.

WHAT YOU RECEIVE

Strategic Assessment deliverables

Every deliverable is designed to be useful on its own — and actionable whether you engage further or take the plan to your own team, CPA, or M&A advisor.

01
8-Dimension Diagnostic Report
Each dimension scored with specific evidence, risk flags, and comparison to PE-grade benchmarks. Not a generic scorecard — a documented analysis of your specific business.
02
Enterprise Value Model
Your estimated enterprise value under current conditions and under a transition-ready scenario. The delta between the two is the value opportunity. Broken down by dimension contribution.
03
Gap Analysis & Priority Map
Your top 3–5 gaps ranked by enterprise value impact, implementation complexity, and timeline. Each gap includes a specific recommendation with estimated effort and expected value creation.
04
18-Month Action Plan
A prioritized roadmap with specific milestones, deliverables, and decision points. Organized into quarterly phases with clear ownership on every item. Designed to be executable by your team.
05
Competitive Position Brief
How your business compares to what buyers in your industry are actively looking for. Market dynamics, buyer expectations, and positioning recommendations.
06
Executive Summary
A 2-page summary designed to be shared with your CPA, attorney, M&A advisor, business partner, or board. Clear enough for any professional stakeholder to act on.
THE PROCESS

How the Strategic Assessment works

The engagement typically spans 2–4 weeks from kickoff to deliverable, depending on the complexity of your business and the availability of financial data.

WEEK 1

Discovery & data collection

Kickoff call to align on goals and timeline. Financial data request (3 years of P&L, balance sheet, tax returns). CRM access or pipeline data. Client concentration data. Org chart and role descriptions.

WEEKS 2–3

Analysis & modeling

We evaluate all 8 dimensions with your data. Stakeholder interviews with key team members (optional, recommended). Enterprise value modeling. Gap analysis and priority ranking. Action plan development.

WEEK 3–4

Delivery & debrief

Full deliverable package presented in a 90-minute debrief session. Walk through every finding, recommendation, and priority. Q&A. Next-step discussion (self-execute, Workshop follow-up, or Partnership).

FIT CHECK

Who the Strategic Assessment is for

This is the right engagement if:
✓ You're an owner within 1–5 years of a planned transition
✓ Your business does $2M–$20M in revenue
✓ You want a rigorous, quantified picture — not surface-level advice
✓ You need a deliverable you can share with your CPA, attorney, or M&A advisor
✓ You've done the Exit Readiness Score or Workshop and want to go deeper
This may not be the right fit if:
✗ You're 5+ years from any transition — the Workshop is a better starting point
✗ You're looking for a business valuation for tax or legal purposes (we can refer you)
✗ You want someone to execute the plan for you (see our Partnership)
✗ You need M&A advisory or broker services (we can connect you)
INVESTMENT

Strategic Assessment pricing

The Strategic Assessment starts at $20,000 for businesses under $5M in revenue. Pricing for larger or more complex businesses is scoped during an initial conversation based on the number of service lines, entities, and complexity of the financial structure.

If you've completed a Workshop ($1,500–$2,500), that investment is credited toward the Strategic Assessment.

Perspective on the investment: At $750K EBITDA, the difference between a 2.5x and a 4.0x multiple is $1.125M in enterprise value. The Strategic Assessment identifies exactly which improvements create that kind of movement — and typically pays for itself many times over in the value it reveals and the plan it produces.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Before you engage

How is this different from a business valuation?+
A business valuation produces a number — what your business is worth today. A Strategic Assessment produces a roadmap — what your business could be worth and specifically how to get there. We model enterprise value as part of the Assessment, but the primary deliverable is the gap analysis and 18-month action plan, not a formal valuation opinion.
Do I need to have done the Workshop first?+
No — though many clients do. The Workshop is a 90-minute session focused on your top 3 gaps. The Strategic Assessment is a multi-week deep dive covering all 8 dimensions with financial analysis and enterprise value modeling. If you've already done the Workshop, we build on those findings and credit your investment.
Can I share the deliverables with my M&A advisor or CPA?+
Yes — that's one of the reasons the Executive Summary exists. Many clients use the Strategic Assessment deliverables to brief their advisory team, align on priorities, and create accountability for the action plan. The report is designed to be credible with professional stakeholders.
What happens after the Assessment is delivered?+
You have three options: self-execute the action plan (most common for owners with internal resources), engage us for a Value Creation Partnership to guide the buildout, or take the deliverables to your existing advisory team. The Assessment is designed to be valuable regardless of which path you choose.

The first step is a conversation

We'll discuss your business, your timeline, and whether the Strategic Assessment is the right engagement for your situation. No pitch. No obligation. If it's not the right fit, we'll tell you what is.