SMARTER BUSINESS BUYERQuick check · Profitability & upside
Two-minute check
Is it sustainably profitable — and is there upside you could add?
The system looks for two things together: a business that is sustainably profitable, and one with improvement opportunity you can actually implement. A business can be profitable yet already near its peak, leaving little for a new owner. This quick check plots where a business sits on both. It’s a quick read — not advice, and not a verdict.
Part 1 · The profit trajectory
Enter the business’s adjusted net profit for the last three full years and the current year (annualised). Rough figures are fine. No figures? Use the question below.
Adjusted net profit = the true owner’s profit after add-backs. The direction matters more than the size.
No figures handy? Over the last three years, profit has been…
Part 2 · Is the profit sustainable?
The ingredients that decide whether today’s profit continues — under your ownership.
How long has the business been trading?
Why do customers really choose this business? Its advantage is…
If the current owner left tomorrow, the business would…
The market or industry it sits in is…
Through recent tough conditions, the business…
Part 3 · Improvement opportunity
Perfection isn’t bought, it’s created. The upside is what you can add to a sound business.
Where can you see room to improve it that the owner hasn’t pursued? (Choose any)
Could you realistically implement those improvements under your leadership?