How ready is your business for what comes next?

Measure owner readiness, business transferability, financial clarity, leadership depth, and transition options before beginning a formal planning process.

Private firstYour assessment updates in this browser session.
Plain-language scoreSee strengths, gaps, and next steps as you answer.
Option-focusedThis helps identify planning work, not force a sale decision.

Readiness is not one score.

A strong transition usually depends on five areas working together. Move the sliders based on where things stand today. The snapshot will update automatically.

Assessment

Use 1 for “not in place” and 5 for “strongly in place.” Be honest. Lower scores help identify where Shift can help.

Recommended next steps

These update based on your lowest readiness areas and selected priorities.

Focus First

    Worth Exploring

      Questions worth discussing

        Business Owner Questions

        What is business transition readiness?

        Business transition readiness measures how prepared an owner and business are for succession, retirement, sale, family transfer, or other transition events.

        How do I know if my business is ready for a transition?

        Readiness typically depends on owner preparedness, leadership depth, financial clarity, transferability, documentation, and available transition options.

        What is owner dependence?

        Owner dependence measures how much the business relies on the owner for relationships, sales, operations, or decision-making.

        Can a business be valuable but not transition ready?

        Yes. Many businesses have substantial value but lack leadership depth, documentation, succession plans, or financial clarity.

        Why should I assess readiness before selling?

        Early planning can improve business value, increase flexibility, reduce risk, and create more transition opportunities.