Answer a few questions about the business. The tool maps your answers across 18 structural areas, sorts root causes from symptoms, and points you toward the right next tool.
Section 1 of 70%
Section 1 of 7
Business basics
Start with a quick snapshot of the business. This context shapes how the rest of the answers are interpreted.
Section 2 of 7
Money & margins
These questions cover how the business prices, collects, and whether the numbers actually work.
1. How does the business set its prices?
Calculated from actual costs plus a target profit margin
Based on what competitors or the market charges
By feel. What seems reasonable or what clients will pay
Inherited rates that haven't been formally reviewed
2. What does gross margin look like?
Gross margin = revenue minus direct costs of delivering the product or service.
Healthy and stable. Margins are where they should be for this industry
Shrinking. Margins have been declining over the past 1–2 years
Thin. Margins have always been tight
Unknown. Not tracking gross margin specifically
3. How does the business collect payment?
Upfront or at point of sale. Payment before or when work is done
Net-30 or similar terms. Invoiced after delivery, paid later
Slow. Invoices go out but payment often takes longer than it should
Always chasing. Significant time spent following up on unpaid invoices
4. Is there a cash flow problem?
No. Cash is generally available when expenses come due
Sometimes tight. Money comes in, but timing is often off vs. When expenses hit
Chronically tight. Always drawing on credit or scrambling to cover payroll
Profitable on paper but always broke. Revenue is fine but cash never seems to be there
Section 3 of 7
Customers
How well the business attracts, converts, and keeps customers.
5. How does the business get new customers?
Strong and consistent. Steady flow of qualified leads from multiple sources
Mostly referrals. Works well but entirely dependent on word of mouth
Inconsistent. Feast or famine, no reliable pipeline
Struggling. Not enough leads coming in
6. Do customers come back?
High retention. Most customers return, renew, or refer others
Average. Some return but no formal retention strategy
High churn. Constantly replacing customers who leave
One-time by nature. The product or service isn't designed for repeat purchase
7. How does the business stand out, and is there enough demand for it?
Clear differentiation and strong demand. Customers choose this business for a specific reason, and there is more demand than it can handle
Competing on price. Lowest price is the main reason customers choose it
No strong differentiator. Blends in with competitors, demand is inconsistent
The market itself is shrinking or shifting. Fewer customers are looking for what this business sells
Targeting the wrong customers. The people being pursued don't have the budget or urgency to buy
8. How concentrated is the customer base?
Healthy spread. No single customer accounts for more than 20% of revenue
Some concentration. One or two clients are larger than ideal but manageable
High concentration. One client makes up 30% or more of total revenue
Dangerously concentrated. One client could end the business if they left
Section 4 of 7
Operations & delivery
How the business actually delivers its product or service, and whether that's working.
9. Can the business handle more work if demand increased?
Yes. There's room to grow without adding significant resources
Maxed out. Already at or near full capacity
Constrained by a specific bottleneck. One step or resource limits everything
Inconsistent. Sometimes too busy, sometimes too slow
10. Are there internal process problems slowing things down?
No. Operations run smoothly with clear processes
Some friction. A few areas where things get stuck or slow
Chronic. Recurring bottlenecks that slow delivery or create rework
Chaotic. No consistent process, everything is ad hoc
11. Does what gets delivered match what was promised?
Consistently. Delivery matches or exceeds expectations
Variable. Quality or outcomes differ depending on who does the work
Often not. Complaints, rework, or refunds are common
Not tracking. No system to measure customer satisfaction
12. Are the right systems and tools in place?
Yes. Good systems for scheduling, billing, CRM, and operations
Partial. Some systems but gaps that create manual work
No. Running mostly on memory, spreadsheets, or paper
Tools exist but aren't used. Systems in place but team doesn't follow them
Section 5 of 7
People & leadership
Staffing, team health, and whether leadership is helping or hindering growth.
13. Is the team the right size and skill level?
Right fit. Team has the right skills and capacity for current needs
Understaffed. Not enough people to meet demand or maintain quality
Wrong skills. People are available but lack what the business needs
High turnover. Constantly hiring and training, retention is a problem
14. Is the owner a bottleneck?
No. The owner has delegated well and the business can run without them
Somewhat. Most things are delegated but key decisions still go through the owner
Yes. Most things require owner approval or involvement before they can move
Everything. The owner is the business, nothing happens without them
15. What happens to the business if the owner steps away for 30 days?
It runs fine. The team handles operations, sales, and client relationships without issue
It slows down but survives. Some things get delayed but the business stays intact
Major problems. Key relationships, decisions, or delivery depend on the owner personally
It effectively stops. Revenue and operations depend entirely on the owner being present
16. Is the team aligned and accountable?
Yes. Team shares the vision, holds itself accountable, and functions well together
Mostly. Decent culture but accountability is inconsistent
No. Team doesn't share the owner's vision, low accountability
Toxic dynamics. Conflict, politics, or disengagement affecting performance
Section 6 of 7
Visibility & unit economics
Whether the business can see what's happening, and whether the numbers work at a per-customer level.
17. Does the business track the right numbers?
Yes. Clear KPIs tracked weekly or monthly, decisions are data-driven
Partially. Some metrics tracked but gaps or lagging indicators only
No. Flying blind, decisions made on gut feel
Wrong metrics. Tracking activity but not outcomes that matter
18. Does it cost less to get a customer than they are worth?
Think about what you spend in time, marketing, and sales effort to win one client, vs. what that client actually pays you over time.
Yes. What customers pay over time clearly outweighs what it costs to win and serve them
Tight. Customers are profitable but it takes a long time to break even on each one
No. The cost of winning and serving customers often eats into or exceeds what they pay
Not sure. Never calculated what it actually costs to acquire or serve a customer
Section 7 of 7
Sales process
The last section. How the business converts leads into paying customers.
19. How effective is the sales process?
Strong. Consistent follow-up, good close rate, structured process
Inconsistent. Closes some but no formal process, relies on who's selling
Weak. Poor follow-up, low close rate, leads fall through the cracks
No real process. Sales happen but by accident, not by design
This tool provides a structural diagnostic read based on your answers. It is not financial, legal, or business consulting advice. Use it as a starting point for deeper conversation, not a final verdict.
FramRI