Trustmark Mergers + Acquisitions
/ Free tool · Exit Readiness

Are you ready to sell your business?

Start the assessment → 8 questions · about 3 minutes · no financials required
Personal Readiness Question 1 of 8

How ready are you to move on from the business?

Tap an answer to begin. You'll pick up right where you left off. 8 questions, about 3 minutes.

/ Why readiness decides the outcome
~80%

of an owner's net worth is typically tied up in the business

Exit Planning Institute

3 in 4

owners have no written transition plan when they decide to sell

Exit Planning Institute

/ What the score measures

Two considerations: you, and your business.

You

Personal Readiness

How ready you are to move on, and how clear your plan is for what comes next.

Financial Readiness

What your expectations are of what a sale would produce financially for you personally.

Your Business

Owner Independence

How much the business depends on you personally. Businesses that rely solely on the owner to run everything often sell for less than the ones that do not.

Business & Market Quality

How organized, documented and consistent your earnings are, the amount of repeat revenue, how concentrated your customer base is, and the competition in your market.

/ How to read your score

Interpreting your score.

A score of 80 or above means you and your business are generally ready. Below that, the score tells you which areas need improvement.

Find your score →
80–100
Ready to sell

You and your business are ready to go to market. The work is positioning and finding the right buyer.

60–79
Close

There are a few gaps to close. Many sellers find these are relatively straightforward to get ready in a short period of time before listing the business for sale.

45–59
Building

A good foundation is there. A focused plan and a path forward will set you up for success.

Below 45
Early

Knowing your gaps and areas for improvement is an easy way to build value before you list your business for sale.

/ How it works

Three minutes, then a plan.

01

Answer 8 questions

Two short sections, about three minutes to complete. No financials to look up, just your assessment of where you and the business stand.

02

See your score

A 0–100 score across multiple categories, so you can see the areas for improvement.

03

Get your report

A written breakdown sent to you by email, with suggested improvements.

/ Go deeper
/ Common questions

About the assessment.

How do I know if I am ready to sell my business?

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Readiness has two components: where you are personally, and whether the business is ready for sale. This assessment scores both components and offers suggestions for improvement.

Does this tell me whether now is the right time to sell?

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This tool is a good first start. Timing comes down to your readiness and the business's overall health. A high score means both are in place. A lower score suggests there are some areas for improvement.

Is this the same as a business valuation?

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No. A business valuation estimates what your business could command on the open market if it were sold today. This measures how prepared you and your business are. If you want a value estimate, use the free valuation calculator.

Do I need to enter financial details?

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No. This tool only gauges your readiness. It does not gauge business financials.

How long does it take?

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About three minutes. Eight multiple-choice questions across two short sections.

What if I score low?

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It means the business is not ready to come to market yet. With some focused work on the areas the tool points out, it could be in a good position to go to market in short order.
Where this comes from

The two categories follow the exit-planning standard, which scores personal, financial, and business readiness, and the weights reflect the drivers that actually move price at this deal size, drawn from the Exit Planning Institute and published lower-middle-market M&A analysis. The score is an informed estimate to guide your preparation. It is not an appraisal, and not a recommendation to sell. A real answer comes from a conversation and your actual financials.

/ Start where you stand

See where you stand in three minutes.