Market Assessment (Step 1 of 4):

How well do you understand your market and customers? Let’s see how solid your foundation is.

Have potential customers told you they need what you’re offering? *

Yes

No

Have you let anyone outside your team try your product/service yet? *

Yes

No

Has anyone paid you or promised to buy your product/service? *

Yes

No

Can you prove why your business is better than the competition? *

Yes

No

Have you tested prices to see what people will actually pay? *

Yes

No

Do you know how many potential customers are out there and if that number is growing? *

Yes

No

Is your plan to deliver your product/service clear and realistic? *

Yes

No

Do you know exactly how much it costs to get a customer and how much you’ll make from each one? *

Yes

No

Is your advertising strategy more than just posting on social media? *

Yes

No

Do you have partnerships or relationships with businesses you’ll need to work with? *

Yes

No

Can you describe your ideal customer in detail (age, location, needs, etc.)? *

Yes

No

Capital Assessment (Step 2):

Next, we’ll evaluate your financial readiness and stability.

Do you have separate bank accounts and credit cards for your business? *

Yes

No

Is there a reliable system for tracking all business income and expenses? *

Yes

No

Is your business registered, and do you know what taxes to pay? *

Yes

No

Can your business operate for the next 3 months without running out of cash? *

Yes

No

Do you have more than one way to make money in your business? *

Yes

No

Have you created a business plan with financial goals for the next few years? *

Yes

No

Are your financial statements up to date? *

Yes

No

Is your business using credit (loans, credit cards) in its name? *

Yes

No

Do you own equipment, inventory, or property you could use for a loan? *

Yes

No

Do you have all the required insurance and permits? *

Yes

No

Has your business been running for at least 2 years, and is your personal credit score above 650? *

Yes

No

Do you have a clear exit plan, like selling the business or going public? *

Yes

No

Is there a plan to triple, triple, double, double, then double your revenue in 5 years? *

Yes

No

Is your business U.S.-based and majority-owned by U.S. citizens? *

Yes

No

Does your company have fewer than 500 employees? *

Yes

No

Are you working on a research project to develop tech innovations with an advanced degree-holder leading it? *

Yes

No

IP Protection Assessment (Step 3 or 4):
Protecting your intellectual property is key to long-term success. Let’s see how secure you are.

Is your business registered in SAM.gov? *

Yes

No

IP Protection Assessment (Step 3):

Protecting your intellectual property is key to long-term success. Let’s see how secure you are.

Have you written down exactly how your invention/innovation works? *

Yes

No

Have you searched existing patents to confirm your invention is new? *

Yes

No

Have you filed patent applications? *

Yes

No

Have you confirmed that no one else in your industry is using your business name? *

Yes

No

Have you searched for existing trademarks to avoid conflicts with your brand names? *

Yes

No

Have you filed applications to register your trademarks? *

Yes

No

Has everyone with access to your business secrets signed confidentiality agreements? *

Yes

No

Have your employees signed agreements ensuring your business owns what they create? *

Yes

No

Have you kept your invention completely secret before filing a patent? *

Yes

No

Do you have specific procedures in place to protect your business secrets? *

Yes

No

Do you have specific procedures in place to protect your business secrets? *

Yes

No

Step 3 of 4: IP Protection Assessment - Almost done! You’re crushing it. (75% Complete)

Operations Assessment (Step 4):

Finally, we’ll check your internal processes and operational efficiency.

Do you have written instructions for how to handle each main business task? *

Yes

No

Do you have specific ways to check if your product/service meets quality standards? *

Yes

No

Are there written agreements in place with your suppliers and vendors? *

Yes

No

Do you have systems to protect and back up your business data? *

Yes

No

Is there a written plan for handling emergencies or disasters? *

Yes

No

Have you outlined clear policies telling employees what they can and cannot do? *

Yes

No

Do you have all required licenses and permits for your type of business? *

Yes

No

Can you prove that you’re following all regulations for your industry? *

Yes

No

Have you obtained any official certifications required for your industry? *

Yes

No

Is your product/service developed enough to meet industry standards for reliability? *

Yes

No

Do you have written agreements specifying exactly what service levels customers can expect? *

Yes

No

Step 4 of 4: Operations Assessment – Final step! You’ve made it. (100% Complete)