Proof 8 of 8

The Plan

Why a buyer cares

Sellers who do not know what they need, or what they will do next, back out late or accept bad terms. Your plan protects the deal and you.

How this proof is scored

Each piece of evidence below gets a score. The score for The Plan is the lowest of its four evidence items. A buyer looks for the weak spot, so the weak spot sets the score.

0. Not proven: You believe it, but cannot show it.
1. Partly: Evidence exists but is incomplete, late, or needs you to explain it.
2. Proven: A third party could verify it from documents alone.
3. Proven and tested: Verified and stress-tested: an outsider reviewed it, or it held up when it mattered.

The four pieces of evidence

Each piece starts with the question a buyer will ask. Then it shows what a good answer looks like, and what makes it hold up under pressure.

Evidence 1

The owner's number

A buyer asks this to find out whether the numbers and claims hold up without you in the room.

The buyer's question

Do you know what you need from this sale?

What Proven looks like

A third party could verify it from documents alone.

A personal financial plan, prepared with a planner, stating the after-tax amount you need.

What Proven and tested adds

Verified and stress-tested: an outsider reviewed it, or it held up when it mattered.

Updated in the last 12 months and compared with the current value estimate.

Evidence 2

Exit path and resale strategy

A buyer asks this to find out whether the numbers and claims hold up without you in the room.

The buyer's question

How do you intend to exit, and what is your fallback?

What Proven looks like

A third party could verify it from documents alone.

A written Resale Strategy naming your first-choice path and a fallback.

What Proven and tested adds

Verified and stress-tested: an outsider reviewed it, or it held up when it mattered.

Reviewed with your advisor and, where relevant, discussed with the successor or franchisor.

Evidence 3

Advisor team

A buyer asks this to find out whether the numbers and claims hold up without you in the room.

The buyer's question

Who is advising you, and have they done this before?

What Proven looks like

A third party could verify it from documents alone.

A CPA with business-sale experience, a transaction attorney and a financial planner are named and engaged.

What Proven and tested adds

Verified and stress-tested: an outsider reviewed it, or it held up when it mattered.

Your advisors have met together on your plan at least once.

Evidence 4

Contingency plan

A buyer asks this to find out whether the numbers and claims hold up without you in the room.

The buyer's question

What happens to this business if something happens to you?

What Proven looks like

A third party could verify it from documents alone.

A signed contingency letter; a buy-sell agreement if there are partners; insurance to fund it.

What Proven and tested adds

Verified and stress-tested: an outsider reviewed it, or it held up when it mattered.

Your spouse or partner and your second in command have read it and know where it is kept.

Readiness documents

These are the documents that back up this proof. Keep each one current. A document that is a year out of date tells a buyer the business only gets organised when someone asks.

Document	What it is and why	Refresh
Personal financial plan summary	The owner's number and the assumptions behind it. Kept private; not shared with buyers.	Annually
Value and net-proceeds estimate	Proven cash flow, value range and what you would keep. From the Net Proceeds Calculator.	Annually
Resale Strategy	Your path, buyer pool, structure preferences and calendar.	Annually
Advisor list	CPA, attorney, planner, lender, with contact details.	Annually
Contingency letter and buy-sell agreement	What happens, and who acts, if you cannot.	Annually

Score The Plan

Be honest. Score what you could show a buyer this week, not what you plan to fix.

Score this proof in the Scorecard

The Pipeline All eight proofs