Business Scale-Up Self Check
Scaling a business is more than just working harder, it’s about knowing where your business stands today, and what needs to shift to reach the next level. Answer these 12 quick questions to find out if you’re in Survival, Transition, or Scale Stage, and see what your next step could be.
Section 1: Structure & Strategy
Strong growth starts with a clear direction and systems that don’t rely on you alone.
1. How clearly is your strategy communicated and used to guide daily decisions??
1) No, it’s mostly in my head
2) Documented, but not actively used
3) Clear, visible, and used in daily decisions
2. How repeatable are your core processes without your direct involvement?
1) Rarely, most things need me to approve/do
2) Some workflows exist, but still bottlenecks
3) Yes, systems run predictably without me.
Section 2. People & Capability
The right people, in the right roles, with the right skills, is the backbone of scale.
3. Looking at your team now, would you enthusiastically re-hire each of them into their current role again and again?
1) No, there are several I would not re-hire
2) Mixed, some yes, some no
3) Yes, I would re-hire every one of them
4. Do you have a defined capability framework or growth pathway for employees?
1) No framework
2) Informal understanding only
3) Yes, defined and applied
5. How intentionally do you develop leadership capability across levels?
1) Never
2) Ad-hoc training but not systemic
3) Yes, Embedded capability development rhythm
Section 3: Performance & Accountability
Performance improves when accountability is clear and feedback is consistent.
6. How consistent is performance management in your business?
1) Ad-hoc, mostly when problems arise
2) Some structure, but not consistent
3) Regular, structured, linked to business outcomes
7. How confident are your managers (and you) in giving constructive, forward-focused feedback?
1) Not confident, feedback usually gets avoided or causes tension
2) Somewhat confident, we try, but it’s inconsistent or often uncomfortable
3) Very confident, feedback is regular, constructive, and leads to real improvements
Section 4: Leadership & Owner Role
As the business grows, your role should shift from doing everything to leading with clarity.
8. How much of the business still relies on your daily involvement or invisible decision-making load?
1) Almost everything
2) About half
3) Very little, I work on the business, not in it
9. How supported and challenged do you feel as a leader?
1) Leading mostly in isolation
2) Have some support, but still carrying the weight alone
3) Strong support system / peers / advisors
Section 5: Decision Making
The speed and quality of decisions will either unlock your growth or keep you stuck in the weeds.
10. When your team faces challenges or opportunities, how often do they wait for you to make the call instead of deciding confidently themselves?
1) Almost always, I’m the decision-maker for nearly everything
2) Often, they’ll make smaller calls, but bigger ones still stall at my desk
3) Rarely, my team makes good decisions without needing me every time
11. Looking back at the big decisions in your business (hires, investments, partnerships), how many of them do you feel were well-informed and turned out as expected?
1) Few! Too many decisions felt rushed, costly, or off-target
2) Some, a mix of good calls and lessons learned the hard way
3) Most decisions are data-driven, timely, and deliver expected results
Section 6: Scaling Readiness
Scaling smoothly depends on clear numbers and readiness to grow without adding chaos.
12. Do you have clear financial metrics & dashboards guiding decisions?
1) No, mostly reactive
2) Some, but not systematic
3) Yes, updated and guiding decisions
13. How ready is your business to scale without burning you or your team out?
1) Not at all, growth would add chaos
2) Somewhat, but gaps still exist
3) Very prepared, I’m confident in scaling
14. How adaptable is your team when growth creates stress or change?
1) Not at all, resistance and stress escalate quickly
2) Some adaptability, but change still drains energy
3) Highly adaptable, team learns, adjusts, and stays grounded through growth
Total Score
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