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 10 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. Do you have a written strategy with clear priorities?
1) No, it’s mostly in my head
2) Somewhat, but not documented clearly or updated
3) Yes, and the team knows it
2. Are your systems scalable (not overly dependent on you)?
1) No, most things need me to approve/do
2) Somewhat, but still many bottlenecks
3) Yes, things run smoothly 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 use an employee capability framework to guide growth?
1) No framework
2) Informal understanding only
3) Yes, defined and applied
Section 3: Performance & Accountability
Performance improves when accountability is clear and feedback is consistent.
5. How consistent is performance management in your business?
1) Ad-hoc, mostly when problems arise
2) Some structure, but not consistent
3) YRegular, structured, with clear outcomes
6. When it comes to giving feedback, how confident are you that managers (including you) can have the tough conversations that actually improve performance?
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.
7. How much of daily operation depends on you personally?
1) Almost everything
2) About half
3) Very little, I work on the business, not in it
8. How supported 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.
9. 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
10. 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 thoughtful, data-backed, and deliver the results we aimed for
Section 6: Scaling Readiness
Scaling smoothly depends on clear numbers and readiness to grow without adding chaos.
11. Do you have clear financial metrics & dashboards guiding decisions?
1) No, mostly reactive
2) Some, but not systematic
3) Yes, updated and guiding decisions
12. How prepared is your business to grow without overwhelming you?
1) Not at all, growth would add chaos
2) Somewhat, but gaps still exist
3) Very prepared, I’m confident in scaling
Total Score
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