• Authority

  • THE EMPTY CHAIR ASSESSMENT

  • Tomorrow morning, your chair is empty. You are alive, but unavailable for 90 days. What happens to your business—and the people who depend on it? Answer based on what exists today. If you are assuming someone could handle it, choose I don't know.

  • Who Can Take Over - and Act?

  • 1. Does your family have a written plan identifying whom to call and what to do first to keep the business moving?*
  • 2. Has the person you expect to take charge actually agreed to do it?*
  • 3. Do your personal power of attorney and company agreements establish who can act for you as an owner—and who can run the company—if you cannot make decisions?*
  • 4. Is someone besides you legally authorized to sign a business contract that cannot wait?*
  • 5. Have you confirmed with the providers handling your business accounts and payroll that someone besides you can pay employees and critical bills without your signature or approval?*

  • Can the Business & and Your Household Keep Going?

  • 6. Could someone access your essential business systems if your phone were locked and you could not approve a login?*
  • 7. Have you checked whether your major contracts allow the business to continue if you cannot work—or someone else takes over?*
  • 8. Does someone besides you already have a working relationship with the customer whose loss would hurt the business most?*
  • 9. Have you calculated how long the business could pay essential bills if you stopped working tomorrow?*
  • 10. Have you confirmed how your household bills would be paid for 90 days if the business stopped paying you?*

  • Does the Paper Match the Picture TODAY

  • 11. Could you produce ownership records proving your interest in the business—including how you acquired it?*
  • 12. If someone else owns the building or equipment your business uses—even you or a family member—is the business’s right to keep using it documented?*
  • 13. Do you have signed agreements, assignments, deeds, or other records confirming that past business ownership and asset transfers were completed?*
  • 14. Do your company agreements and ownership and management records reflect who owns, runs, and makes decisions for the business today?*
  • 15. Have you reviewed which business debts could put your personal assets at risk if the business stopped paying?*

  • What Protects the Business and What Reaches Your Family?

  • 16. Can you identify the major risks your business faces—and confirm which are covered by your insurance, which are excluded, and where coverage limits could leave you exposed?*

  • Now change one fact: You will NOT be coming back

  • 17. Have your will or trust and your company agreements been reviewed together to confirm how your business ownership would pass when you die?*
  • 18. Do your company agreements identify who would control business decisions after your death, even if several people inherit your interest?*
  • 19. If your family inherited your business interest, is there a written arrangement for them to receive income while someone else runs it?*
  • 20. Is there a written plan for your family to receive the value of your business interest—including how any sale or buyout would be priced and paid for?*
  • 2. Is there someone besides you who can legally access the business bank accounts?*
  • 1. If you were hospitalized tomorrow, is there someone who could sign a contract that absolutely could not wait?*
  • 3. Is there someone authorized to approve payroll and pay critical expenses?*
  • 4. Is there someone authorized to approve payroll and pay critical expenses?*
  • 5. Could your team continue operating for 30 days without waiting for your approval on routine matters?*

  • Information

  • 6. Could your team continue operating for 30 days without waiting for your approval on routine matters?*
  • 7. If your biggest customer called tomorrow, would someone besides you know who they are and what they need?*
  • 8. Could someone easily find important contracts and agreements?*
  • 9. Would your spouse or business partner know who to call if the business suffered a major loss tomorrow?*
  • 10. Are tax, accounting, and financial records organized and accessible?*

  • Operations

  • 11. If you took a three-week vacation with no phone service, would the business function normally?*
  • 12. Could someone else explain how your business actually runs to a new hire?*
  • 13. Could customer commitments continue to be fulfilled without your direct involvement?*
  • 14. Would employees know who is in charge if you were unavailable?*
  • 15. Could the business realistically operate for 90 days without you?*

  • The Empty Chair

  • 16. If you were unavailable for 90 days, would revenue continue to come in?*
  • 17. If your spouse got a call that you were in the ICU, would they know what to do first?*
  • 18. If you were gone for 90 days, would your key people know exactly what to do next?*
  • 19. Would your employees feel confident about the future of the business if you disappeared tomorrow?*
  • 20. If you were unavailable tomorrow, is there someone who could ACTUALLY sit in your chair?*

  • One Last Question

  • Have you ever actually told them that?*
  • Should be Empty: