Acquisition screening for boring cash-flow businesses
Small Business Evaluator
Screen a local business before you chase the broker: normalize SDE, compare cash flow to price, stress-test debt, and decide whether the deal is an acquire, partner, sell-services, or pass.
What the evaluator checks
A practical first-pass screen for Main Street businesses where the buyer needs to know if the numbers deserve deeper diligence.
Normalize seller cash flow
Start with SDE multiple ranges, owner add-backs, replacement salary, working capital, and recurring capex so the asking price is tied to buyer cash flow.
Stress-test financing
Model SBA loan DSCR, down payment needs, seller financing terms, and downside cases before you send numbers to the broker or lender.
Score the operating upside
Separate real AI operations upside from vague growth stories: missed-call capture, admin automation, billing cleanup, marketing gaps, and review velocity.
Run the first-pass deal screen
Evaluator output
Acquire candidate
Cash-on-cash after estimated senior debt service: 39%. This is a first-pass screen, not a certified valuation or lending commitment.
Save and compare deal scenariosBuyer decision framework
Turn messy listing data into a go / no-go screen.
The goal is not a certified valuation. It is a fast evaluator that shows whether the seller story survives the first cash-flow-to-price, risk, and financing checks.
Build a lender-ready deal fileSmall Business Evaluator checklist
Run dental and professional-practice valuation checks when healthcare cash flow is the deal source.
Compare purchase price, projected cash flow, terminal value, and required return.
Pressure-test SBA payments, seller notes, down payment, and DSCR before sending an offer.
Ready to compare more than one deal?
Upgrade when you need saved scenarios, exports, and a cleaner report for partners, lenders, or advisors.