Free tool · Owner Dependency Score
How dependent is your business on you?
In short
Owner dependency measures how much the day-to-day performance and continuity of a business rely on its current owner. A company can be profitable and successful yet still be difficult to transfer if customers, staff, suppliers or key decisions depend heavily on one individual. This assessment helps identify where that dependency may exist and which areas may deserve attention before succession, retirement or sale.
Written by Tony Vaughan
Last reviewed: · Editorial policy
Could your business operate successfully without you?
24 questions across six areas · around six minutes · no confidential figures needed. Your answers stay in your browser unless you ask for the full report.
- — Leadership & Decisions
- — Customers & Sales
- — Management & People
- — Operations & Knowledge
- — Suppliers & Relationships
- — Financial & Commercial Control
Score direction: 0 = low dependency, 100 = very high dependency.
What do the score bands mean?
- 0–24 — Low dependency. The business appears relatively capable of operating without daily owner involvement.
- 25–49 — Moderate dependency. Some areas appear transferable, but important responsibilities may still rely on the owner.
- 50–74 — High dependency. The owner remains central to several important parts of the business.
- 75–100 — Very high dependency. A significant amount of commercial or operational continuity appears concentrated around the owner.
These bands are indicative. A score does not predict value or saleability. Read more in What is owner dependency?
Using the Owner Dependency Score with a client
Accountants, wealth advisers, business coaches and solicitors can use the assessment as an early conversation tool: the client completes it in a few minutes, and the six category scores give a structured starting point for discussing delegation, succession and timing. Approved Adviser Partners in restricted testing can create private completion links. Detailed adviser result-sharing remains disabled pending independent client verification.