What stage is your business in, and what will it take to reach the next one?

Every business moves through five stages: Independent, Ownership, Growth, Optimization and Scaling. This check shows where yours is today, what to shore up before you move, and what the next stage asks of you.

  • Free
  • About 8 minutes
  • Results as a PDF

The five stages of business maturity.

Every stage is a real business. Your stage tells you what to work on next, not how good you are, and many excellent businesses stay at one stage on purpose.

IndependentStage 1 · Informal delivery

The business is in its early stages, with informal or ad-hoc processes and a focus on survival.

The work of this stage is getting the foundations right: structure, money, brand and reputation.

OwnershipStage 2 · Modeling

Basic processes are in place, but not yet optimized.

The work of this stage is moving the business out of your head and onto paper, and building a team that doesn’t need you for everything.

GrowthStage 3 · Mimicking

Processes are documented, standardized and accessible to everyone.

The work of this stage is standardizing, measuring and aligning the team, so the owner can step out of the day-to-day.

OptimizationStage 4 · Mastering

Metrics and data drive decisions.

The work of this stage is using data to make performance predictable, and developing the people who will lead next.

ScalingStage 5 · Multiplying

The business continuously improves through innovation and adaptability.

The work of this stage is replicating what works, managing the risks of expansion, and planning succession.

The eight areas on your health wheel.

Part 2 asks you to rate each area from 0 to 10. Your three lowest become your focus areas for the year.

  • Company Culture

    Purpose, mission and values. How the team works together, and how people feel about working here.

  • Market Competitiveness

    Marketing strategy, brand, innovation, and how quickly you adapt when the market moves.

  • Product / Service Delivery

    Quality, consistency, and whether customers get the same result every time.

  • Customer Service

    Customer satisfaction, feedback, reputation and repeat business.

  • HR

    Hiring, clear roles, talent development, turnover, and HR compliance.

  • Operations Performance

    Processes, KPIs (leading and lagging), and alignment between daily work and your goals.

  • Finance

    Revenue, profit margins, cash flow and debt levels.

  • Risk / Legal

    Legal and tax structure, regulatory compliance, contracts, and succession.

Questions about the Business Health Check

A free assessment for business owners. You answer 25 statements about what your business has in place and rate 8 areas of the business from 0 to 10. It shows which of five maturity stages your business is in, the gaps to close before you move up, and three areas to focus on this year.

About eight minutes. Your answers are kept in your browser tab as you go, so a refresh won't lose your place.

Each stage has five statements. Yes scores 2, Partly scores 1 and Not yet scores 0, so each stage scores out of 10, and a stage counts as in place at 8 or more. Your stage is the first one that isn't in place yet.

Your stage and how each stage scored, the gaps to close with a suggested fix for each, what the next stage asks of you, a health wheel of your eight ratings with your three focus areas, and a short roadmap. You can download it all as a branded PDF.

It's free. Before you see your results we ask for your name, company and email. Origamic Solutions receives those details and your answers so we can follow up if it's useful. We don't sell or share them.

At least once a year, and ideally every six months or every quarter. Save each result so you can see the movement as your business changes.

No. It's a development tool for owners, not a valuation. Use it to decide where to focus, then confirm the details with your CPA, attorney or advisor.