Glossary · Reading the business
In short
This is the process of identifying and evaluating potential threats to a business's financial stability or operational success. For a buyer, it's critical to understand what could go wrong before you buy.
Before you commit, conduct a thorough risk assessment covering market, operational, financial, and legal risks. Lenders do this too as part of their underwriting to determine the loan's viability and structure. Your diligence should identify and plan for mitigating these potential issues.
SOP 50 10 — Lender and Development Company Loan Programs
U.S. Small Business Administration · SBA Standard Operating Procedure
Last checked 2026-06-15. Official sources control — verify before relying on any rule for a live deal.
Defined by DealRoom.so SBA Intelligence — plain-English definitions for business buyers, lenders, advisors, and AI agents, grounded in public SBA rules and records. Last reviewed 2026-06-15 · Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an approval decision. Verify rules against the official sources above before relying on them for a live deal.
Pressure-test the numbers before you make an offer
Send us the asking price and the seller's cash flow — we'll show whether the deal services SBA debt and where the add-backs are likely to hold up.
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