Glossary · Reading the business
In short
The process of identifying and developing internal people to fill key positions in the business when current staff leave. For a buyer, it reveals how reliant the business is on the current owner.
When buying a business, poor succession planning means you inherit a high risk if key employees depart after the sale. Evaluate if the business has documented processes and trained deputies. This impacts your operational continuity and the business's intrinsic value.
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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