For W-2 professionals buying a small business

You found a business on BizBuySell.
But can you survive owning it?

The SBA Survival Engine stress-tests any small business deal before you call a broker. Not for optimists — for people who need to know if they can still pay the mortgage when revenue drops.

Get the Full Engine — $49 → Try the Free Version
Excel spreadsheet · Instant download · Works with any SBA deal · 30-day money-back guarantee
The problem

SBA lenders will tell you a deal is bankable. They won't tell you it's survivable.

The deal scorecard

9 automated risk flags.
One go / no-go verdict.

Plug in any BizBuySell listing. The scorecard runs 9 checks and tells you what your broker won't.

Deal Scorecard — Example: $500K Landscaping Business
Base DSCR below 1.25× 1.25× Green
Stressed DSCR below 1.0× 1.08× Green
Cash at close > 70% of savings 84% Caution
Months of runway < 6 2.6 mo Red
Negative Year 1 cash flow ($22K) Red
Payback period > 5 years 9.4 yrs Red
Rate +2% breaks DSCR 1.15× Green
⚠ STOP — This deal has 3 red flags. Do not proceed without major restructuring.
What's inside

7 tabs. 267 formulas. Zero guessing.

Plug in a listing from BizBuySell, fill in your personal numbers, and every tab updates automatically.

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Multi-Scenario Stress Test

Side-by-side outcomes at 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% revenue declines. See exactly where your cliff edge is.

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Deal Scorecard

9 automated red / yellow / green risk flags with a single go / no-go verdict. Screenshot this before calling a broker.

Most popular
⚠️

Walk-Away Thresholds

The exact revenue drop that triggers debt default — and the drop that means you can't cover family expenses.

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True Cash at Close

Down payment, inventory, SBA fees, legal, training, and salary bridge. The real number — not the broker's number.

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Monthly Cash Waterfall

12-month view under stress. Revenue in, costs out, cumulative cash position. See exactly when the money runs out.

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W-2 Comparison

5-year and 10-year: is buying this business actually better than keeping your job? Including 401k match and benefits.

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Rate Sensitivity

SBA rates are variable. See what happens to your DSCR and monthly payment if rates rise 1% or 2%.

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Spouse Summary

Plain-English answers: how much cash do we need, can the business pay our bills, how long is our runway. Print this page.

Game changer
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Seller Financing

Model seller notes with standby periods. See combined debt service in Year 1 vs. when seller payments kick in.

The spouse conversation

You know you need to have this conversation. This makes it easier.

The Spouse Summary translates financial model outputs into the questions your partner actually cares about. No jargon, no spreadsheet skills required.

Print it. Sit down with coffee. Have the real conversation about whether this deal works for your family — with actual numbers behind it.

The Real Talk Summary
Total cash needed at closing $167,825
Savings left after closing $32,175
Monthly cash if revenue drops ($2,840)
Months of runway 2.6 months
Revenue cushion before default 20.1%
Years to get our money back 9.4 years
Survival rating Unsustainable

Free version vs. Full Engine

Feature Free Full ($49)
Deal inputs from BizBuySell ✓ ✓
DSCR & basic survival rating ✓ ✓
Cash at close estimate ✓ ✓
Multi-scenario stress test 🔒 ✓
Deal scorecard (9 risk flags) 🔒 ✓
Walk-away thresholds 🔒 ✓
Monthly cash flow waterfall 🔒 ✓
W-2 opportunity cost comparison 🔒 ✓
Interest rate sensitivity 🔒 ✓
Seller financing modeling 🔒 ✓
Spouse summary (print-ready) 🔒 ✓
One-time purchase

Less than an hour of CPA time.

You're about to invest six figures in a business. This is the $49 sanity check before you write that check.

$49
One-time payment · Instant download · Excel file
  • 7-tab Excel model with 267 live formulas
  • Deal scorecard with automated go/no-go verdict
  • 4-scenario stress test matrix
  • Monthly cash flow waterfall
  • Walk-away thresholds (debt default + family crisis)
  • W-2 vs. business ownership comparison
  • Interest rate sensitivity analysis
  • Seller financing with standby modeling
  • Print-ready spouse summary
  • Works with any SBA 7(a) deal
Buy Now — $49

30-day money-back guarantee. If the spreadsheet doesn't help you evaluate your deal, email us for a full refund. No questions asked.

Questions

Who is this for?
W-2 professionals who are evaluating small businesses to buy via SBA 7(a) financing. If you're browsing BizBuySell, searching for businesses in the $200K–$3M range, and you need to know whether a deal is personally survivable before you call a broker — this is for you.
What makes this different from a free SBA calculator?
Free calculators tell you if a deal is bankable. This tells you if it's survivable. It stress-tests cash flow under revenue declines, models the full cost of leaving your W-2 (including 401k and benefits), calculates the exact revenue drop that would trigger debt default or family crisis, and gives you a plain-English summary you can show your spouse.
Do I need Excel?
Yes — the file is .xlsx and works in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. All formulas are native Excel formulas, no macros or VBA required. Just open and start entering numbers.
Is this financial advice?
No. This is a screening tool to help you evaluate deals before engaging professionals. You should always verify assumptions with a CPA, conduct a Quality of Earnings analysis, and work with an SBA lender before proceeding with any acquisition.
Can I use this for multiple deals?
Absolutely. Save a copy for each listing you're evaluating. Most buyers look at 20–30 listings before pursuing one — this helps you screen fast and focus on the deals worth deeper diligence.
What if I want a refund?
Email within 30 days and you get a full refund. No questions, no hassle. We'd rather have happy customers than unhappy ones.