What we estimate
These tools are for buyers who want to pressure-test a listing before the broker call: clear inputs, labeled assumptions, and outputs you can argue with. Everything below is illustrative — a shared worksheet, not underwriting.
What you always control
We never substitute your numbers with live lender rates, comps, or “secret” market data. If a field is empty or marked as a placeholder, we are not hiding a result — that piece is not modeled yet.
Deal calculator
You enter the asking price and, optionally, revenue and owner-level profit (often called seller discretionary earnings or similar). You can layer in cash at close, bank terms, seller financing, and extra closing costs you want to stress-test.
From that we show rough multiples, debt service (level-payment style, same monthly convention across bank and seller notes in the model), and simple coverage / payback-style reads so you can see what moves when you change price, SDE, or leverage. Industry rows that show a dash are benchmarks we have not wired to your pick yet — not a withheld score.
Take-home pay calculator
You start from a personal take-home goal (after a flat personal tax rate and a reserve slice you define), then add financing shape: bank and seller APRs, terms, and what share of the purchase each covers. You also set an EBITDA margin on revenue and an industry multiple so we can translate profit into an implied price and revenue.
The model solves for the minimum EBITDA the business would need so that, after your personal layer and combined debt service (same level-payment idea as the deal calculator), the story still closes. Real taxes, earn-outs, and working capital swings are not in scope — use it to bracket a conversation, not to file a return.
What this is not
Not a bank approval, credit decision, QoE report, or replacement for your CPA, attorney, or lender. Real deals add fees, covenants, timing, and negotiation — our outputs are a starting point for your own diligence and professional advice.
One habit that helps
Run a base and a conservative case — nudge price, cash flow, margin, or down payment. If the deal only works on the rosiest version of the story, that is still a useful answer early.
For definitions and formulas as we formalize them for SEO and trust, see Methodology (in progress). Why we care about boring, steady businesses — Why Boring.