# How it works · Horizon Canonical: https://withhorizon.co/how-it-works How it works # Know what it's worth.Then make it worth more. Your Value Baseline shows you what a buyer would pay today. Then a Partner helps you grow it, or sell it, for more. Curious what your business could become? [Book a call →](/discovery-call) A Partner who's built and sold companies160+ value markers scoredA market estimate of your business, pulsed every quarter20+ tools to run a better businessCash flow management toolsQuarterly planning with your PartnerA 3-year Value Path, updated every yearOwner-optional systems and playbooksDiligence-ready, whenever you areGrowth strategist and M&A lead on your benchOwner Dinners and community events0% equity taken. It stays 100% yours Your path to Owner Optionality™ [Day oneValue DayDiligence on your company, in one day.](#step-1)[4 weeks laterYour resultsYour number, and our call.](#step-1)[By invitationChoose your pathGrow it, or sell it.](#step-2)[Your time horizonReal optionalityNeeded, but not necessary. Ready either way.](#step-2) Start here 30 minutes · Free and confidential ## Know what your business is worth. A free, confidential call with a Horizon Partner. You’ll hear how a buyer sees your business today, a realistic range for what it’s worth, and the one thing holding the number down. [Book a call →](/discovery-call) What we'll cover in 30 minutes: A market read: what companies like yours are selling for right now Where you stand: where yours lands, and what's holding it back What you want next: grow, step back or sell, and when Your path: a straight answer on whether we're the right partner for you Your readiness: whether you're ready to build value with us Step One: Your Value Baseline Horizon · Value Baseline ## A complete health check for your business. Far more than a valuation. We pinpoint what to fix first: the clearest levers to grow profit, give you back time to build instead of operate, and lower the risk holding your value back. 1 day of your time 4 weeks to your results 160+ value markers ![Horizon](/images/horizon-wordmark-nav.png) Northline Mechanical · Value Baseline $14.6M What your business could be worth in 3 years. Today, $8.4M. Value today+$6.2M hidden value Horizon Score 58 / 100 Multiple 4.2x → 5.5x Status Saleable today How a buyer sees you Recurring contracts4.9 Safety and compliance4.1 Owner dependenceNeeds work2.6 Customer concentrationAt risk2.2 Your highest-value moves Ranked by value [Reprice service contractsRenewals run 8% under market. Reset at the next cycle.+$1.9M](#move-1)[Hand off estimatingTrain a lead estimator so major jobs move without you in the room.+$1.4M](#move-2)[Spread out your top customerOne contractor is 34%. Win two property managers.+$0.9M](#move-3)[Add planned maintenanceTurn one-off repair calls into yearly plans that renew on their own.+$0.7M](#move-4) Plus multiple expansion, 4.2x → 5.5x+$1.3M ![](/images/slots/mini-baseline.webp) The Value Baseline From $20,000 · per company, one owner included. Additional owners quoted on your discovery call. [Backed by the 10x Guarantee](#base-guarantee) [Book your discovery call →](/discovery-call?interest=value-baseline) [Not ready for the full Value Baseline?Start with a two-hour Value Session for $5,000, fully credited toward it.](/discovery-call?interest=value-session) Ideal for owners who want A buyer's-eye view of what it's worth Early warning on the risks holding value back A baseline to track progress over time What's included 160+ value markers, including Normalized earnings Owner dependence Customer concentration Recurring revenue A market estimate of your value, and the range A confidential read from the market Your business shown with no name attached To buyers and bankers who’ve closed deals in your space in the last 12 months Their honest feedback, built into your results Benchmarks against the best businesses in your market A Partner-led Value Day A 1:1 results session with your Partner Your three moves, in order Your Value Baseline Results, yours to keep Day one Value Day Think of it as a management meeting day. One day of your time, and we run the same checks a buyer's team would. Your numbers, team, customers and systems An in-depth interview with you The analysis happens behind the scenes, not in your week Four weeks later Your results All 160+ value markers, scored against the best businesses in your market, walked through 1:1 with your Partner. Value Baseline Results3 of 160 Recurring revenueStrong Pricing powerWatch Owner dependenceAt risk What it's worth today, and the range around it The three moves that matter most, in order Our call: sell now, or hold and let it compound The questions we answer Should I sell, or should I hold? What's it actually worth today? What would a buyer find that I'd rather find and fix first? Most owners first see their business this clearly when a buyer hands them a number, with every flaw priced in as a discount. You see it first, while there's still time to fix it. Your Value Baseline journey Before ![](/images/slots/team-krystyn.webp) Your fit call 30 minutes with a cofounder. What companies like yours sell for, where yours lands, and whether we're the right fit. Day 1 Data requestNorthline Mechanical4 of 8 ✓3 years of financial statements✓3 years of tax returns✓Revenue by customer, top 20✓Owner pay and add-backsService contracts and renewalsOrg chart and key rolesAR and AP agingLeases, debt and equipment list Your onboarding call Your vision, in your words. Then one data request with what a buyer would ask for, so your team pulls it once. Weeks 1 to 3 Northline\_Baseline.xlsx162 of 164 scored ABC 1MarkerScoreValue2Adj. EBITDA (restated)—$2.0M3Recurring contracts4.9+$1.9M4Owner dependence2.6+$1.4M5Customer mix2.2+$0.9M6+158 more markers7Value gap+$6.2M EarningsMarkersBuyer view The analysis Your numbers restated and all 160+ markers scored, behind the scenes. Weeks 2 to 3 Our analysis 01Market valuation02Peer benchmarks03160 value markers04Buyer read Your valuation and analysis Valued on real sold deals in your industry, benchmarked against peers, scored on 160 value markers, and tested with a live buyer or M&A advisor. Week 4 ![Horizon](/images/horizon-wordmark-nav.png) Northline Mechanical · Value Baseline $14.6M What your business could be worth in 3 years. Today, $8.4M. Value today+$6.2M hidden value Horizon Score 58 / 100 Multiple 4.2x → 5.5x Status Saleable today How a buyer sees you Recurring contracts4.9 Safety and compliance4.1 Owner dependenceNeeds work2.6 Customer concentrationAt risk2.2 Your highest-value moves Ranked by value [Reprice service contractsRenewals run 8% under market. Reset at the next cycle.+$1.9M](#move-1)[Hand off estimatingTrain a lead estimator so major jobs move without you in the room.+$1.4M](#move-2)[Spread out your top customerOne contractor is 34%. Win two property managers.+$0.9M](#move-3)[Add planned maintenanceTurn one-off repair calls into yearly plans that renew on their own.+$0.7M](#move-4) Plus multiple expansion, 4.2x → 5.5x+$1.3M ![Andrea](/images/andrea-call.jpg)![Krystyn](/images/krystyn-face.jpg)![Matt](/images/matt-face.jpg) Your results session Three straight answers: could you sell it today, does it cover your work-optional number, and what could it be worth in 1 to 3 years. Plus a 12-quarter roadmap to your 3-year target, built on the 3 to 5 levers that matter most. After your session Your plan ProfitReprice contracts ValueHand off estimating WealthSet your number Receive your report and plan One plan for your business and your life: the actions that close your profit, value and wealth gaps, in order. Then ![](/images/slots/journey-5.webp) Choose your path Then you decide. Grow it or sell it, by invitation. Value Baseline testimonials ![](/images/megan-portrait.png)Megan RafuseCo-founder and CEO, Shift Collab “I only started to think about my business as an asset when I started working with Horizon. No one ever talked to me about that. They gave us the areas to zone in on strategically, and now we have a path to the growth we want.” COCo-ownerHealthcare platform “Horizon gave us a clear and practical lens on where we stand today and what acquirers will care about most. Their process helped us identify gaps and prioritize next steps without overwhelming us.” The 10x Guarantee We find $200,000 in value, or your money back. You keep your results either way. $5.1Min value found by the average Value Baseline. Most owners clear the guarantee many times over. For owners who share full financials and complete their Value Day. Claim within 30 days of your results. [Read the full guarantee →](/guarantee) Step Two: Choose your path By invitation onlyAfter your Value Baseline ## Choose your path. Then we hold you to it. Knowing what to fix isn't the hard part. Doing it while you run the business is. So you choose your road, growth or exit, and a Partner who's built and sold companies holds you to it every two weeks. Selling in the next 12 to 24 months? We move fast. Building for longer? We go deeper. [ 3 years+Growth Partnership For owners building value, organically or through acquisition. ![](/images/slots/door-growth.webp) Ideal for owners who want Time back for vision, strategy and the bigger game More profit, less risk and a higher multiple Buyer-ready, even if you never sell Your value re-scored every quarter From **$7,500 / mo**Explore the Growth Partnership → ](/growth-partnership)[ 12 to 24 monthsExit Partnership For owners preparing to sell, on their timeline and their terms. ![](/images/slots/door-exit.jpg) Ideal for owners who want A sale process starting in 12 to 24 months Normalized earnings a buyer can't pick apart A full data room and transferable systems A deal team, a target number and a plan for after From **$7,500 / mo**Explore the Exit Partnership → ](/exit-partnership) [Start your Value Baseline →](/discovery-call?interest=value-baseline)[Compare paths](#compare) Choose your path ## Ways to work with us. Every partnership starts with the Value Baseline. From there, we invite the owners we can help most into one of two 1:1 partnerships. The Value Baseline The most comprehensive health check for your business. One timeFrom $20,000 Per company, one owner included. Additional owners quoted on your discovery call. [Book your discovery call](/discovery-call) Includes A Partner-led Value Day 160+ value markers scored Benchmarks against the best businesses in your market A market estimate of your value, and the range A confidential read from active buyers and bankers Your three moves, in order Our call: sell now, or hold and build A 1:1 results session Backed by the 10x Guarantee [Compare in detail →](#compare) By invitation only Growth Partnership For owners building value, organically or through acquisition. From$7,500 / mo Annual program, by invitation [Start with a Value Baseline](/discovery-call) Everything in your Value Baseline results, plus Your Partner, every two weeks Quarterly planning sessions The ValueOS: cash flow, accountability, one-page plan 3-year Value Path and 12-quarter roadmap Your value, re-scored every quarter Your leadership team in the sessions Owner Dinners and Worth Owning Live [Compare in detail →](#compare) By invitation only Exit Partnership For owners preparing to sell, on their timeline and their terms. From$7,500 / mo Set at your Value Baseline, based on your timeline [Start with a Value Baseline](/discovery-call) Everything in your Value Baseline results, plus A Partner who's sold at 8 and 9 figures An M&A lead from day one Normalized earnings, restated Your data room and CIM, the confidential memo buyers read first Risk clean-up and your equity story Your deal team: legal, tax and wealth Planning for life after the sale [Compare in detail →](#compare) KH![](/images/slots/call-krystyn.webp)MH![](/images/slots/call-matt.webp) Not sure which path is right for you? Book a call to see if we're a fit.  [Book a discovery call →](/discovery-call) The Owner Shift ## Build the value.Own your options. We help you stop running a business and start owning an asset: one that grows in value, runs without you, and lets you sell, hold or step back on your terms. Then we get you to your end game. Stop asking How do we grow revenue? How do I get more done? Who's our biggest client? What did we make this year? How do I close this deal? What's it worth? How do we grow revenue? How do I get more done? Who's our biggest client? What did we make this year? How do I close this deal? What's it worth? How do we grow revenue? How do I get more done? Who's our biggest client? What did we make this year? How do I close this deal? What's it worth? Start asking What would a buyer pay per dollar? What still gets done if I step away? How much value walks out with them? What will it keep making without me? Who else on the team can close it? What would make it worth more? What would a buyer pay per dollar? What still gets done if I step away? How much value walks out with them? What will it keep making without me? Who else on the team can close it? What would make it worth more? What would a buyer pay per dollar? What still gets done if I step away? How much value walks out with them? What will it keep making without me? Who else on the team can close it? What would make it worth more? > “I only started to think about my business as an asset when I started working with Horizon. No one ever talked to me about that.” ![Megan Rafuse](/images/megan-portrait.png)Megan RafuseCo-founder and CEO, Shift Collab Learn more ## Frequently asked questions Can't find the right answer here? [Visit our FAQ](/faq) Four weeks. Six to eight hours with you on the record, your numbers restated properly, and all 160 checks scored against what buyers in your market are paying right now. You end with what the business is worth today, what is holding the number down, and a first 90-day value sprint where every item has a finish line. Most of the owners we work with are not selling. What makes a business sellable is the same thing that makes it run without you: less owner dependency, cleaner numbers, revenue that does not hinge on one relationship. You can sell it, step back from it, or keep it and let it compound. The work is the same either way. Yes. A Value Session is two hours with a Horizon Partner, an operator who has built and sold companies, on your biggest opportunity, then a check-in 30 days later to make sure it moved. It costs $5,000, fully credited toward your Value Baseline if you go on to do one. [Ask about a Value Session →](/discovery-call?interest=value-session) You pay us a fee for the work. We are not a brokerage and we do not sit on your cap table, so nothing we recommend depends on you transacting. That is why we can tell roughly half of owners that now is not the right time. Not unless you tell them. The Value Baseline runs with you and your numbers only. Nobody on your team is interviewed, and nothing goes to anyone outside the room. Then the four weeks matter more, not less. An inbound offer is priced on what a buyer can see and verify, and the gaps get found either way. Better that you find them first, while there is still time to fix or frame them. No, but the order of work changes. Talk to us first and we will tell you what is worth doing in the time you have, and introduce you to the people who run the process. Some of the 160 markers move a price in ninety days; most do not, and we will not sell you the ones that cannot. You own the plan, whether you run it yourself or keep us in the room. Most owners keep going: the build runs in 90-day value sprints with your Partner every two weeks, and we rescore the drivers as the number moves. Our work fits owners of profitable businesses roughly in the $2M to $100M revenue range. Below that, the right answer is usually that the money is better spent on growth than on diagnostics, and we will tell you so. Keep going ## Start learning now. [Free toolThe Optionality Score12 questions · 4 minutes](/optionality-score)[Podcast · 37 minBuild like a buyer: $175M ARR in 24 monthsAndrea Matheson](/worth-owning/andrea-matheson)[Podcast · 33 minKnow your number before a buyer names oneWendy Brookhouse](/worth-owning/wendy-brookhouse)[Article · 10 min readWhat is my business worth? How buyers value itMatt Harrison](/articles/what-is-my-business-worth) ## Curious how much value is trapped in your business? In 30 minutes, one of our cofounders will show you what companies like yours are selling for, where yours lands, what’s holding it back, and whether we’re the right partner for you. [Book a discovery call →](/discovery-call) [The 10x GuaranteeWe find $200,000 in value, or your money back.How the guarantee works →](/guarantee) ## Compare the paths Value Baseline Growth Partnership Exit Partnership Overview Best for Knowing where you stand Growing enterprise value Selling in 12 to 24 months Price From $20,000, one time From $7,500 / mo From $7,500 / mo Access Open to owners By invitation, after your Value Baseline By invitation, after your Value Baseline Your Value Baseline A Partner-led Value Day 160+ value markers scored A market estimate of your value Your three moves, in order Backed by the 10x Guarantee Building value Your Partner, every two weeks Quarterly planning sessions The ValueOS 3-year Value Path and 12-quarter roadmap Your value, re-scored Preparing to sell A Partner who's sold at 8 and 9 figures An M&A lead from day one Normalized earnings, restated Your data room and CIM, the confidential memo buyers read first Risk clean-up and your equity story Your deal team