I have introduced the PCP Method — the Purpose, Clarity, Performance framework I use with clients we work with. I described how the method works and why it matters. Now I want to give you something practical: a way to assess where your own business sits across all three pillars right now.
This 21-question business check-up is the diagnostic tool I use. It is not a test with right and wrong answers. It is more of a mirror — designed to give you an honest picture of where your business is strong and where it has gaps, so you know exactly where to focus your energy.
Work through each question honestly. Again, there are no wrong answers. Score yourself from 1 to 5, where 1 means this is a real weakness in your business and 5 means you have this well under control. Add up your scores at the end.
The goal is not to score perfectly — it is to see your business clearly, perhaps for the first time.
Pillar 1 — Purpose (questions 1 to 7)
Purpose is the foundation of everything. These questions explore whether you have a clear sense of why your business exists, who it serves and where it is heading.
- I can clearly articulate why my business exists — beyond just making money.
- I know exactly who my ideal client is and I actively focus my energy on attracting them.
- My team understands what the business stands for and what we are trying to achieve.
- I have a clear vision of what my business will look like in three to five years.
- My daily decisions are guided by the long-term direction of the business, not just the immediate pressure.
- I feel energised by the work my business does — not just obligated to keep it running.
- My business purpose drives the way I hire, price, market and make strategic decisions.
Purpose score: _____ / 35
Pillar 2 — Clarity (questions 8 to 14)
Clarity is about your relationship with your numbers. These questions explore whether you have the financial visibility you need to run your business with confidence.
- I know my current cash balance and can predict my cash position over the next 30 days.
- I understand my income statement and can explain what it says about the health of my business.
- I know my breakeven point — the minimum monthly revenue I need to cover all my costs.
- My financial records are up to date and I receive management accounts at least monthly.
- I know which of my products, services or clients are most profitable — and which are not.
- I have a clear view of my debtors — who owes me money, how much and when it is due.
- I use my financial data actively to make business decisions — not just to satisfy SARS.
Clarity score: _____ / 35
Pillar 3 — Performance (questions 15 to 21)
Performance is about accountability and execution. These questions explore whether you are measuring the right things and holding yourself — and your business — to the standard you have set.
- I have clear financial goals for this year and I review progress against them regularly.
- I have a written budget and I track actual results against it at least monthly.
- I have a 90-day plan with specific, measurable actions that I review and update regularly.
- I track two or three key performance metrics for my business and review them weekly.
- I have someone in my life — an adviser, coach or mentor — who holds me accountable to my business goals.
- When I miss a target, I analyse what went wrong and adjust my approach — I do not just push harder.
- My business is growing in a way that is deliberate and planned — not just happening by accident.
Performance score: _____ / 35
Your total score and what it means
Add up your three pillar scores for a total out of 105. Here is how to interpret your result:
| 76 – 105 Strong foundation | You have solid fundamentals across all three pillars. The focus now is on refinement, accountability and scaling what is working. |
| 42 – 75 Room to grow | You have some strong areas and some clear gaps. Prioritise the pillar with the lowest score and build from there. |
| 7 – 41 Urgent attention needed | Significant gaps across one or more pillars are holding your business back. A structured advisory conversation would be a valuable next step. |
Pay as much attention to your individual pillar scores as you do to your total. A business can score reasonably well overall but have a critically weak pillar that is quietly limiting everything else. A score of 8 out of 35 on Clarity, for example, tells you exactly where to focus — regardless of what your Purpose and Performance scores look like.
Please be careful – A high total score with one weak pillar is often more dangerous than a consistently average score across all three. The weak pillar will eventually pull everything else down.
What to do with your business check-up results
If you scored strongly across all three pillars — well done. The focus for you is refinement, a tweak here or there. A tightening your accountability systems, deepening your financial reporting and stress-testing your purpose against your current business decisions.
If you have one or two weak pillars, start there. I suggest the weakest first. Do not try to work on everything at once. Once you have picked the lowest-scoring pillar and ask yourself: what is one concrete thing I could do this week to improve my position here? Start with something that you will finish today or tomorrow. Get the “easy” or “most obvious” ones ‘out the way’ before moving on to the deeper issues. Doing this exercise, I know, can get people down because it can become personal or at lease feel that way. Remember this is a business check-up is NOT a test!
If your total score is below 42, I want to be direct with you: your business has significant structural gaps and they will not fix themselves. This is an observation that I have made many times over the course of my career. The good news is that gaps can (and will) be closed. These require deliberate attention, not just more hard work.
The best next step in any of these scenarios is a conversation. Not a sales pitch — a genuine conversation about where your business is, what the numbers are telling you and what a more structured approach could do for you.
That is exactly what a discovery call with BC Accounting Services is. Bring your scores. We will bring the questions.
Book a free discovery call — bring your business check-up scores and let us talk through what they mean for your business. No obligation, just clarity.