Cecil Jones Is Marketing
Worksheet

Founder Dependency Assessment

The most common growth ceiling in service businesses isn't market size — it's the founder. Measure how dependent your business is on you personally, then build the plan to liberate yourself.

Completion time: 20–30 minutes•For: Founders and business owners

Instructions

  1. 1. For each question below, score your current reality from 1 (completely dependent on you) to 5 (runs without you).
  2. 2. Be brutally honest — this is for you, not for anyone else.
  3. 3. Calculate your Founder Dependency Index (FDI). A high score is bad — it means the business can't run without you.
  4. 4. Prioritize the dimension with the lowest score first.

Sales & Business Development

Are you the only person who closes deals?

Score (1=me, 5=team):
12345

Do prospects insist on talking to you specifically?

Score (1=me, 5=team):
12345

Is there a sales process that works without you?

Score (1=me, 5=team):
12345

Operations & Delivery

Does service delivery stop when you're on vacation?

Score (1=me, 5=team):
12345

Can your team handle a crisis without calling you?

Score (1=me, 5=team):
12345

Are there documented SOPs for every core process?

Score (1=me, 5=team):
12345

Technical Knowledge

Are you the only person who knows how [critical system] works?

Score (1=me, 5=team):
12345

Can someone else troubleshoot the most common problems?

Score (1=me, 5=team):
12345

Is critical business knowledge in your head or in a shared system?

Score (1=me, 5=team):
12345

Client Relationships

Do clients default to calling your cell phone?

Score (1=me, 5=team):
12345

Would clients leave if you stepped back from day-to-day?

Score (1=me, 5=team):
12345

Is there a systematic client communication process?

Score (1=me, 5=team):
12345

Strategic Decision-Making

Does every significant decision require your approval?

Score (1=me, 5=team):
12345

Can your team make a $500 spending decision without you?

Score (1=me, 5=team):
12345

Is there a clear decision-rights framework?

Score (1=me, 5=team):
12345

Founder Dependency Index

_____ / 75
_____% dependent

0–20%: The business runs without you. Congratulations — you built an asset, not a job.

21–40%: Mostly liberated. A few key areas still need you. Focus on the lowest-scoring dimension.

41–60%: Half-dependent. The business can operate day-to-day but can't grow without you.

61–80%: Heavily dependent. You're the bottleneck. Every growth initiative stalls on your time.

81–100%: You are the business. If you stopped working, revenue stops. This is the most dangerous position.

Founder Liberation Plan

Phase 1: Document (Weeks 1–4)

Record every recurring task you do for 2 weeks
Write SOPs for the top 10 time-consuming tasks
Identify which tasks only you can do vs. which can be delegated now
Create a shared knowledge base (Notion, Google Drive, or CRM)

Phase 2: Delegate (Weeks 5–8)

Hire or promote a operations manager / chief of staff
Transfer 5 recurring tasks with written SOPs to team members
Implement a decision-rights framework ($ limits, approval tiers)
Start weekly team meetings that run without you leading

Phase 3: Verify (Weeks 9–12)

Take a 1-week vacation — no phone, no email
Audit: what broke? What surprised you? What worked?
Refine SOPs based on what failed during your absence
Celebrate what worked — reinforce the team's autonomy

Related Playbook: Founder Dependency • Related: Growth Diagnostic • Email: cecil@ceciljonesmarketing.com

Use This Worksheet

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Questions? cecil@ceciljonesmarketing.com