01
Owned distribution
Can customers find you without one rented channel?
Look for: Repeatable direct, partner and referral acquisition; measured channel economics.
02
Workflow embeddedness
Does the business own a recurring job, not just produce a generic answer?
Look for: Repeated usage inside a customer workflow with demonstrated switching costs.
03
Data rights and feedback
Are your useful data and learning signals lawfully reusable and transferable?
Look for: Documented permissions, lineage, contract rights and feedback improving outcomes.
04
Retained demand
Do customers return after the novelty wears off?
Look for: Cohorts and repeat purchases across an appropriate observation window.
05
Delivery economics
Does contribution survive realistic AI, review and support costs?
Look for: Per-job costs, refunds, human review minutes and stress-tested provider pricing.
06
Independent operation
Can a new owner run it without the founder’s credentials or judgement?
Look for: Rights inventory, customer assignment, incident drill and an independent operator test.
