When I ask business owners about their strategy, I usually get a list of goals: grow revenue, improve margins, hire great people, expand into new markets.

Those are goals—not strategy.

The difference? Strategy connects those goals to a written plan—one that aligns your team, defines priorities, and gives you measurable targets to track progress. Without that, your business is just spinning plates.

That’s where the Silver Bullet Scorecard comes in. It’s a simple but revealing test of how strategic your business really is. In fact, you can use it right now to score your company—and 20 other critical business competencies—completely free at optaprofit.com/scorecard.

Here’s how the strategy portion works:

• Score 5: You have a written plan with vision, mission, and values. You track KPIs weekly, update quarterly, and your team is aligned.

• Score 1: You have no written plan. Priorities shift, decisions are reactive, and there’s little clarity or accountability.

Most owners land somewhere in between—and that’s perfectly fine. The score isn’t about judgment; it’s about awareness. Because once you see the gap, you can close it.

I’ve worked with companies that thought they were a “4” but realized they were closer to a “2” once they wrote things down. That moment of clarity changes everything.

If you want your business to grow beyond your personal reach—to scale profitably and predictably—you need more than goals. You need strategy.

👉 Take five minutes and score your business here: https://optaprofit.com/scorecard

You’ll see exactly where your company stands—not just in strategy, but across 20 key areas that drive performance and profit.

👤 About Don Vanpool

Don Vanpool is a seasoned business transformation leader, private equity operating partner, and certified coach. He helps manufacturing and mid-market companies align their teams, drive profitability, and prepare for high-value exits using proven systems like the Strategic Plan.