The Business Stability Scorecard
See how your business stacks up and what to do next
The Business Stability Scorecard reveals your business’s position within the 5 Stages of Business Stability—a framework that measures how businesses like yours are leveraging technology, strengthening security, and planning for long-term growth.
A structured way to build resilient businesses
Step 1
Take the 5-minute questionnaire. Haven’t yet? Click here.
Step 2
Find out your business’s stability stage and score.
Step 3
Uncover a path forward to strengthen your business.
How is my stability score calculated?
- Your total score is built across three core pillars: Technology and Workflows, Security and IT Administration, and Business Management, with criteria weighted based on its impact on long-term stability.
- Your cumulative percentage places you at one of the 5 Stages of Business Stability.
- Scores measure how well your business has built the foundational practices that drive resilience, growth, and lasting success.
Did you know? Advanced-stage SMBs average 38% more revenue per employee.
See more national benchmarks from Rightworks’ 2026 Business Stability Report.
The 5 Stages of Business Stability
Stage 1: Establishing – Laying the groundwork (0%-49%)
Stage 2: Activating – Getting into motion (50%-64%)
Stage 3: Structuring – Building for growth (65%-79%)
Stage 4: Strengthening – Driving performance (80%-94%)
Stage 5: Empowering – Built to last (95%-100%)
How does your industry measure up?
We collected real stability data from top industries. Find out if you’re leading the pack or have room to grow.
Construction SMBs show early-stage progress across all three pillars of stability, leading with security and IT administration.
Retail SMBs are among the survey’s top performers driven by impressive security and business management scores.
Professional services led all industries in data security planning—a reflection of the sector’s strong compliance culture.
Manufacturing SMBs are gaining solid ground with a noteworthy security score of 65%—a sign the industry takes operational resilience seriously.
Wholesale trade SMBs are embracing the cloud but leaving opportunity on the table when it comes to planning and IT management.
Learn how SMBs across the U.S. are performing on technology, security, and business management, and what it takes to reach the highest stages of stability and growth.
Turn your results into action
Your business is one of a kind. Your strategy should be too. Choose the path that aligns with your aspirations, client needs, and the resources you have to work with.
Start with your biggest opportunity
Your scorecard pinpoints exactly where your business has the most room to grow. Rather than tackling everything at once, zeroing in on your lowest-scoring pillar is a great place to start. A focused approach helps you:
- Direct time and budget where they’ll make the biggest difference.
- See real, measurable improvement without spreading yourself too thin.
- Create early wins that build confidence and momentum.
Pinpoint two to three concrete changes that could meaningfully improve your day-to-day operations, customer relationships, or team productivity.
Don’t wait on security
No matter where your overall score lands, gaps in Security & IT Administration need to be addressed now not later. Cybersecurity vulnerabilities put your business data, customer information, and hard-earned reputation on the line.
- Address any weaknesses in cybersecurity, data protection, and compliance right away.
- Put foundational protections in place: multifactor authentication, encrypted data storage, and regular security awareness training for your entire team.
- Investigate handing off the security burden to an outside expert, freeing you up to focus on what you do best.
Start small and work your way up
Meaningful progress doesn’t require a complete overhaul. A few well-chosen actions can create real momentum and set the stage for bigger improvements down the road.
- Not sure where to start with the cloud? Pick one or two tools your team uses every day and explore cloud-based alternatives.
- Roll out a company-wide password management solution.
- Get your strategic growth plan out of your head and onto paper.
Even small steps signal to your team, and your customers, that you’re serious about building something that lasts. And once that momentum starts, it’s easier than you think to keep it going.
How do your scores stack up against SMBs nationwide?
Average scores across all SMBs surveyed through Rightworks’ 2026 SMB Technology Survey.
Avg. score for SMBs nationwide
Avg. score for SMBs nationwide
Avg. score for SMBs nationwide
Target your tech and workflows
Cloud adoption, remote work capabilities, and AI readiness are reshaping how businesses operate. Use this checklist to examine your digital infrastructure, from single sign-on to paperless workflows, to discover where technology is propelling your business forward and where gaps may be holding you back.
Cloud-Based Operations:
- Store and manage 100% of data and applications in the cloud
- Access data/apps through one online portal
- Support remote workers
- Single sign-on (SSO) for multiple applications
- Grant/restrict user access immediately
Digital Document Management:
- Secure portal for sensitive documents
- Fully paperless operations
Artificial Intelligence Usage:
- Client communications (emails, summaries, marketing content)
- Researching general business topics
- Advanced data analytics to improve services and inform strategic decisions
Set your sights on security
Cyberattacks hit small businesses hard and the impact can be disastrous. This checklist covers the essentials, such as protecting your network, securing customer data, training your team, and making sure you can recover fast if something goes wrong.
IT Management:
- Supported by experts (IT firm or consultant)
Network & Device Security:
- Firewalls, VPN, and antivirus software
- Multifactor authentication on company devices
- Advanced email security (spam/phishing protection)
- Encrypted password storage/password managers
- Regular data backups (beyond software vendor backups)
- Mobile device management (remote wipe capability)
- Real-time alerts for cyberthreats
Cybersecurity Training:
- Structured, instructor-led curriculum
- Conducted regularly (quarterly/annually)
- Tailored to your industry’s risks and regulations
- Phishing simulations
- Documented for compliance tracking
Advanced Security Measures:
- Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) on all devices
- Data backups retained for minimum two years
Focus on business planning
Day-to-day operations can crowd out the bigger picture. This checklist helps you step back and check whether your business has a real plan for growth, and whether you’re set up to stay profitable, competitive, and resilient as things change.
Strategic Planning:
- Documented strategic growth plan
- Marketing plan/strategy
- Succession plan documented
Client & Financial Management:
- Customer profitability reviews to identify low-margin accounts
- Ideal customer profile for new business decisions
- Majority of payments accepted electronically (ACH, credit/debit)
- Automated billing and collections tools
Data Protection:
- Documented data security plan
- Data security plan outlines protection of internal and customer data
- Data security plan is reviewed annually for technology/process changes
FAQs
Drawing on survey data from 733 U.S. small and medium-sized businesses, Rightworks developed a five-stage model that maps where businesses stand on their path to long-term stability. Each stage captures real-world patterns seen across companies of varying sizes and sectors, giving you a meaningful benchmark against your peers.
Stage 1: Establishing – Laying the groundwork (0%-49%)
Stage 2: Activating – Getting into motion (50%-64%)
Stage 3: Structuring – Building for growth (65%-79%)
Stage 4: Strengthening – Driving performance (80%-94%)
Stage 5: Empowering – Built to last (95%-100%)
Wondering which stage describes your business? Get your Business Stability Scorecard and find out.
Your stage is determined by your cumulative score across three pillars: Technology & Workflows, Security & IT Administration, and Business Management. Scores range from 0%-100%, with specific criteria weighted by importance within each area.
SMBs at every stage of stability face roughly the same rate of cybersecurity incidents—about 1 in 5 businesses. What separates confident businesses from vulnerable ones are the safeguards they proactively put in place. The businesses that invest in layered security don’t just protect themselves from financial loss and downtime. They protect the client data, sensitive records, and hard-earned trust that their reputation depends on. In an environment where threats are constant and increasingly sophisticated, proactive security isn’t just good practice. It’s a business imperative. Learn how to better protect your business from cybersecurity threats.
Generally, yes. Targeting your lowest-scoring area allows you to allocate resources more effectively and see measurable progress faster. However, security gaps should be addressed immediately regardless of score, as they represent real and ongoing risk to your business and your data. Learn more about Business Security solutions.
Yes, cloud adoption is a significant factor in your Technology & Workflows score. But this isn’t just about your score—cloud migration directly impacts your efficiency, security, remote work capabilities, and ability to grow without adding headcount. The benefits reach further than you might expect, touching everything from employee retention and client service to business continuity, competitive positioning, collaboration, and recruiting top talent. Take a look at the 5 Signs Your Small Business Is Ready for the Cloud article to learn more. And when you’re convinced it’s time, check out A Simpler Path to the Cloud.
Research shows that advanced-stage SMBs average 38% more revenue per employee than early-stage businesses. This and other key insights were uncovered in Rightworks’ 2026 Business Stability Report.
Remote work capabilities can transform your flexibility and talent access, but successful implementation requires careful planning, particularly around security, technology infrastructure, and operational processes. Make sure you have the top tools for remote work.
We recommend reassessing regularly—either quarterly, every six months, or after implementing major technology, security, or operational changes. Regular check-ins help you track progress, identify new gaps, and adjust your stability strategy. Bookmark your Business Stability Scorecard and mark your calendar.
While basic tools like email and file storage are table stakes, the most stable businesses are expanding into unified cloud environments, single sign-on access, advanced cybersecurity layers, and AI-powered automation to boost efficiency, security, and competitiveness. The most stable SMBs aren’t just using technology—they’re building on it.
One of the hardest parts of running a business is recognizing when certain responsibilities have grown beyond your team’s bandwidth and having the confidence to hand them off. Technology management, cybersecurity, and IT support are areas where many SMBs find themselves stretched thin, spending time and energy on tasks that pull them away from the work that actually moves their business forward.
Working with an outside expert who can handle it all under one roof—from managing your technology infrastructure and securing your data to providing ongoing IT support—removes that burden entirely. Instead of juggling multiple vendors and trying to stay ahead of an increasingly complex technology landscape on your own, a single point of contact who understands your business can handle it all. To find out what that would actually look like, book a call with our Business Solutions Team.
Yes. Rightworks provides technology solutions, security infrastructure, expert guidance, and strategic consulting to help businesses at every stage of stability. Whether you’re laying the groundwork or optimizing advanced systems, we can support your journey toward becoming truly built to last. Talk to an expert.
Your score is a benchmark for improvement. Use it as a starting point for strategic decisions: Which gaps are limiting our growth? Which practices would genuinely improve our operations? Where are we already ahead of the curve? What matters most is understanding where you are today and taking deliberate steps toward where you want to be, and that destination looks different for every business.
As the preferred cloud and technology partner for 70,000+ businesses and accounting firms, Rightworks is a great place to start. Our award-winning platform securely connects critical desktop and cloud applications and offers managed IT services—protecting everything from data to devices across your entire operation. Book a call with our Business Solutions Team to learn more.
