FAQ — Anvil Score

Question 1

What exactly is the Anvil Score?

Accepted Answer

The Anvil Score is a 0-100 valuation readiness score built from the same attributes a private-equity or corporate buyer underwrites on when acquiring a trades business. It is not a generic business health score. Every attribute is weighted by how much it actually moves your EBITDA multiple, so the score tells you not just where you stand, but what matters most.

Question 2

How is this different from a business valuation?

Accepted Answer

A traditional business valuation is a one-time, backward-looking document that tells you what your business was worth on a specific date. The Anvil Score is continuous, forward-looking intelligence, updated at your chosen cadence, that tells you what your business is worth today, how that compares to comparable sold companies, and exactly which moves will grow the number before any buyer ever calls.

Question 3

What trades does Anvil cover?

Accepted Answer

Anvil is built for owner-operated trades businesses doing $2M-$25M in revenue: HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, landscaping, tree service, and adjacent field-service businesses. If your business runs on a field-service platform and has recurring or repeat revenue, Anvil is likely a fit.

Question 4

How accurate is the enterprise-value range?

Accepted Answer

The range is built from the same comp set a buy-side advisor would use, anonymized, closed transactions in your trade and revenue band. It is not a guarantee of sale price. It is the range a prepared buyer would underwrite based on your current operating profile, which is the most actionable number you can have before you're at the table.

Question 5

What data does Anvil need?

Accepted Answer

Anvil reads your field-service operating data (job history, revenue by type, customer retention, technician productivity) and your financial data (revenue, EBITDA, owner compensation). Most of this is a standard export from your existing platform, no custom integrations or IT work required.

Question 6

Which platforms does Anvil connect with?

Accepted Answer

Anvil is platform-independent. It works with ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro, Jobber, FieldEdge, and plain QuickBooks exports. If you run your business on a different platform, contact us, if it produces a standard data export, we can likely work with it.

Question 7

Is my data secure and confidential?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Anvil never sells or shares your data. Your operating data is used solely to compute your score and comp set. We never represent buyers, take no cut of any transaction, and have no financial incentive to share your information with anyone. That independence is the product.

Question 8

What does Anvil cost?

Accepted Answer

Founding member pricing is $450/month, locked for life for the first 100 customers. Standard pricing after the founding cohort is $750/month. There are no transaction fees, no cut of any deal, and no hidden charges. Pure software.

Question 9

Is there a contract or minimum commitment?

Accepted Answer

No long-term contract is required. Anvil is month-to-month. That said, the score compounds over time, owners who use it for 12-24 months before a sale consistently surface more enterprise-value upside than those who engage at the last minute.

Question 10

What is the guarantee?

Accepted Answer

Anvil offers a 90-day double guarantee. First, an unconditional refund within 90 days, no questions asked. Second, a performance guarantee: if Anvil does not surface $250K+ of enterprise-value upside and a 10+ point score lift within 90 days, we refund the year and cover your M&A advisor's first invoice up to $2,000.

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Question 11

I'm not planning to sell anytime soon. Is Anvil still useful?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and this is the most common situation for Anvil's best customers. The score and the ranked improvement list are valuable whether you sell in two years, twenty, or never. Knowing which operational moves translate directly into enterprise value makes you a better operator regardless of exit timeline. Owners who start early have the most to gain.

Question 12

A buyer already approached me. Can Anvil help now?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and quickly. If you've been approached, the most important thing you can do is get your own number before you respond. Anvil can produce your score and comp set fast enough to inform your first substantive conversation. You should never negotiate without knowing your enterprise-value range.

Question 13

How is Anvil different from hiring an M&A advisor?

Accepted Answer

An M&A advisor charges $25,000-$75,000 for a one-time engagement, typically paid at close, and is silent the day after. Anvil delivers comparable analytical depth continuously, updated at your cadence, for a fraction of that figure. Anvil also works for you only, we never represent buyers. Many Anvil customers use the score to arrive at the M&A advisor conversation better prepared, which typically improves the outcome.

Question 14

I'm an accountant. How does Anvil help my clients?

Accepted Answer

Anvil gives accountants a data-backed number to bring to the client conversation before the deal table. It differentiates your service, surfaces preparation gaps early, and gives your client a continuous benchmark rather than a one-time snapshot. Contact us about accountant access and partnership options.

Questions we hear from owners and accountants

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