Guides & Downloads
Practical guides written from real operational and financial experience — not templates. Each one addresses a specific challenge owner-operators face.
The Commercial Loan Readiness Playbook
What the Bank Sees That You Don't
The Commercial Loan Readiness Playbook
Lenders evaluate your business differently than you do. This playbook walks through exactly what underwriters look at, what disqualifies applications before they're reviewed, and how to prepare financials that hold up to scrutiny.
Written from the perspective of a team that has reviewed commercial loan packages from both sides — as operators and as advisors who have helped clients secure financing when banks initially said no.
What's Inside:
- What lenders look for in your financial statements
- The documentation gaps that slow or kill approvals
- How to present your business story in numbers
- Common preparation mistakes and how to avoid them
- The timeline and sequencing of a strong loan package
Free — add your details and the PDF opens right away.
All Free Guides
Each guide addresses a specific challenge owner-operators face. Download any or all — no sign-up required.
Financing & Growth
The Financial Maturity Ladder
Stop Running on Cash Balance. Start Running on Strategy.
Most owner-operators manage their business by checking the bank balance. This guide walks through the four stages of financial maturity — and shows you exactly where your business sits and what it takes to move up.
- The four rungs of financial maturity explained
- How to identify where your business is today
- What moves you from reactive to strategic
- The reporting and control changes that unlock each stage
The 80/20 Business Guide
How Owner-Operators Stop Working Hard on the Wrong Things
Not all revenue, clients, or activities are equal. This guide applies 80/20 thinking to your business operations — identifying where your time and capital are producing results and where they're being absorbed by noise.
- How to identify your highest-leverage activities
- Where most owner-operators lose time and margin
- Practical steps to restructure around what actually moves the needle
- Real operational examples from 406 Consulting Group engagements
Foundation & Operations
The Smart Start Guide
Your Complete Entity Setup & Financial Clarity System
The financial decisions you make in the first 12 months are the hardest to undo. This guide shows you what to set up, in what order, and why — so you're not rebuilding the foundation two years in.
- Entity structure decisions and when they matter
- Banking, bookkeeping, and payroll setup sequence
- The reporting minimum every new business needs
- Common first-year mistakes and how to avoid them
Are You Buying Yourself a Job?
The Owner's True Compensation Audit
Many owner-operators earn far less than they think when actual hours worked are factored in. This guide walks through four numbers every business owner needs to calculate to understand what they're actually earning — and what the business is actually worth.
- How to calculate your true hourly rate as an owner
- The four compensation numbers that reveal business health
- What the gap between salary and true earnings signals
- How to use this analysis to make better growth decisions
Exit & Ownership Transition
Exit Architecture
From a Team That Has Sat on Both Sides of the Closing Table
Most businesses are not exit-ready — and owners don't find out until a deal falls apart. This guide walks through what buyers and their advisors actually look for, what kills deals, and how to build a business that sells on your terms.
- What buyers examine in the first 30 minutes
- The financial and operational gaps that reduce valuation
- How to build exit-readiness into your current operations
- The documentation and reporting buyers expect
Tax & Compliance
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) Guide
What It Means for You — Insights, Changes & Next Steps
The OBBBA introduced significant changes to business tax planning. This guide breaks down the key provisions, what they mean for owner-operated businesses, and the planning steps worth taking before year-end. Time-sensitive — reflects provisions as currently understood.
- Key OBBBA provisions affecting small and mid-size businesses
- Planning opportunities created by the new legislation
- What to review with your advisor before year-end
- How 406 Consulting Group approaches OBBBA planning for clients
Need More Than a Guide?
These guides give you the framework. A Business Readiness Review gives you a direct assessment of where your business stands and what to address first.