WHAT'S INCLUDED
The Viable Brand Scorecard is the diagnostic tool we built to answer one question: does this business actually work? Not does it look good. Not does the founder tell a compelling story. Does the underlying business model justify the existence of the brand.
The scorecard covers 11 weighted criteria, each scored from 0 to 1, producing a composite score out of 11. A score above 9 indicates a structurally strong business. Below 7 indicates a brand relying on marketing to compensate for structural weakness.
01
Market Size & TAM
Is the addressable market large enough to support the revenue ambition?
02
Gross Margin Structure
Does the unit economics allow for sustainable reinvestment in growth?
03
CAC Efficiency
Is customer acquisition cost structurally manageable at scale?
04
Repeat Purchase Rate
Does the product category naturally drive repeat purchase behaviour?
05
LTV Compounding
Does customer lifetime value grow meaningfully over time?
06
Structural Differentiation
Is the product genuinely better — not just better marketed?
07
Defensibility / Moat
How difficult is it for a competitor to replicate the model?
08
Distribution Leverage
Can the brand reach customers through multiple scalable channels?
09
Retention Mechanic
Is there a structural mechanism that keeps customers returning?
10
Scalability
Does the business model hold under meaningful volume increases?
11
Business Model Clarity
Is the path from revenue to sustainable profit legible and credible?
HOW TO USE IT
01
Pick a brand to score
Use it on your own brand, a competitor, or a business you're considering entering. The scorecard works for pre-launch concepts and established brands alike.
02
Research each criterion honestly
The tool is only as useful as you are honest. Score based on evidence, not aspiration. Use publicly available data, founder interviews, and your own customer knowledge.
03
Read the composite score
9+ is structurally strong. 7–9 is viable with work. Below 7 means the model has a structural weakness that marketing cannot fix. The score tells you where to focus.
04
Use the notes column to surface fixes
For every criterion scoring below 0.7, write one structural fix. Not a marketing campaign — a structural change to the business model. That column is where strategy happens.