From idea to income, a business has seven layers — which one is your weakest?

What this is

One of our published methods, written in plain language: what it can do, when to use it, what goes in and what comes out.

Why it matters

Most methods are published as papers or code. This one is written so you can decide whether it fits your problem before you invest time in it.

How to use it

Read the page top to bottom. If it matches your question, use the online tool - or subscribe and run it on your own data.

What you get

A clear answer on what the method does and does not do, plus a live curve from our own demand series. Free to read.

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Demand curve read by this method — A live reading from our own demand series - the shape of the signal this method works on. 570 industries are tracked daily; this is one of them.

Data base: InfoGap own records - 391 Chinese cities x 8 dimensions, 213,208 city-industry rows, 40,499 POIs (central / lifechain, 2026-10-08).

Algorithm Handbook · one algorithm per page · plain language throughout · formal name: Business Seven Layers

1In one line: what it does

Score seven layers, from "how you think about business" to "how you collect money", and see which layer is weakest and what to fix next.

2When to use it

Three situations call for it:

Your shop has been open two years, it makes a little money, but you cannot say what exactly is wrong with it.

What most people do: take all kinds of courses and patch things up here and there.

Using it: score all seven layers once each; it points straight at the lowest one and gives the advice "start repairing from this layer".

You are about to hire a helper or take on a partner, and want to see which piece you are missing first.

What most people do: take whoever is cheapest.

Using it: look at your own seven-layer spread first, and go looking for the person who covers the weakest layer.

Someone asks "how is business going?" and all you can say is "not bad".

What most people do: answer with revenue.

Using it: seven layer scores plus one overall line is far more honest than revenue.

3What goes in · what comes out

Input (this is the exact set used in the real run)

· How you think about business (seeing it in numbers and logic): 70 (out of 100)
· What you give up (which money you don't chase): 75
· How you pick projects: 80
· How you decide (numbers or gut feel): 60
· Whether you can execute: 55
· Long-term plan: 65
· How you keep earning: 60

What comes out

These numbers are what it produced on the spot, not a single digit changed:

Seven-layer total: 465 / 700 (66%)
Overall: 🟡 Grade B — average business system, needs systematic reinforcement
Strongest layer: How you pick projects (80, grade A)
Weakest layer: Whether you can execute (55, grade C)

It also flags one break:
· From "How you pick projects" (80) down to "How you decide" (60) — a drop of 20 points

What to fix:
· ⚠️ The bottleneck layer is "Whether you can execute", only 55 — fix this first
· 📋 Start from the lowest layer, "Whether you can execute", and repair upward one layer at a time

How to read it: this table is for "I work hard but I don't know where I fall short". Three things are enough: the weakest layer, the strongest layer, and that break. The break here is telling — you score 80 at picking projects but only 60 at deciding. It means: you see accurately, but you can't pull the trigger. So the real problem is not your eye, it is execution after the decision.

📈One chart: which of the seven layers is weakest

One real run's seven layer scores as bars — the one dragging you down is visible immediately.

4How to use it

There is no public calculator for this yet — the method above is the whole procedure, and on this site the inputs have to be keyed in by hand. The inputs are seven scores from 0 to 100.

Score each of the seven layers yourself (each 0–100)
Read the weakest layer, the strongest layer, and where the break sits
Fix the bottleneck layer first, then work upward one layer at a time

5Who it's for

People who have been in business two years or more and want a systematic look at themselves; people about to find a partner or hire a key employee; bosses who want to run an annual review with the team.

6Common questions

Q: Who gives the seven scores?

A: You do. So its use is not "computing the truth" — it forces you to look at things you normally mix together, separately. Scoring together with someone else is usually more accurate.

Q: Is 66 overall a high score?

A: By the grading, grade A needs 80 or above. 66 means "the foundation is there, but there is an obvious weak spot".

Q: What is a "break"?

A: When the score drops too far between two neighbouring layers, that is a break. A break is more troublesome than "generally low", because it is a sticking point, not general unfamiliarity.

7Related algorithms

five-dim-gold · scoring from five angles motivation-level · why someone is willing to push it for you nine-axis-locator · where you stand, seen from nine angles ← Back to the Algorithm Handbook Handbook index

✓Why this scenario exists (where the content comes from)

This scenario comes from the records of the "algorithm meets demand" round: the Chongqing · gym demand was matched against several algorithms, and this one was judged "useful", on the grounds that it gives "seven layers at 100 points each → layer-by-layer A/B grades + total + weak spot + advice. Works as an owner-maturity summary table".

The input and output above were produced by re-running the numbers recorded there: 70/75/80/60/55/65/60 → total 465/700, grade B, weakest "whether you can execute" at 55, break 80→60.

Source: row 44 of the GEO opportunity table (Chongqing · gym, score=112.66); the D4 group in the pairing ledger.