The Boomer Exit: Strategic Realignment in the Small Business Economy

A silent but seismic transformation is underway in the U.S. economy. As the Baby Boomer generation reaches retirement age, they are not only leaving the workforce—they are exiting ownership of the very backbone of American enterprise: small businesses. By 2030, every living Boomer will be at or past traditional retirement age. With 12 million small businesses under their control—employing over 25 million people—this transition represents not just a demographic shift, but a strategic realignment with vast economic consequences.

This is not merely a wave of retirements. It is a mass transfer of productive assets, value chains, and market positions. And like any such transition, it brings both risk and opportunity.