By Andrew Miller
For years, small business experts predicted a “silver tsunami,” where millions of retiring baby boomers would sell their businesses to younger generations.
Andrew Kurzrok is one such case. Kurzrok spent over 200 days a year on the road as a mid-level executive before changing paths. So, he bought a local manufacturing business to work closer to home.
While the business was family-owned for 45 years, Kurzrok is of no relation. He’s part of a small but growing wave of younger buyers that includes millennials, Gen Xers, some Gen Zers. Each generation has been acquiring boomer-run businesses as their owners retire.
The wealth transfer was supposed to happen all at once, all at scale. So far, that’s not the case. What’s happening instead is slower and more selective.
That’s because most boomer businesses aren’t actually sellable. Most are one-man-bands with no real assets and no book of business that survives the founder leaving. According to Heather Endresen of Viso Business Capital, 85% of boomer businesses that go up for sale never sell.
What does sell is smaller firms with recurring revenue, a solid customer base, expertise in a niche market, and books that are in order. Most younger buyers simply want a business that runs itself. They aren’t looking for a job.
Blue collar trades are especially hot right now. Companies that specialize in plumbing, electrical, pest control, HVAC aren’t glamorous but they generate revenue even in the midst of the AI revolution.
The trend known as entrepreneurship through acquisition is heating up fast. Loan data Endresen pulled from the Small Business Administration (SBA) shows a record 6,915 SBA-backed acquisition loans worth $8.17 billion closed in 2025. That’s up from just over $5 billion in 2023, and above the prior 2021 peak.
If you’re looking at buying a business, take your time and do your due diligence. Look for predictable, recurring revenue. Any red flags like extreme outstanding debts or messy books is a sign to look elsewhere.
Finally, don’t underestimate what it takes to run a small business. Make sure it’s something you are not only interested in, but can see yourself doing every day.
P.S. A well-run business tends to check the same boxes whether you’re selling it or financing it. If you’re exploring capital options, Signet can get your business funded in as little as 24 hours. Let’s talk.