Millions of boomer small business owners will soon retire. Will their companies just disappear? | Gene Marks

It's likely, but it also could be a boon for a new generation of entrepreneurs willing to take over established operations

Want to buy my business? It's been very profitable. I've run it for more than 25 years. But no, you don't want to buy it. Like most small businesses in this country, there's really nothing of value here.

According to the Small Business Administration, there are approximately 33m small businesses in the US. But fewer than 7m actually employ people. The rest comprise freelancers, side gigs and independent contractors. I'm sure many of these people are making a living. But are they building assets? A brand? Probably not. If that business owner" suddenly disappears, their business disappears with them. No one wants to buy a business like that. There's no value.