May 19, 2016

Did you know that just over half of all small business owners are aged 50 or above? That’s according to statistics from the U.S. Small Business Administration. How that breaks down to actual numbers is that 28 million individuals who own a small business are at the point of considering transitioning out of their business.

Despite the fact that many small business owners are over age 50, a vast majority of them have not completed the business succession planning process. A whopping 78% of small business owners plan to sell their businesses in order to fund their retirements, but less than one-third of them have an actual written succession plan which could be a recipe for disaster. Individuals who are counting on the sale of the business to fund their retirement completely could find themselves shocked if they have not planned ahead properly. Individuals may be forced to settle the business before it has been properly evaluated by somebody else and it could mean selling the business for less than what it is worth. These are just a handful of the reasons why you need to consider a business succession plan now.

One of the biggest reasons to consider business succession planning now is that you should not count on any traditional plans unless you’ve had the opportunity to talk them over with your loved ones. For example, if you believe that your children are going to take over the business, you should never assume this until you’ve had the opportunity to speak with him directly.

A vast majority of small business owners plan to pass the business down through the family but if there is no one interested or talented enough to take on these key management roles, you could find yourself struggling to find an ideal partner when it is time to plan the transition the business quickly. You should have these conversations early in order to tap ideal individuals well in advance since you may need to develop some of the talent within the company, knowing in advance how you plan to pass it on can help you implement training opportunities now. There has never been a better time than now for business succession planning, both for protecting your family and your company’s future.