Why 63% of Business Owners Are Planning Their Exit — And What That Means for You

There is a number making the rounds in the advisory world this week, and it deserves your attention: 63% of American entrepreneurs are actively planning to exit their businesses. That figure comes from the newly released 2026 UBS Global Entrepreneur Report, which surveyed 215 elite founders with a combined $34.3 billion in annual revenue. It is one of the most comprehensive snapshots of what the world's most successful business builders are thinking — and what they are thinking about is getting out.

Not out of fear. Not out of fatigue. Out of clarity.

The Great Wealth Transfer Is Underway

For years, we have talked about the coming wave of business transitions. Baby Boomers aging out. Founders reaching the end of their runway. The "silver tsunami" that would reshape the lower middle market. That wave is no longer coming. It is here.

The UBS data confirms what we see every day at Bluefin Capital Advisors: business owners who spent decades building something meaningful are now turning their attention to what comes next. Globally, 32% of entrepreneurs are considering an exit within the next five years. Among those aged 65 and older, that number jumps to 57%. And American entrepreneurs are leading the charge, with that striking 63% figure far outpacing their European (38%) and Asia-Pacific (18%) counterparts.

What makes this moment different from previous cycles is the mindset behind it. These are not distressed sellers. The same report shows that 68% of entrepreneurs remain optimistic about their business prospects over the next 12 months. They are not running from something — they are running toward something. A new chapter. A legacy secured. A family provided for.

Optimism and Exit Are Not Contradictions

One of the most common misconceptions we encounter with business owners in Tampa Bay and across Florida is the belief that planning an exit means admitting defeat. That thinking about selling is somehow disloyal to the business, the employees, or the mission.

The UBS data tells a different story. Eighty percent of the entrepreneurs surveyed expect to increase their workforce over the next five years. They are investing in AI, expanding internationally, and building operational maturity — all while simultaneously preparing for a transition. These are not contradictory impulses. They are complementary ones.

The smartest business owners understand that the same work that makes a company more valuable to a buyer also makes it a better company to run. Reducing owner dependency, documenting processes, diversifying the customer base, locking in recurring revenue — these are not just exit preparation tactics. They are good business practices that happen to command premium multiples when the time comes.

What This Means for Tampa Bay Business Owners

If you are a business owner in the $10M to $100M range, the implications of this data are significant. A flood of businesses entering the market over the next three to five years means that preparation — not just intention — will separate those who exit on their terms from those who settle for whatever the market offers.

Here is what we encourage our clients to consider right now:

Start the conversation early. The best exits are planned two to three years in advance. If 63% of your peers are already thinking about this, the competitive landscape for buyer attention will only intensify. Early preparation gives you leverage.

Get a realistic valuation. Not what you hope the business is worth. Not what your neighbor sold for. A clear-eyed, market-informed assessment of where your business stands today and what it could be worth with targeted improvements. A quality of earnings analysis is often the first step.

Build a business that runs without you. Buyers pay premiums for businesses with strong management teams, documented systems, and predictable cash flows. If the business cannot function for 90 days without your daily involvement, that is the first gap to close.

Align your personal goals with your business timeline. An exit is not just a financial event — it is a life event. What do you want your next chapter to look like? How does the sale fit into your family's legacy? These are the questions that turn a transaction into a transition.

The Climb Ahead

In The Climb to Significance, Mark Alaimo writes about the moment when a business owner realizes that success alone is not enough — that the real summit is significance. For many of the owners in that 63%, this is exactly the inflection point they have reached. They have built something remarkable. Now the question is whether they can steward it into its next chapter with the same intentionality that built it in the first place.

At Bluefin Capital Advisors, we believe that every business owner deserves to exit with clarity, not chaos. If you are among the 63% — or even just beginning to wonder what your options might look like — we would welcome the conversation.

Schedule a free Exit Clarity Call to discuss where you stand and what comes next.