New research · 1,104 U.S. small business owners
Exit Factor surveyed 1,104 U.S. small business owners about how ready they feel to exit, and how ready they actually are. The gap between the two is the story.
52%
confident they could exit successfully starting tomorrow
72%
have no formal exit plan or advisor
A generation of small business owners is approaching a transition most haven’t planned for
Every small business eventually changes hands, through a sale, a transfer to family, or the owner’s death. This study looks at how U.S. small business owners see that moment coming, what they’ve actually done to prepare for it, and where confidence and reality pull apart. The findings below are drawn directly from the survey results.
22%
expect to sell or transfer their business within the next four years
66%
plan to actively sell or transfer the business during their lifetime
34%
default to passing the business on at death, with no active transaction planned
How this study was conducted
Respondents were recruited from a diverse mix of panels, apps, websites and reward programs. Researchscape applied a Total Survey Quality approach, screening for inattentiveness, response speed, straight-lining and suspicious activity. Results are unweighted estimates, not a probability sample.
1,104
expect to sell or transfer their business within the next four years
Aug 24 - Sep 11
2026 field window, conducted by Researchscape International
85%
of respondents founded the business themselves, a founder-heavy sample
Finding 01
More than half of owners say they’re very or completely confident they could exit successfully if they had to start tomorrow. But a third have taken no concrete steps to prepare: confidence and readiness are measuring two very different things.
Finding 02
Most owners have their personal financial future tied to the business, but few have a real, current answer to what it’s actually worth.
64%
have at least half of their personal net worth tied up in the business
82%
have never had a professional valuation
Finding 03
A health scare outranks every financial or market factor combined as the thing most likely to push an owner into exit planning.
Finding 04
Identity and purpose hold up planning nearly as much as any financial or logistical barrier.
44%
say uncertainty about who they’d be, or what they’d do, without the business has affected their exit planning (14% call it a major reason)
Finding 05
CPAs, financial advisors and attorneys are common. Business or exit-planning coaches are not, and 18% of owners work with no advisor at all.
Finding 06
34% plan to pass the business on at death, the single largest response, which often means no transaction, and no realized value, was ever planned for.
For media &
franchise owners
Free to cite with attribution to the Exit Factor SBO Study 2026 (Researchscape International).
52%
of small business owners are very or completely confident they could successfully exit starting tomorrow
72%
have no formal written plan or paid asvisor
64%
have at least half their personal net worth tied up in the business
82%
have never had ta professional business valuation
45%
say a health issue or scare is the #1 thing that would push them to begin or accelerate exit planning
44%
say uncertainty about who they’d be without the business has affected their exit planning
69%
of businesses depend on the owner to keep running
10%
currently work with a business or exit-planning coach / consultant
34%
currently work with a business or exit-planning coach / consultant
45%
were approached about selling in 12 months
Key takeaways
01
Feeling ready and being ready are two different measurements. Close the gap before you need to.
02
A free estimate or a guess is not a valuation, and most of an owner's net worth may be riding on it.
03
Health, burnout and family circumstances shouldn't be the plan. Start before life forces the timeline.
04
Exit planning is its own discipline, and only 10% of owners currently have that specialist.
Talk to an Exit Factor advisor about a real valuation, a written exit plan, and what your next chapter looks like.