The huge transfer of small business wealth is the last big direct impact that the baby boomers are going to have on the economy during their working lives, said Glenn Huber, president of Calgary-based private equity firm Chrysalis Acquisition Partners Inc. After that, boomers’ big influence will be mainly on the travel industry, retirement homes, and ultimately, the funeral business.
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| Jacoline Loewen, director of business development |
Jacoline Loewen, director of business development at UBS Bank (Canada)
and an expert on small business succession, said the recession delayed the start of the boomer transition because many entrepreneurs did not want to sell out while the economy was weak. Now, she said, many are ready to think about it, although few have done the necessary preparation. That has created an even bigger bubble of small companies ready to change hands.
and an expert on small business succession, said the recession delayed the start of the boomer transition because many entrepreneurs did not want to sell out while the economy was weak. Now, she said, many are ready to think about it, although few have done the necessary preparation. That has created an even bigger bubble of small companies ready to change hands.
Ideally, business owners should begin thinking about transition five to 10 years before they leave, she said, and even before they hit their 50th birthday. In preparation, they should hire advisers, or at least set up an expert advisory board that can help guide them and provide contacts. But baby boomers tend to overestimate their health and stamina, and “stay on for far too long,” Ms. Loewen said.
The first choice for many small business owners is to have their children take over, Ms. Loewen said, although often the kids just aren’t interested, having seen the toll that running an enterprise can take. When the children are keen to take over, she said, a proper valuation of the business needs to be performed, and the next generation should be prepared to buy in – even competing with external buyers if necessary.
At Alps Welding, Mr. Dussin and his parents set up a structure where he received shares that will gain value as the business grows. Eventually, he can buy out his parents’ holding.
More importantly, Mr. Dussin said, was the gradual process of shifting managerial control from one generation to the next. He came in as vice-president 11 years ago, then took on more responsibility over time, becoming president about five years ago.
Mr. Dussin’s father is still involved, and that is a key aspect of baby-boomer business succession if it is to proceed smoothly. “This business is my father’s life … He doesn’t have a lot of interests outside of work. It is not like he has been waiting to play golf five times a week,” Mr. Dussin said.
PricewaterhouseCoopers, in a recent report, predicts a “highly competitive buyer’s market between 2018 and 2025” for family businesses, and suggests that many owners will not get the nest egg they hoped for.
Over all, the sale of small businesses in the coming decade will involve a massive transfer of assets – estimated at between $1-trillion and $4-trillion in Canada alone. And if many of those businesses simply close up shop, it could damage the economy through significant loss of employment.
Boomers will pass a small-business baton worth as much as $4-trillion
Boomers will pass a small-business baton worth as much as $4-trillion
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