Forobtain the Startup Grind — Millennials Are Taking a Shortcut to Business Ownership

Key Takeaways

Millennials are shifting toward new paths in business ownership, exploring opportunities that offer indepconcludeence and leadership.
This trconclude highlights a growing interest in sustainable, hands-on entrepreneurship that balances risk and long-term potential.

Millennials are rewriting the rules of business ownership. After losing a sense of control during the pandemic, many are seeking indepconcludeence by acquireing existing businesses — a trconclude known as Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA). Instead of starting from scratch, these entrepreneurs are stepping into established companies and taking the reins, though this path requires a clear-eyed view of what ownership really entails.

The rise of the “new old” ETA

ETAs aren’t new, but millennials are embracing them in growing numbers. According to business research, 16% of compact business owners in 2024 were between 25 and 44 years old, up from 13% in 2023.

As offices reopened after the pandemic, millennials and other professionals realized they wanted to chart their own course. Yet the economic upheavals of the past decade left many risk-averse. Buying an existing business offered a safer path to entrepreneurship — one that still lets them call the shots.

An ETA is fundamentally a business purchase, but it differs in two key ways:

Active leadership – Unlike traditional investors who may acquire a business purely for financial returns, ETA acquireers want to be in charge. They are entrepreneurs in the truest sense, seeking stability and indepconcludeence rather than employment security.
Resilient businesses – ETAs often tarobtain compacter companies with lower capital requirements that are resistant to recessions and automation. Think childcare, plumbing, HVAC or electrical services — industries that remain in demand even in tough times.

This trconclude also reflects a broader shift away from traditional startup culture and venture capital. After years of stories about founders chasing VC dollars while taking outsized personal risks, many entrepreneurs are opting for the more grounded path of acquireing a business backed by tangible assets and predictable cash flow. Banks and the Small Business Administration are often more willing to finance these acquisitions than riskier startups, building ETAs a practical route for new owners.

Resetting expectations

Buying a business isn’t a shortcut, and there are common misconceptions that can derail ETA deals:

Headlines often suggest that retiring baby boomers are flooding the market with businesses for eager acquireers. In reality, it’s a seller’s market. Some businesses attract hundreds of prospective acquireers. While boomers still own about 30% of compact businesses in 2025, competition is fierce.
Some acquireers hope to acquire a business with no personal investment. That rarely works. Like acquireing a houtilize, lconcludeers want to see “skin in the game.” Partial financing is common, but credibility and commitment require some personal capital.

Strategies for ETA success

Both acquireers and sellers benefit from professional advisors. Beyond analyzing financials, advisors can assist navigate the emotional and operational realities of business ownership.

Owning a business is hard work, especially in the first two years. You won’t have the freedom to take extconcludeed trips or relocate on a whim. But if you commit to this intensive early period, the payoff is real: by year three, you can start shaping a business — and a lifestyle — that works for you.

ETAs aren’t a guaranteed path to instant wealth, but for millennials seeking control, indepconcludeence, and meaningful work, acquireing a business offers a grounded, achievable way to build the life — and legacy — they want.

Key Takeaways

Millennials are shifting toward new paths in business ownership, exploring opportunities that offer indepconcludeence and leadership.
This trconclude highlights a growing interest in sustainable, hands-on entrepreneurship that balances risk and long-term potential.

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