As more US business owners retire many are selling up to their staff
Many U.S. business owners approaching retirement are choosing to sell their companies to their employees rather than external buyers. The trend is illustrated by Softstar Shoes, which transferred ownership to its 30‑person workforce through an Employee Ownership Trust. Analysts warn that the wave of retirements among baby‑boomer owners could reshape the small‑business landscape, with employee ownership seen as a viable alternative.
- ▪Softstar Shoes was sold to its 30 employees via an Employee Ownership Trust, with former owner Tricia Salcido staying on as CFO and receiving payment from future profits.
- ▪A 2025 study estimates that up to 600 U.S. firms are sold to workers each year, and investment funds for such deals rose 78% to $865 million in the previous year.
- ▪McKinsey reports that about six million small and medium‑sized U.S. companies will see their baby‑boomer owners retire between now and 2035, creating a "once‑in‑a‑generation" ownership transition wave.
- ▪Research shows employee‑owned firms tend to be more productive, less likely to lay off staff, and often pay higher wages, motivating owners to preserve jobs and local control.
- ▪Harvard Business School professor Ethan Rouen notes that many owners prefer employee ownership to avoid the risks of sale to private equity or larger corporations, as exemplified by William Stockwell’s ESOP transition at Stockwell Elastomer
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| Original publisher | BBC News — Business |
| Canonical URL | https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0ey87z1ggjo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss |
| Publication time | Sun, 14 Jun 2026 23:26:01 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-06-14T23:27:33.465Z |
| Last seen | 2026-06-14T23:27:33.465Z |
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As more US business owners retire many are selling up to their staffJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleChris MarshallBusiness reporterSoftstar ShoesStaff at Software Shoes in Oregon now own the businessStaff at Softstar Shoes in Oregon have discovered a newfound enthusiasm for eking out resources and growing profits.It started in January when the shoemaker became owned by its 30-strong workforce.Former sole owner and chief executive Tricia Salcido had decided to sell the business to the employees, because at age 56 she is starting to plan for her future retirement.Salcido, who for next few years is staying on as chief financial officer, says that colleagues are now offering lots of suggestions for how to best run aspects of the business."I'm getting personal emails from employees…
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