83% of Business Owners Will Never Successfully Transition Their Business. Which Side Will You Be On?

Every business owner will eventually leave their business.

The only question is whether you’ll leave on your terms—or someone else’s.

Some companies are passed down to family. Others are sold to a strategic buyer or private equity group. Some transition to employees or partners. And far too many simply close their doors because the owner waited too long to prepare.

Here’s the reality: 83% of business owners never achieve the successful transition they envisioned.

It’s not because they didn’t build a good company.

It’s because they didn’t build a business ready for what came next.

Most owners spend years growing revenue, serving customers, and solving today’s problems. Very few spend time preparing for the day they won’t be the one running the business.

The statistics tell the story. More than 70% of business owners don’t have a transition plan. As a result, only about 17% successfully transition their business on their own terms.

That’s a number we believe can and should change.

At the Business Transitions Summit, we call it becoming part of the 17% Club.

The good news? Preparing for an eventual transition doesn’t just benefit you years from now. It makes your business stronger today.

When you reduce owner dependency, build leadership, strengthen systems, improve financial performance, and create transferable value, you’re building a company that’s more profitable, more resilient, and far more enjoyable to own.

That’s why I often say:

Exit strategy isn’t about leaving your business. It’s about building a better one.

This year, we’re bringing the Business Transitions Summit to Austin for a one-day event dedicated entirely to helping business owners become more Exit Aware and ultimately Exit Ready.

We’re also excited to welcome Lewis Schiff as our keynote speaker.

Lewis has spent decades studying wealth creation, entrepreneurial success, and the decisions that separate business owners who simply build companies from those who create lasting value. His insights will challenge the way you think about your business, your future, and the opportunities available to you long before an exit is on the horizon.

Throughout the day, you’ll hear from experienced operators, advisors, investors, and fellow business owners who have been through acquisitions, succession plans, and successful transitions. You’ll leave with practical ideas you can put to work immediately—whether your transition is two years away or twenty.

Most importantly, you’ll spend a day working on your business instead of in it.

Austin is one of the fastest-growing entrepreneurial communities in the country. The companies being built here today will shape tomorrow’s economy, but only if their owners intentionally prepare for what’s next.

If you care about your business’s future value, your legacy, and your options, take the next step and make this a day you can’t afford to miss.

Reserve your spot now; only a limited number of business owners will be in the room.

The question is simple:

Choose the 83% or join the 17% Club.

See you in Austin.

About the Business Transitions Summit

The Business Transitions Summit is an event for business owners who are serious about what's next - whether growing, evolving, or exiting. BTS helps attendees identify where they are in their entrepreneurial journey, gain clarity on what’s next, and walk away with the tools and strategies to move forward with purpose. 

About Tom Bronson

Tom Bronson is a serial entrepreneur and business owner. As the founder and President of Mastery Partners and Business Transitions Summit and a Founding Partner at NorthStar Mergers, Tom empowers business owners to maximize their company’s value and achieve their dream exit. Discover more at masterypartners.com & northstar-mergers.com.