Almost half of Australia’s small business owners are over the age of 50, and thousands are approaching retirement. But many of these owners don’t have a clear plan for what happens next: no successor, no buyer, no clear path to secure the future for the companies they’ve built. This represents an estimated $15 billion worth of small business equity value waiting to be unlocked for the next generation of leaders.
Beyond equity value, these businesses are central to local economies and communities. There are more than 2.5 million small businesses operating in Australia, contributing over $500 billion to the economy – nearly one-third of our GDP. These businesses employ one in five Australians and include everything from our local coffee shops and construction firms, to healthcare services and manufacturing.
But without intervention, many of these businesses could disappear as founders struggle to identify viable succession plans.
The implications of succession failure are widespread — good businesses go out of business, jobs are lost, community services are disrupted, and economic value evaporates. Conversely, viable succession plans can protect legacies, retain local employment, and preserve Australia’s small business engine at large.
The other side of the equation is future business leaders. Thousands of capable, motivated professionals are looking for more than a job — they’re looking for purpose, security, and a better value exchange for their time. Many are interested in ownership and leading their own thing, but they struggle to access the capital to purchase businesses, and the business sale process is fragmented and inefficient.
This is backed up by data. According to SEEK and PwC research, younger and mid-career Australians are:
- Feeling disengaged at work
- Seeking more meaning and autonomy
- Actively looking for career paths that offer both purpose and wealth-building potential
Succession could be the solution — but we have to redesign the system. At Genshare, we’re tackling this head-on.
We’re not private equity. We’re not a search fund. We’re not a broker. We’re a succession partner for retiring business owners who care about their legacies, and for next-gen leaders who want to own businesses, not just work in them.
Here’s how our model works:
- We acquire successful small businesses turning over between $2M and $10M
- We match those businesses with next-gen leaders using our AI-powered matching platform
- We integrate those leaders into the business and put them on an equity pathway from day one
- We provide support, mentorship, and a pathway to majority ownership
- Our business network expands and benefits from shared services
We believe it’s a true win-win: founders get value for what they’ve built, and the next generation gets to participate in business ownership, securing a more meaningful and secure future for themselves.
Genshare’s goal is to unlock billions in small business equity value for the next generation, starting with the 70,000 business owners over 50 who are looking for a solution.
By removing financial and operational barriers, we’re helping good businesses stay in business, while creating a new path to ownership, purpose, and prosperity for Australia’s next generation of leaders.
