An upheaval is reshaping the small business landscape, but contrary to popular belief, it's not necessarily a destructive force — it could be your golden opportunity. Financial experts are calling it the "silver tsunami": the wave of small business ownership transfers triggered by the retirement of the Baby Boomer generation, who currently own 30 percent of the nation's nearly 35 million small businesses, according to Guidant Financial and the U.S. Small Business Administration, respectively.

For younger entrepreneurs, this could be a game-changer. With Baby Boomers retiring at an accelerating pace, now is the ideal time for Gen-Xers and Millennials to step into business ownership — if they're prepared to navigate the unique dynamics of buying a company from a retiring generation.

Related: Baby Boomer Businesses Are Up for Grabs — Here's How Entrepreneurs Can Benefit In 2025

Let's break it down with hard numbers. Fewer than 15 percent of boomer companies are passed on to the family's next generation,

© Entrepreneur