Abstract: The United States is experiencing a demographic transition commonly referred to as the “Silver Tsunami,” a term describing the mass retirement of Baby Boomer business owners. Over the next decade, millions of small businesses are expected to transition ownership as aging entrepreneurs retire. This transition represents one of the largest transfers of privately held economic assets in modern economic history. Traditional entrepreneurship education often focuses on startup creation; however, empirical research demonstrates that startup ventures face high failure rates and significant financial risk (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). In contrast, acquiring an established business with existing customers, operational systems, and revenue streams may provide a more stable pathway to entrepreneurship. This paper examines demographic trends, entrepreneurship research, and small business survival statistics to evaluate how minority entrepreneurs may benefit from acquisition-based entrepreneurship. The findings suggest that leveraging business acquisition strategies may represent an effective pathway for minority entrepreneurs to build generational wealth while preserving local businesses and employment.

Keywords: Silver Tsunami, minority entrepreneurship, business acquisition, small business succession, generational wealth