Retire or Move On

Exiting a business can come early or late in your tenure, even if you are the founder. Few people start a business and stary with it 20 years or more but that certainly is an option. From my own personal observation the average is about 8 to 10 years when an owner is ready for a change of some type.

Maybe it's beacuse of the stress, long hours or lost interest in the business. When a business reaches a success level that was in the owner's plan, they may not want to set new goals and just exit. On the other hand, maybe the business never got to the level the owner wanted and they are ready for a new challenge, somewhere else.

Regardless of the reason for wanting to get out, you will need a way of disposing of the business. Three ways are: selling it, closing down or handing it over to a family member or employee.
More on business ideas in chapter 20 of my upcoming book "The Smart Guide for Business Startups" available soon in bookstores.