Who dreams the most of starting their own business? According to the UPS Store, Inc., it’s Generation X.
Three out of four Gen Xers (ages 34 to 57 in this survey) said they dream of starting a small business and more than half are optimistic about opening a small business in 2018, according to the Inside Small Business Survey. Sandwiched betweenbaby boomers and millennials, Gen Xers are in the best position in their lives to be able to make a big change, said Dr. Luke Pittaway, Ohio University College of Business Copeland Professor of Entrepreneurship.
“This portion of the workforce is most likely well established in their career, financially equipped and starting to think about how they’ll spend the final stages of their career,” he said in a press release announcing the survey results.
“In many cases, even when Gen Xers andboomers reach retirement age, instead of grabbing their golf clubs or boarding a cruise ship, they’ll be looking for their next professional act,” Pittaway said. “More and more we’re seeing that later career stages and retirement is the time professionals open a small business, and for many it’s the first time.”
The survey was conducted in early March. The UPS Store commissioned Atomik Research to run a general population online survey of 1,003 people in the United States.
