If you’re a business owner, you’ve heard the hype: “The greatest transfer of wealth in history is happening now.” But behind the scenes, something much darker is unfolding for most small and mid-sized companies. What’s really happening is the great theft of wealth—a widespread loss of value, legacy, and financial security for owners who never prepared to exit.

Jason Sisneros, host of Built to Exit, calls this out in episode 31: “The Great Theft of Wealth: Boomers Are Getting CLEANED OUT.” With thousands of Boomers retiring every day, you’d expect a gold rush of exits. But most of them aren’t cashing out—they’re getting wiped out.

The Great Theft of Wealth Is Real—and It’s Happening Quietly

The numbers are shocking:

• 93% of businesses listed for sale never sell
• 40% of owners want to exit in the next five years but have no plan
• Most owners who do exit don’t get what they were promised or paid

This is the great theft of wealth—and it’s robbing entrepreneurs of their life’s work while private equity firms and predatory buyers scoop up assets for pennies.

7 Reasons the Great Theft of Wealth Is Happening Right Now

It’s not by accident. The system is broken—and if you don’t know the rules of the game, you’ll lose by default.

Delusional Valuations Trigger the Great Theft of Wealth

Most business owners overestimate what their business is worth. Whether it’s emotional attachment or bad advice from a broker trying to win their listing, this inflated number delays real action. It’s the first domino in a chain reaction that ends with a lowball offer—or no buyer at all.

As Jason says, “The worst person to value your business is you.”

Unqualified Buyers Exploit the Great Theft of Wealth

A new wave of so-called “M&A experts” are being churned out by weekend seminars. They pitch “no money down” deals, pressure owners into seller financing, and often walk away with the company while the seller sees little to no actual cash. These unvetted buyers are fueling the great theft of wealth from hard-working entrepreneurs.

Ego Keeps Owners from Escaping the Great Theft of Wealth

This may sting—but it’s the truth: many owners sabotage their exits out of pride.

“I don’t need help.”
“My cousin is handling it.”
“I’ll figure it out.”

This mindset keeps you stuck. If your business relies on you to function, it’s worth almost nothing to a buyer. And when the time comes, you’ll either sell at a steep discount—or not at all.

How to Avoid the Great Theft of Wealth and Exit on Your Terms

The good news? There is a way out. But it requires preparation, discipline, and humility.

Start by facing the facts. Take a full exit readiness assessment. Then commit to cleaning your books, documenting your processes, and replacing yourself in operations. Build predictable, recurring revenue. Tighten up your legal and IP structure. And most importantly, create competitive tension by courting multiple buyers when the time comes.

Every Owner Exits—But Only the Prepared Avoid the Great Theft of Wealth

If you only remember one thing from this blog, let it be this:

Every business owner exits. The only question is how.

The great theft of wealth will continue claiming unprepared owners until we do something different. If you want your family to benefit from your years of sacrifice, if you want to preserve your legacy and cash out on your terms, you must build with the exit in mind—starting now.

If you haven’t already, take Jason’s Built to Exit Readiness Assessment and subscribe to the podcast. Whether you use Jason’s team or not, use his truth.