A growing number of young professionals in the United States are stepping away from corporate careers to acquire small, blue collar businesses such as plumbing, electrical work, pest control and HVAC firms, according to a report by Forbes, credited to John Schroyer.
The report explained that this trend is being driven partly by a desire for more stability and better work life balance, and partly by a growing belief that businesses providing basic, hands on services are less likely to be displaced by artificial intelligence compared to many white collar jobs.
According to the report, one of those who made the shift is Andrew Kurzrok, a former mid level executive at Amphenol Sensors, who used to spend over 200 days a year travelling for work. After his wife became pregnant with their first son in 2023, Kurzrok decided to buy Hopewell Sheet Metal Manufacturing, a 45 year old family owned company in Hagerstown, Maryland, which does custom fabrication of ducts for HVAC systems.
Speaking on the decision, Kurzrok said, “It is a classic baby boomer run business that was time for transition,” noting that there was no third generation family member ready to take over the company. He added that the move had improved his quality of life considerably. “I am home with my family every single night. I am proud to say that I no longer have any frequent flyer status with the airlines. It’s great. I’m 30 pounds lighter because I’m not eating food in airports all day long. Blood pressure is lower. That doesn’t mean business ownership is easy, it’s got its own stress, but I’m really happy with the tradeoff I’ve made,” he said.
The report noted that Kurzrok is part of a broader pattern that small business experts had long predicted would become a large wave of retiring business owners selling out to younger entrepreneurs. However, small business consultant Alan Pentz explained that many businesses run by older owners are not actually fit for sale, describing most of them as “a founder who is running a glorified job” with no real assets or structure that can outlive the owner.
Those businesses considered attractive to buyers, the report said, are typically smaller firms with steady repeat income, a loyal customer base, expertise in a specific area, and properly documented accounts. Chelsea Mandel, founder and managing director of Ascension Advisory, said younger buyers are specifically looking for businesses that can run independently of the owner. “They want to buy a business that’s a machine that can run itself. They don’t want to buy a job,” she said.
Eric Pacifici, a partner at SMB Law Group, described the growing interest in niche, service based businesses as “riches in the niches,” explaining that many young buyers are drawn to companies that solve a specific, ongoing need, particularly in construction related trades and other technical services.
Patrick O’Connell, founder of O’Connell Advisory Group, said businesses with government contracts, licensing requirements or technical skill demands are increasingly seen as safer investments in the age of artificial intelligence.
“There’s overall consensus that AI is not going to eliminate them, not yet at least,” he said, noting that professions requiring licensure, such as plumbing and electrical work, offer some protection from disruption.he report also highlighted the growing role of financing in these acquisitions, particularly through the United States Small Business Administration loan programme, which allows buyers to borrow up to five million dollars to purchase existing businesses.
According to Heather Endresen, founder of Viso Business Capital, a record number of such loans, worth over eight billion dollars, were closed in 2025, though she noted that about 85 percent of businesses put up for sale by older owners never actually sell, largely due to poor documentation, unclear ownership structures or unresolved tax issues.
Why It Matters
Although the report focuses on the American market, the underlying message carries relevance for Nigeria, where conversations around job security in the face of growing automation and artificial intelligence adoption are becoming more common. As more Nigerian graduates and young professionals search for stable career paths, the experience being reported in the United States offers a useful point of reflection, that skilled trades and hands on service businesses, such as plumbing, electrical installation, generator repair, air conditioning servicing, borehole drilling and similar technical services, continue to hold long term value precisely because they require physical presence, licensing, and practical expertise that cannot be easily replaced by software or automation.
The report also draws attention to the importance of succession planning in family businesses, a challenge that resonates strongly within the Nigerian business environment, where many enterprises built by older generations often struggle to survive beyond their founders due to poor documentation, weak structures, or the absence of a clear succession plan. The experience shared by consultants in the report, particularly around the need for proper books, clear ownership structures and reduced dependence on a single individual, offers a practical lesson for Nigerian business owners hoping to eventually sell or hand over their enterprises.
For young Nigerians weighing career decisions in an increasingly uncertain job market, the report reinforces a growing global sentiment, that technical and trade based skills remain a reliable pathway to financial stability, and in many cases, may offer more long term security than certain white collar roles currently being reshaped by artificial intelligence.