2025 Business Owner Benchmark Report
Gain insight on the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing business owners with new research from The Northern Trust Institute.
2025 Outlook
A Less Than Optimistic Outlook
Despite a lack of optimism on the economic outlook at the time of polling in the early fall of 2024, business owners continue to forge ahead with big plans for their businesses in 2025.
Only
8%
of business owners have an
optimistic economic outlook
optimistic economic outlook
The Next Generation
Cultivating Confidence
Business owners are deeply committed to preparing their children, but many are not yet confident in the next generation's ability to manage wealth and business interests
of respondents feel very confident that their children could handle the responsibilities of the business or inherited wealth.
Artificial Intelligence
An Evolving Perspective
While business owners are optimistic that AI will make the world a better place, few are convinced it will help their own business. Nevertheless, many plan to invest in the technology in the next year.
57%
of business owners plan to invest
in AI next year
in AI next year
Long-Term Planning
Diverse Visions for the Future
Many business owners hope their business will still be around in 100 years, with the intention to keep their business in the family for future generations or transfer ownership to their employees.
Long Term Plans for the Business
plan to eventually sell, if the deal terms make sense
plan to keep the business in the family for future generations
plan to transfer ownership of business to employees
are undecided
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