Only the biggest of companies ... Most 10-50 person companies I know are 1) mostly the result of long-term-sustained hard work, not (any significant amount of)

Only the biggest of companies ... Most 10-50 person companies I know are 1) mostly the result of long-term-sustained hard work, not (any significant amount of) innovation or inheritance. Inheritance money helps with getting started, but in my observation, learning how to run a real business from your mom/dad helps a lot more than money you get from them. 2) up for grabs: the kids don't want them. The owners are either actively looking for someone to take it over, or open to offers to some degree, ranging from "someone PLEASE take over my company" to "if you pay off the capital, the business is yours". Of course, this is local builder companies, real estate companies, a hotel, shops, "Industrial" companies of limited scale producing beer, ice cream, ... Not Microsoft.