Over a third of small business owners want out; More young freelancers calling it quits

Over a third of small business owners, with fewer than 50 employees, are giving consideration to selling or transferring their business within five years. Freelancers, self-employed people with no employees, are much more motivated to continue their businesses, with only a quarter considering selling. But the number of freelancers in the Dutch labor market decreased for the first time in years in 2025. Particularly, young freelancers called it quits.

The main reason for small business owners to consider selling is retirement, the Financieele Dagblad reported, based on the latest Small Business Index by credit agency Qredits, ONL, and Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. Many entrepreneurs who already sold a business are also considering selling again.

Of all entrepreneurs surveyed, 12 percent were considering selling at the end of last year. Another 23 percent think they’ll sell in the future. Women are less likely to consider selling their business than men, at 28 and 37 percent, respectively.

According to FD, the sales market for SMEs has improved slightly indecent years. Dutch SMEs are also popular abroad, especially those with specific specializations, expertise, or brand rights.

The index showed that three-quarters of freelancers are determined to keep going with their business. And yet, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported that the number of freelancers in the Netherlands decreased for the first time in years in 2025.

Last year, the number of freelancers fell by 62,000 to 1.2 million total. The decrease was particularly visible among young people. In 2024, over 100,000 young people worked as freelancers. Last year, that number dropped to 86,000.

In the first half of the year, many freelancers started working as employees. And in the last six months, fewer new freelancers started. “This is likely related to the Tax Authority’s stricter enforcement of fake self-employment, i.e., freelancers who are actually employees,” CBS chief economist Peter Hein van Mulligen told NOS.

The vast majority of all self-employed people who started working as employees last year now have a flexible employment contract. According to Van Mulligen, this is likely to retain the freedom they were accustomed to as freelancers.