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New Zelle® Survey Data: Boomers Built Main Street. Now They’re Ready to Sell – But Gen Z and Millennials Aren’t Buying.

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6 months ago

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New survey data reveals why local American small businesses aren’t attracting buyers – and how updating operations can help win over the next generation.

NEW YORK, April 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A massive wave of small business owners is preparing to exit (often referred to as the “Silver Tsunami”), but the next generation isn’t lining up to take over.

New data from the 2026 Zelle Small Business Pulse Report reveals a generational disconnect between retiring owners and younger buyers that is putting small businesses at risk of closing. While nearly half (49%) of small business owners over 50 surveyed plan to exit within the next decade, most lack a succession plan – and many may not meet the expectations of a generation raised on fast, digital-first payments.

The result: a looming shakeout on Main Street, where businesses that fail to modernize risk being passed over, but also offer a clear path for buyers to step in, upgrade operations, and unlock potential growth.

“There is a massive opportunity right now for the next generation of entrepreneurs to skip starting from scratch and instead buy and modernize existing businesses,” said Denise Leonhard, general manager of Zelle. “For younger entrepreneurs, expectations are fundamentally different. Raised in an era of fast payments and creator-led businesses, speed, reliability and digital fluency are baseline requirements.”

The 2026 Zelle Small Business Pulse Report, which surveyed business owners approaching retirement and young or prospective entrepreneurs[1], found:

Nearly 9 in 10 (88%) say receiving payments quickly are critical or very important to reducing first-year risk84% are more attracted to businesses that already operate digitallyMore than two-thirds (67%) say outdated payment options could derail a deal altogether

At the same time, many existing businesses aren’t ready for these expectations:

60% of small business owners have no formal succession planOnly 29% say their business is modernized41% would shut down if they can’t find a buyer

The gap between what’s being sold and what buyers expect could determine whether millions of businesses change hands or disappear, with modernization emerging as a lever for increasing value amid barriers like financing, inherited liabilities and overall operational complexity.

The 9-to-5 Workday Is Dead for Small Businesses

Small businesses are already operating beyond the traditional 9-to-5 workday, and that aligns with what the next generation of small business owners expect.

In 2025, nearly half of the small businesses that used Zelle used it after 9 p.m., with more than a quarter active during midnight to 3 a.m. For Gen Z and Millennials, this kind of cash-flow is baseline for how and when businesses run.

Zelle is also powering high-value, business-critical transactions. Small businesses received an average of $477 per payment, with significantly larger amounts across certain key business functions like billing for completed work ($1,043) and recurring monthly payments ($627) for things like yard maintenance, daycare and social media services according to memo fields, a strong indicator that owners trust fast, reliable payments to run their operations.

“[Zelle] is connected to major banks, which gives them a lot of credibility. They keep excellent records financially, they have excellent confirmations as you’re going through the process; everything’s very transparent,” said Randi R., the owner of an interior design company in California. “It just expedites your business all around and saves you time and money.”

“As a small business owner, Zelle makes me feel like I can take care of my clients and make sure the business is consistent and thriving,” said Shawn W., the owner of a travel company in North Carolina. “You don’t have to worry about funds just sitting for days, you will have access as soon as you need, and your clients will have access to funds as soon as they need.”

For businesses that come up for sale, the ability to move money quickly and operate digitally may determine whether they’re seen as an opportunity – or get overlooked.

Zelle is building for both sides of the transition:

Helping current owners modernize with tools like Zelle® tag, now used by more than half of newly enrolled small businesses. This feature allows small businesses to claim a custom handle (e.g., “brooklynbarbeque”) that drops customer payments straight into the business’s eligible bank or credit union account — no email address or U.S. mobile number needed for the sender.Investing in the next wave of entrepreneurs through the Zelle® Community Development & Entrepreneurship Scholarship, which awarded $10,000 to 10 MBA students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) that aspire to keep small businesses alive and local. The scholarship is a partnership between Zelle, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and Community Development Investors.

About the 2026 Zelle Small Business Pulse Report

The 2026 Zelle Small Business Pulse Report is based on two national surveys conducted in March 2026 exploring the impact of the oncoming “Silver Tsunami,” a shift expected to see nearly 2.9 million baby-boomer small business owners retire by 2035.2

The first survey was of 500 small business owners age 50 and above. The second survey was of 250 Gen Z and Millennial current MBA students and/or MBA degree holders under the age of 45.3

About Zelle®
Zelle® powers fast, reliable person-to-person digital payments, moving more than $1 trillion between millions of consumer and small business accounts at United States banks and credit unions. Available through a network of more than 2,300 financial institutions, Zelle® enables people to send and receive money directly – without cash, checks or third-party apps. Zelle® is owned and operated by Early Warning Services, LLC, which works with America’s banks, credit unions and government agencies to drive prosperity, deliver bold innovation and improve how payments are made. Learn more at www.zelle.com.

1 Defined as MBA students or MBA degree holders under the age of 45.
2 Perman, C. (2025, October 9). Employee ownership can help weather the “silver tsunami.” Harvard Business School. https://www.hbs.edu/bigs/silver-tsunami-employee-ownership
3 This consumer research was conducted by Accelerant Research in partnership with Early Warning Services, LLC. The quotes featured were obtained via Qualitative Interviews (N=12) in March 2026. A 10-minute online survey was conducted among 500 small businessowners (age 50+) and 250 MBA enrollees or recent graduates (age<45). Participants were compensated for their time.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-zelle-survey-data-boomers-built-main-street-now-theyre-ready-to-sell–but-gen-z-and-millennials-arent-buying-302753302.html

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Sapient Insights Group Reveals the HR Technology Solutions Ranking Highest in Vendor Satisfaction and User Experience for 2026

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23 minutes ago

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October 21, 2026

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Voice of the Customer badges awarded across 23 HR technology categories, based on 10,000 responses to Sapient’s 2026-2027 Annual HR Systems Survey

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Sapient Insights Group today revealed the HR technology solutions ranking highest in vendor satisfaction and user experience in its 2026-2027 HR Systems Survey, now in its 29th year. This year Sapient awarded 630 Voice of the Customer badges across 23 technology categories and three company sizes. The rankings are based on responses from HR professionals representing 6,038 organizations.

Stacey Harris, Chief Research Officer and Managing Partner at Sapient Insights Group, presents the HR technology solutions ranking highest in vendor satisfaction and user experience for 2026.

To help buyers find the providers that fit their organization, the rankings are split into three company sizes: small, mid-sized, and enterprise. Respondents rate their satisfaction with their current solution in each technology category on a scale of 1 to 5, with attention to support and service. Sapient also ranks solutions on user experience. The top five solutions in each category and size earn a badge for vendor satisfaction and a badge for user experience. Three categories with smaller sample sizes (Time Labor Budgeting, Contingent Workforce Management, and Skills Management) are ranked in aggregate across all company sizes.

The survey continues to grow with the HR technology market. New this year, the survey adds Compliance Management to the HR Blueprint, application-level outcome questions, payment models for applications and AI, and finance applications covering Core, Expense, and Planning. It also asks more “why” questions throughout, so the results show not just what organizations are doing but the reasons behind their choices.

“Our Voice of the Customer rankings come straight from HR practitioners, with no sponsorship involved, which is why buyers and vendors both pay attention to them,” said Stacey Harris, chief research officer and managing partner at Sapient Insights Group. “This year we expanded the rankings to cover more of the HR technology landscape, which gives buyers a clearer view of how solutions perform for the specific work they need done, not just at the suite level. It also gives vendors honest feedback from the people who use their products every day.”

The highest-ranking solutions for vendor satisfaction are listed below. Rankings include point solutions, modules within technology suites, and in some cases service providers.

Payroll
Dayforce – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

HR Management
Dayforce – Enterprise
HiBob – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Benefits
Businessolver – Enterprise
Fidelity NetBenefits/PSW – Mid-sized
HiBob – Small

HR Service Delivery: Portal
Dovetail – Enterprise
Workday Help – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

HR Service Delivery: Content Management
Dovetail – Enterprise
DocuSign – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

HR Service Delivery: Employee Help Desk
Dovetail – Enterprise
ServiceNow – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

HR Service Delivery: Engagement Survey
Dovetail – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Time and Attendance
Darwinbox – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

Absence Management
Darwinbox – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Leave Management
Darwinbox – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

Workforce Scheduling
Darwinbox – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

Labor Budgeting
isolved – All sizes

Learning
Cornerstone – Enterprise
OpenSesame – Mid-sized
isolved – Small

Recruiting
Indeed – Enterprise
Greenhouse – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Onboarding
Dayforce – Enterprise
isolved (ApplicantPro) – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Performance
Dayforce – Enterprise
HiBob – Mid-sized
BambooHR – Small

Compensation
Dayforce – Enterprise
Payscale Payfactors – Mid-sized
Insperity – Small

Succession
Dayforce – Enterprise
Microsoft Glint – Mid-sized
Paylocity – Small

Rewards and Recognition
Awardco – Enterprise
isolved – Mid-sized
Gifted – Small

Analytics
Visier – Enterprise
Visier – Mid-sized
UKG People Analytics – Small

AI/ML
Visier Vee – Enterprise
Grammarly – Mid-sized
Anthropic Claude – Small

Contingent Workforce Management
ServiceNow – All sizes

Skills Management HiBob – All sizes

The complete Voice of the Customer results, including the top five solutions for vendor satisfaction and user experience in every category and company size, are available here (https://sapientinsights.com/top-vendors/).

Sapient Insights Group will publish detailed survey findings and analysis in its annual HR Systems Research Report on November 6, 2026. The report will be available to purchase here (https://sapientinsights.com/shop/).

About the 2026-2027 HR Systems Survey

Now in its 29th year, Sapient’s HR Systems Survey is the longest-running, most comprehensive survey of the HR technology landscape, and the only fully objective, non-sponsored study of its kind. This year, HR professionals representing 6,038 organizations around the globe took part. The survey now covers 23 technology categories. The annual report includes an in-depth look at each category, along with current and future adoption rates, customer retention, replacement plans, and projected vendor growth.

For more information about the survey and report, schedule a call (https://calendly.com/summerorellano/schedule-a-call-with-sapient-insights-group).

About Sapient Insights Group Sapient Insights Group is a certified women-owned, privately-owned consulting, research, and advisory firm. The company works with organizations in the areas of HR and finance technology; HR strategy and transformation; leadership and culture; change management; talent management; mergers and acquisitions; and project management. The company’s HR Systems Survey is the HR profession’s most trusted source for objective data on the HR technology market and insights to guide buyer investments and vendor product development and marketing. For more information, visit www.sapientinsights.com.

Media Contact

Allison Williams, Sapient Insights Group, 1 4043044748, Info@sapientinsights.com, https://sapientinsights.com/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/sapient-insights-group-reveals-the-hr-technology-solutions-ranking-highest-in-vendor-satisfaction-and-user-experience-for-2026-302915884.html

SOURCE Sapient Insights Group

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SAJ Debuts First CEC-Approved Systems under Australia’s New Battery Standard at All Energy 2026

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23 minutes ago

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October 21, 2026

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EK70 HS5 and EK90 HS5 on show at Stand M143, with Australia’s Strongest Man at Stand E01 and the SAJ range across three distributor stands

MELBOURNE, Australia, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SAJ will exhibit at All Energy Australia 2026 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on 28–29 October. At Stand M143, installers can get their first hands-on look at the EK70 HS5 and EK90 HS5, the first products approved under Australia’s new SA TS 5398 standard.

At 2pm on Wednesday 28 October, DEKRA and CCS will present SAJ with the CEC certificates for the EK70 HS5 and EK90 HS5 on the stand, making SAJ the first brand listed under SA TS 5398. SAJ and DEKRA will also sign a strategic cooperation agreement covering safety, quality and compliance.

On the stand

EK70 HS5 – the all-in-one home energy system, combining hybrid inverter, LFP battery and whole-home backup in one unit. Modular 6, 7 and 9 kWh battery blocks stack to suit the household.EK90 HS5 – the premium tier, with 12,000-cycle cells, nine-layer safety protection, edge AI and a 15-year warranty.B2S and H2 – modular storage and the latest from SAJ’s residential range.elekeeper 5.0 – SAJ’s energy management app, with AI-assisted design, five-minute app commissioning and remote diagnosis.C&I – SAJ’s latest commercial and industrial solutions.

Live demonstrations of the EK70 HS5 and EK90 HS5, elekeeper 5.0 and the C&I range run at 10am on both days and again at 3pm on Wednesday.

Visitors can also play the claw machine on the stand throughout both days to win tennis balls signed by SAJ brand ambassador Alex de Minaur.

Beat Australia’s Strongest Man of 2026 at Stand E01

At Stand E01, near the hall entrance, visitors can take on Bradman Houston, Australia’s Strongest Man 2026, on the high striker. Bradman will be there each day. Anyone who beats his score wins!

Bradman recently partnered with SAJ and Sydney Solar & Electrical on a video series about lifting technique and fitness for solar installers, now on SAJ’s Instagram.

SAJ across the floor

The SAJ range is also on show with the company’s three national distribution partners, for stock, pricing and account conversations:

One Stop Warehouse – Stand EE113, with the EK90 HS5 on displaySupply Partners – Stand L135Tradezone – Stand S113

“All Energy is where the industry sees what’s next, and for SAJ that’s the EK70 HS5 and EK90 HS5,” said Alan Li, the Sales Director of SAJ Electric Australia. “Installers told us they want one integrated system that’s faster to install and that they can stand behind. Being the first brand listed under SA TS 5398 is the proof. We’d love installers to see both systems up close at Stand M143, and to try their luck against Bradman at E01 while they’re there.”

Visit SAJ

Where: Stand M143 (Beat the Strongest Man at Stand E01), Melbourne Convention and Exhibition CentreWhen: Wednesday 28 – Thursday 29 October 2026More information: au.saj-electric.com

About SAJ

Founded in Guangzhou in 2005, SAJ (Guangzhou Sanjing Electric Co., Ltd.) is a specialist in smart energy storage, delivering integrated solutions across solar generation, battery storage, energy management and EV charging for residential and commercial customers. SAJ has operated in Australia since 2013 and works with three national distribution partners – One Stop Warehouse, Supply Partners and Tradezone – backed by local technical support and warranty infrastructure.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/saj-debuts-first-cec-approved-systems-under-australias-new-battery-standard-at-all-energy-2026-302915502.html

SOURCE SAJ

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Starvia Automotive Expands Used-Car Exports to Afghanistan and Iran

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24 minutes ago

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October 21, 2026

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GUANGZHOU, China, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Starvia Automotive has added Afghanistan and Iran to the destinations covered by its used-car export business, the company said on Oct. 21, as it focuses on used vehicles built to Chinese-market specifications. Buyers in both markets can now request an assessment of a specific vehicle before an order is confirmed.

What the review covers

For a used vehicle, the model name alone does not determine whether an export order can proceed. Year of manufacture, vehicle identity, condition, ownership documents and destination import rules are reviewed for each request, together with carrier acceptance, transit requirements and payment restrictions, according to the company.

Starvia cited two listings in its online used-car catalog as examples of the process: a 2023 Volkswagen Polo and a 2021 Volkswagen Tharu. The company said the listings show published stock and do not confirm that either unit is available or eligible for import into both markets. Stock, vehicle records and destination suitability are confirmed before a model is presented as an order option.

How an inquiry is handled

Inquiries are submitted through the company’s online form, which asks for destination city, importer details, preferred vehicle, quantity and purchasing timeframe. Starvia said the information is used to identify suitable vehicles, check documentation and seek a transport option, and that alternatives can be discussed if the first model does not meet the requirements.

An Arabic-language version of the site is available at https://www.starviaauto.com/ar?utm_source=prnews for buyers who prefer Arabic.

Any vehicle offer, freight estimate or shipment timing remains subject to commercial, regulatory and logistics checks, the company said. Buyers should obtain destination-side import approval before committing to a purchase.

About Starvia Automotive

Starvia Automotive is a Guangzhou-based exporter of new and used vehicles. Its online catalog lists used cars with vehicle history and inspection information for buyers in multiple regions.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/starvia-automotive-expands-used-car-exports-to-afghanistan-and-iran-302915298.html

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