Every year in the United States, more than 627,000 new businesses open, according to estimates from the Small Business Administration, SBA. That's more than half a million people deciding to leave their 9 to 5 job and set out on their own. Unfortunately, not everyone is cut out to be a small business owner, as evident by the nearly 595,000 businesses that close every year. To those companies that are able to get off the ground and running, only 51 percent are able to remain in business for more than five years.