As part of our ongoing efforts to understand the challenges small business owners face, we continue to track sentiments, investments, outlook and top challenges for today’s small business owner.
Complete Statistics from Small Business Outlook Trends Report
Small Business Outlook Winter 2017
- 50% Optimistic
- 43% Satisfied
- 7% Discouraged
Top Investment Plans Winter 2017
- 18.5% No plans to invest or expand the business
- 17.5% Marketing efforts
- 17.5% New products/inventory
Top Internal Challenges Winter 2017
- 30.7% Hiring skilled workers
- 27.1% Cash Flow
- 24.1% Marketing/advertising
Top External Challenges Winter 2017
- 28.3% Competitors
- 27.8% Customer spending
- 13.6% Healthcare costs
Small Business Outlook Spring 2018
- 43.96% Optimistic
- 38.65% Satisfied
- 17.39% Discouraged
Top Investment Plans Spring 2018
- 46.86% no plans to invest / expand
- 17.38% plan to invest in marketing
- 10.14% plan to upgrade facility/equipment
Top Internal Challenges Spring 2018
- 38.78% Finding leads/new business
- 22.45% Evolving technology
- 19.81% Marketing/advertising
Top External Challenges Spring 2018
- 29.95% Customer spending
- 17.39% Competitors
- 11.59% Healthcare costs
Small Business Outlook Summer 2018
- 39.73% Optimistic
- 43.75% Satisfied
- 16.52% Discouraged
Top Investment Plans Summer 2018
- 44.20% no plans to invest/expand
- 15.18% plan to invest in marketing
- 11.61% plan to upgrade facility /equipment
Top Internal Challenges Summer 2018
- 56% Finding Time
- 35.88% Marketing /Advertising (combined outreach and marketing percentages here)
- 32.14% Cash flow/ Access to working capital
Top External Challenges Summer 2018
- 30.14% Customer Spending
- 25.57% Competitors
- 14.61% Local Government Business Regulations
