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Small Business Survey: Finding Time the Biggest Challenge for Owners

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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.

Small Business Survey: Finding Time the Biggest Challenge for Owners
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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