Many small business owners are betting on growth in the year ahead, even as inflation, labor shortages and economic uncertainty continue to pressure operations, a new survey finds.About 80% of small business owners say they are confident in their outlook, and about 79% expect revenue growth in 2026, according to Comerica Bank’s Small Business Pulse Index released Dec. 9.Those expecting growth project an average revenue increase of 7.9%.”It is evident that challenges are still weighing heavily on them, but they remain cautiously optimistic about what’s ahead in 2026,” Larry Franco, executive vice president and national director of retail and small business banking at Comerica Bank, told FOX Business.HOUSE REPUBLICANS MOVE TO REPEAL PROPOSED BIDEN-ERA HEAT-SAFETY RULE, CITING BURDENS ON SMALL BUSINESSESTo offset rising costs, small businesses are increasingly turning to technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), to boost efficiency and manage costs, according to Franco.”We are seeing smaller businesses leverage productivity tools and are likely to outperform peers who don’t,” he said.However, hiring remains more mixed. Labor shortages and rising expenses are making some business owners “hesitant” to expand their workforce, Franco said.THIS FAST-GROWING CHAIN SAYS ‘NO DISCOUNTS’ – AND IT’S PAYING OFF”As a result, I believe job growth among small
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Small business owners in the Midwest seeing stress from consumers
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National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) survey data shows small business owners are feeling more optimistic about the economy but increasingly concerned about inflation, which has consistently been cited as their top operating problem for over a year.FOX Business spoke with two Midwest small business owners Tuesday about their take on the economy, and both said that while their businesses are doing fine, many of their customers are not.Penny Olson, owner of Waukesha Antique Mall in Waukesha, Wisconsin, says her business is doing well overall, but she has noticed a slowdown in foot traffic and an increase in people selling their heirlooms.”I think that people are stressed out by politics and the economy, and this is kind of like their chocolate, you know,” Olson told FOX Business, “where they buy things for pleasure, to make them feel good.”INFLATION IS STILL A BIG CONCERN FOR SMALL BUSINESSES: CODIE SANCHEZWaukesha Antinque Mall has been in operation for 35 years, and Olson has owned the shop for the last 12. She said all of her business’s costs have gone up in recent years, from the electric bills to garbage pick-up to advertising, and that increase in expenses is “one thing that small businesses
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Small business uncertaintly hits all-time high ahead of Election Day
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Wall Street might be booming, but Main Street is feeling more uncertainty than ever ahead of Election Day, as polling shows the race between former President Trump and Vice President Harris is a dead heat.The National Federation of Independent Businesses’ (NFIB) Uncertainty Index surged 11 points in September to 103, the highest reading on record, indicating small business owners’ jitters about the future are at an unprecedented level.”Uncertainty makes owners hesitant to invest in capital spending and inventory, especially as inflation and financing costs continue to put pressure on their bottom lines,” said NFIB chief economist Bill Dunkelberg. “Although some hope lies ahead in the holiday sales season, many Main Street owners are left questioning whether future business conditions will improve.”Shawn Cole, co-founder of Cowen Partners Executive Search, says the findings come as no surprise, saying “It feels like we’re in a stalemate right now.”FLORIDA BUSINESSES FEAR HURRICANE MILTON WILL WORSEN HELENE ‘DEVASTATION’: ‘LOOKS LIKE A THIRD-WORLD COUNTRY’”What makes this stalemate so frustrating is how long it’s dragged on,” he told FOX Business. “Inflation remains a top concern, and with broader economic issues, like the upcoming elections, there’s no clear path forward.”Inflation remains the top operating problem small business owners