Tuesday, June 16, 2026

US small business owners: how are you operating in the current economic climate?

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An index of US small business optimism reportedly fell in May to the lowest level since October 2024, which Bloomberg says has erased “almost all of the gains seen since President Donald Trump was elected for a second term”.

The National Federation of Independent Business optimism index fell 0.6 points to 95.3, according to data put out last week. The measure had previously hit a six-year high in December 2024 following Trump’s re-election.

Some of the top concerns for small business owners included taxes, inflation and cost of labor. A sizable 29% of respondents also reported they were struggling to fill jobs.

In light of these findings we’d like to find out how small business owners in the US are faring. Are you operating differently because of the current economic climate? What changes have you made? Do you have any concerns?

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