Small Business Owners Showing Economic Optimism

Worries from small business owners regarding the economy in the United States appear to be on the decline, if recent research from Discover Small Business Watch is any indication.

Discover recently polled a number of small business owners and found that attitudes toward this subject are the most optimistic they have been since last July.

"Small business owners are seeing some of the larger efforts being made to improve the economy, such as the Fed interest rate cuts and slowing down of downward momentum, so they appear to be less apprehensive," said Sastry Rachakonda, director of Discover’s business credit card.

"Not only are they more positive about their perceived notions of the economy, but they indicated this month more willingness to start investing again in their businesses," Rachakonda added.

Here are a few interesting statistics from Discover’s study:

- 34% of small business owners said they see economic conditions for their businesses getting better over the next 6 months, up from 31% last month

– 67% feel that economic conditions in the U.S. are getting worse, a decrease from 74% in January.
 
– 43% said they have experienced cash flow issues over the last 90 days, down from 44% in January, but consistent with recent months.

Discover provides more stats of this nature in a press release.

How do you as a small business owner feel about these findings? Are you optimistic about the economy’s near future? At least more so than six months ago? We would love to hear your comments.