The latest PNC ๐๐ข๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฝ๐ช๐จ๐๐ฃ๐๐จ๐จ ๐๐ช๐ง๐ซ๐๐ฎ reveals that confidence among small business owners is hovering near all-time highs, even as they adapt to persistent headwinds from inflation, tariffs, and interest rates.
๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐:
๐ 55% expect sales growth in the next six months (slightly down from 60% in spring).
๐ 47% plan to invest in new equipment or tech.
๐ 32% expect to hire.
๐ And despite the challenges, the surveyโs composite confidence reading is one of the highest in the surveyโs 20-year history.
PNCโs Gus Faucher calls it โ๐๐๐ช๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ช๐จ ๐ง๐๐จ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฃ๐๐.โ Owners are aware of risk, but still moving forward.
๐๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ โ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐
These businesses arenโt ignoring macro trends, theyโre navigating around them. Most are taking a smarter, more deliberate approach to growth.
They are:
๐ Prioritizing high-ROI spend
๐ Monitoring policy/tariff impacts
๐ Investing in efficiency, not just expansion
That means you need to ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐, when strategy is still flexible, not just when the RFP goes out.
You can read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/giAxGjNm
๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐๐น๐ถ๐๐๐โ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ:
Reach new SMBs at their ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฉ-๐๐๐๐๐ฎ moment. At Crosslists, we track newly formed small businesses right as they become market-ready – not weeks or months later when the competitionโs already closed them.
That means youโre reaching decision-makers while theyโre still exploring – not reacting.