Small biz making gains despite setbacks

Owning and successfully operating a small business can be difficult and challenging even in the best of times. Getting a handle on where things are and what the future may hold can be a tricky thing. At the end of every month, the National Federation of Independent Businesses takes the pulse of the nation’s small businesses. The following data is taken directly from their recently published report:

• This survey was conducted with a random sample of 20,000 NFIB members from
  NFIB’s membership database of about 300,000 small business owners. The survey
  was conducted by email from June 26-30, 2021.
• While the economy is surging ahead for many due to strong consumer spending,
  the recovery remains uneven across the small business sector. Some small
  businesses are still waiting for consumers to return to their industry sector, while
  others are saddled with aggravating supply chain disruptions or challenges filling
  open positions that are slowing sales opportunities.
• Sales levels are 50% or less than they were pre-crisis levels for 16% of small
  businesses with another 21% at sales levels of 51%-75% pre-crisis. Thirty-six
  percent are back or nearly back to where they were with sales between 76%-100%
  of pre-crisis levels. About one-in-four (26%) are exceeding pre-crisis sales levels.
• Twenty-two percent of small business owners report that economic conditions are
  back to normal now in their area. A significant improvement from the previous
  survey results reported in late April. Another 27% of owners anticipate it taking until
  the second half of 2021 and 22% anticipate sometime in the first half of 2022
  before economic conditions return pre-crisis levels. Seventeen percent of owners
  are less optimistic and expect conditions not to fully improve until the second half
  of 2022 and 13% after 2023.
• About three-fourth (73%) of small business owners report that they will be able to
  operate for more than a year in current economic conditions. On the other end,
  12% of owners report that they will only be able to continue business operations
  for six months or less under current economic conditions and another 15% for 7-12
  months.
• Supply chain disruptions are becoming increasingly challenging for many, with over
  half (54%) of small business owners who are experiencing disruptions saying that
  the supply chain disruption is worse now than it was three months ago. Forty
  percent reported about the same level of disruption from last quarter and 6%
  reported it easing up from three months ago. And for many, the disruptions are not
  likely to ease up anytime soon. Over half (62%) of small business owners anticipate
  the supply chain disruption that is impacting their business to continue for five or
  more months. Seventeen percent reported between one and four months and only
  1% reported less than one month.
• The labor shortage is another challenge facing many small employers. While the
  unemployment rate has declined precipitously since the initial mass layoffs at the
  beginning of the pandemic, there are still 7 million fewer employed people now
  than in February 2020. Twenty-two percent of small employers are currently
  experiencing a significant staffing shortage and another 18% are currently
  experiencing a moderate staffing shortage. Twenty-one percent reported having a
  mild staffing shortage and 39% had of small business owners report no staffing
  shortage.
• Of those small employers currently experiencing a staffing shortage, 19% are
  experiencing a significant loss of sales opportunities and 30%, a moderate loss of
  sales opportunities because of the shortage. Thirty-two percent are experiencing a
  mild loss of sales opportunities and another 19% had no loss of sales opportunities,
  able to navigate the staffing shortage by adjusting business operation to
  accommodate current sales levels.
• The labor shortage is not easing for most small employers as many potential
  applicants have not yet reentered the labor market. About two-thirds (67%) of small
  employers reported that their current staffing shortage is about the same as it was
  one month ago. A quarter (25%) of small employers reported it being worse, and a
  mere 6% reported their current staffing shortage is better than it was one month
  ago. Two percent of respondents did not have a staffing shortage one month ago.

-Written by Kevin Sawyer