Texas Border Business
By Lindsay Cates
Manager, Communications and Strategy
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Despite facing challenges like inflation, worker shortages, and supply chain disruptions, small business owners feel generally good about the health of their business right now, according to the latest MetLife and U.S. Chamber Small Business Index survey.
A full 89% of small businesses said their business is in average, good, or very good health in Q4 of 2022. Of those, 64% say their business is good or very good.
However, in a stunning example of “second-hand pessimism” despite small business owners reporting their own business as healthy, they are seeing a weak economy.
When asked about their feelings on the overall economy, just 27% of small business owners feel the U.S. economy is in good health. Furthermore, a majority (54%) said the economy is somewhat or very poor.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has described this mismatch of sentiment as “second-hand pessimism:” Individuals and businesses report feeling bad about the economy, but they are still spending and making new investments. There is a divide between how consumers and businesses say they feel about the economy (bad) and how they’re acting (still spending).
