Friends of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

NEW RELEASE: Small Businesses Share Their Economic Outlook

They’re the heartbeat of our economy, represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms around the country, and employ almost half of America’s private sector workforce – and they’re telling us how today’s economic environment impacts their growth.

Earlier this week, we released the results of our Quarterly Small Business Outlook Survey for the first quarter of 2012, where over 1,300 small businesses from around the country outlined their outlook on the state of the economy as it relates to policies from Washington, hiring trends, and attitudes leading up to the elections. 

So, what do American small businesses identify as the biggest growing threats to their success?

According to our Q1 Small Business Outlook Survey, the recent spike in energy prices is growing as a small business obstacle.

The number of small business concerned about rising energy prices has doubled since our last survey, up from 10% to 24%.  Seventy-eight percent (78%) of small businesses have the perception that the Obama administration isn’t doing enough to address the surge in energy costs, support American jobs or energy production.

Concerns about over-regulation are also in the rise. 

Fifty-two percent (52%) of the businesses we surveyed cited regulatory burdens form the government as the top threat they face in 2012.

No matter the challenges, small businesses’ confidence about their own future continues to rise.

Our Q1 survey shows that small business confidence is up 7 percentage points from our last quarterly survey, even though new hiring has remained stagnant.  Businesses know what would help them start hiring again — a reduction in the taxes, regulation, and legislation that flows from Washington.  Eighty percent (80%) cited these as the biggest roadblocks to increased hiring.

Small businesses are looking to the upcoming elections to provide relief from the overreach of government.

An overwhelming majority, 97% of those we surveyed, said a candidate’s support for free enterprise is important to them, with 84% citing free enterprise as very important.  Not to mention, the vast majority really just wants Washington to get out of their way, with 81% favoring more certainty over more government help.

Click here to view the entire results of our 1st Quarter Small Business Outlook Survey.

The message from American small businesses is clear: We need to support the  free enterprise system and empower American businesses to lead our nation to recovery.

Leave a comment below and tell us how small businesses in your community are dealing.

State of the Union: More Government or Free Enterprise?

If you watched the president’s State of the Union address last night, you witnessed a speech that focused on many issues central to our economy. Unfortunately, he missed the mark. As U.S. Chamber President Tom Donohue said after the speech:

"Too many of the solutions he proposed rest on higher taxes, more spending, and an avalanche of new regulations. The way to create the jobs Americans need is to grow our free enterprise economy, not to further expand the federal government."

We’re ready to work with anyone in Congress or the White House on solutions that will put Americans back to work without raising taxes or adding to the deficit. Read the Chamber’s jobs plan here.

It’s possible. And it’s time to demand real solutions.

Please leave a comment below and share your thoughts on the president’s speech. You can also join us on Twitter for a national conversation taking place now.

Survey Says: Small Businesses' Economic Outlook Not Improving

Today, the U.S. Chamber has released our Fourth Quarter Small Business Outlook survey.  

The quarterly surveys are designed to track the small business community’s outlook on their business, the local economy, and the national economy over time. Small business owners are polled nation-wide, and respondents include U.S. Chamber members and non-members.

Though another quarter has come and gone, this quarter's results show the vast majority of small businesses continue to view the country as headed in the wrong direction, and economic uncertainty continues to be their biggest challenge, along with regulations and the health care law.

As mentioned in this morning's press release:

The poll of 1,322 small business executives - conducted between December 30, 2011 and January 6, 2012 - found that more than eight out of ten (85%) now believe the U.S. economy is on the wrong track. Eight out of ten say they would rather have Washington stay out of the way than provide a helping hand. Similarly, nearly nine out of ten (86%) say they would rather have more certainty from Washington than more assistance (6%) to deal with the economy. The survey defined a small business as a company with fewer than 500 employees and annual revenues of less than $25 million.  

While outlook on our nation's economic environment remains grim, we're encouraged to see the outlook for local economies  and attitudes about respondents own businesses have improved. Additionally, 93% of small business members support the Chamber's role in issue advocacy and voter education.

Read the full findings from the 2011 Q4 Small Business Outlook Survey here.

2011 A Year in Grassroots

Happy Holidays from the U.S. Chamber

More Than Statistics: Meet the Real Victims of Lawsuit Abuse

A few weeks ago, we sat down with Lisa Rickard, Executive Vice President of the U.S. Chamber and President of the U.S. Chamber's Institute for Lawsuit Reform (ILR) and Workforce Freedom Initiative, to discuss the impact of lawsuit abuse on America’s economic recovery.

Did you know that lawsuit abuse costs small businesses up to $100 billion each year? That's the same sector responsible for 64 percent of all new jobs created in the U.S economy. More jobs, higher wages and better benefits could be provided if the average small business earning $1 million in revenue wasn't spending $20,000 each year on an out of control lawsuit system.

But lawsuit abuse is about more than just numbers. It impacts real people, and real small businesses.

Watch the videos below to hear the real stories of how lawsuit abuse has threatened the futures of two family-owned businesses — a Mexican restaurant and a coffee shop — in California.

These stories are part of ILR’s Faces of Lawsuit Abuse campaign. Do you know a small business facing a frivolous lawsuit? Visit Faces of Lawsuit Abuse to share your story.

Millions of Available Jobs Going Unfilled?

A few weeks ago, we emailed the members of our Small Business Nation network and asked them if they were one of the millions of small businesses unable to hire because of an unskilled workforce.

Believe it or not, this is a real issue in the current economy. In October, CNBC reported that, “there are about 3.2 million job openings in America that companies are unable to fill.” asked them if they were one of the millions of small businesses unable to hire because of an unskilled workforce.

Then, earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported on a new survey that shows 40% of small businesses are having trouble filling positions.

The end result is an economy that has 4.2 jobseekers for every opening, yet many small businesses cannot find applicants for the work needed.

Ghouls, Goblins and Government Regulation

Sen. Rubio Meets with Jacksonville Small Biz Roundtable

Small businesses around the country are meeting with their members of Congress to voice their concerns and challenges in regards to growing and thriving in our current economy.  Senator Rubio, member of the Senate Small Business Committee, met with the Jacksonville small business community this week, and here’s what they had to say:

How are the small businesses in your community fairing in today’s economic environment?

The Mic is Now Open ... for American Small Business Owners

It’s understandable that American small business owners feel like their concerns aren’t being heard.

According to the results of our past few Small Business Outlook Surveys, they’ve been asking for federal government to get out of their way ...yet the federal government has 

However, recently, one government agency has taken a step in the right direction. This week the U.S. House Small Business Committee launched their new website, Small Biz Open Mic, providing a platform for small businesses to share their story and an outlet where they know their voice matters. done the exact opposite

The More Big Government Tries to Help...

With friends like these, who needs enemies?

I’m talking, of course, about our friends in the federal government.  The more they try to “help” small businesses ... the worse the situation seems to get.

At least, that’s what small businesses told us in our latest “Small Business Outlook” survey for the third quarter.

In our previous quarterly survey, small business’ outlook for the economy was pretty grim.  As you may recall, 84% of small business owners said the economy was on the wrong track, with only 19% planning to add employees over the next year.

Believe it or not, those numbers have gotten even worse.  Now, almost nine out of ten (89%) now believe the U.S. economy is on the wrong track — and only 17% expect to add employees over the next year.

There is, however, one thing that hasn’t changed: the biggest obstacle to small businesses is still big government.

In fact, small business owners still find economic uncertainty to be their most-pressing concern (53%), but also worry about uncertainty from what Washington will do next (39%), and the healthcare law (33%).

Now, for the good news: small businesses clearly see a path forward, much of which is in line with the jobs plan released by the U.S. Chamber last month. Take a look at these numbers:

• Eighty percent think increased domestic energy production would be helpful to the economy;
• 74% think speeding up permitting and regulatory relief would be helpful; 
• 67% think the same about passing tax incentives.

It’s wonderful that small business owners think favorably of our proposals to get America working again — but it’s frustrating that the White House and some in Congress don’t seem to be listening.

Rest assured that we’re doing our best to ensure that these politicians hear the voices of small business loud and clear.  

Charles Schwab and the Power of One Entrepreneur

America’s economic recovery isn’t going to be driven by the growth of government — it’s going to be driven by empowering the private businesses who invest in new American jobs.

As Charles Schwab writes this week in the Wall Street Journal: 

The Entrepreneurial Fire Burning in America's Youth

The spirit of American entrepreneurship is still alive and well in America's youth.

That's the central finding of a fascinating new survey of U.S. high school juniors, released yesterday by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's National Chamber Foundation and Junior Achievement USA.  The Free Enterprise National Survey found that 64% of high school juniors said they were interested in starting or owning their own businesses, and that 15% had already taken the entrepreneurial leap by starting their own business.

Clearly, the spirit that has made America an exceptional and exceptionally prosperous nation still burns bright in America's young men and women.   

The survey also helped to highlight the problems we currently face.  While teens are clearly expressing an interest in starting and owning their own businesses, they also expressed reservations and uncertainty about the state of the American economy.  Seven in 10 high school juniors believe that the economy will either stay the same or get worse in the coming year, and nine in 10 are concerned about future job prospects after they finish high school.

The danger here is that many young, budding entrepreneurs might be dissuaded by the state of the economy and by these fears from taking the kinds of risks necessary to start a new business, and create jobs and economic prosperity.  The teens surveyed expressed their strong belief in the vital importance of education on entrepreneurship, free enterprise and capitalism in school to help encourage those with entrepreneurial desires to act on them.

Through organizations like the National Chamber Foundation and Junior Achievement, we will continue to work to encourage the future entrepreneurs of America and invest them with confidence that free enterprise and capitalism can help us overcome our current economic doldrums.

Do you know of budding entrepreneurs ready to lead? If so, leave a comment and share their stories. 

The Unpopular Crowd

The Federal Government, Less Popular Than Every Private Business Sector 

Over the last few years, some politicians in Washington, D.C. have done their best to demonize American business and propose a policy agenda of “punishment” against these job creators.

They’ve tried to paint American employers as everything from “corporate jet owners” to tax evaders.  However, it appears their efforts have proved unsuccessful.

According to a new Gallup survey, the federal government is less popular than every other business sector in the country (heck, even lawyers are more popular than the federal government).

Take the oil and gas industry for example.  This sector has been attacked as “Big Oil” and targeted for tax hikes by the Administration and some members of Congress.  Even so, oil and gas remains more popular than their accuser.

These survey results are in similar accord with what we saw in our recent survey of American small business owners — that they trust the private sector more than the federal government to get our economy back on track.

Take a look at this Gallup graph to see exactly how federal government stacks up against 24 other business sectors:



Who’s number one on your most popular list? Who do you believe can lead the way back to prosperity? Weigh in by submitting a comment below. 

U.S. Chamber Named a "Small Business Influencer Champion"

Crossposted from Chamberpost

At a time when small businesses need one more than ever, the U.S. Chamber was named a “Small Business Influencer Champion” by Small Business Trends and Small Biz Technology. The award, determined by more than 125,000 online votes and a judging panel, “honors companies, organizations, and people who have made a significant impact on the North American small business market.”

A New 'Department of Jobs'?

Americans are facing a high unemployment rate, increased uncertainty and are looking to their elected officials to come up with a plan.  The Administration’s idea to getting jobs growth moving is…more bureaucracy?

Sounds ridiculous to us, too.

But, believe it or not, that’s exactly what the Obama Administration is proposing.  

The New York Times reports:

“The administration may also merge the Department of Commerce, the Office of the United States Trade Representative and some economic divisions at the State Department into a new agency, administration officials said. Possible names include the Department of Jobs or the Department of Competitiveness.”

That’s not a real jobs plan. It’s a political maneuver that continues this administration’s failed “action equals progress” approach to economic policy.

More government bureaucracy is not the solution to our jobs problem.

After all, our recent survey of small business owners found a commanding majority felt the best way government could help them would be to simply get out of the way.

Instead of a new government agency, perhaps the Administration and Congress should work to peel away the layers of already established regulation that are crippling our job creators; enact the free trade agreements that will allow small businesses to sell more goods; and reform the tax system so job creators have more money to invest and create new employment opportunity.

Visit America’s Town Hall today, and send a letter to your elected officials urging them to take action one the issues that mean the most to you; jobs.

Quick Poll: Have Policies Punished or Rewarded Small Business

With rising unemployment and unsustainable debt, America’s small businesses certainly aren’t celebrating lately.  

According to columnist Mona Charen, who writes in National Review , policies enacted during the past few years have served to punish — rather than reward — success by American businesses:

Employers do not know how much each new hire will cost under the new health-care regime. Nor can they estimate how the 129 new boards, commissions, and agencies will affect the business world. Meanwhile, the EPA is regulating carbon dioxide as an air pollutant. The National Labor Relations Board is attempting to prevent the Boeing Corporation from opening a new plant in South Carolina ... the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (created by the Dodd-Frank law) is practically freezing small-business lending."