The Latest Forecast Sunny and cold. Storm clouds in the far distance. What it means: The latest data show positive growth in emergency savings and small business owners’ confidence in their own firms. Difficulty in finding qualified and willing employees is making the temperature cold and is dampening growth expectations. The storm clouds in the distance are formed by federal regulatory overreach, which is a longer-term concern. Listen: Tom Sullivan and National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)’s Holly Wade talk about their small business forecasts on a weekly podcast. Listen here. Explore key takeaways from the latest small business reports below. The next MetLife & U.S. Chamber Small Business Index release is Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Recommended Interactive Map: New Business Applications Across the Country Read more New Small Business Data PNC Semi-Annual Survey of Small and Mid-Sized Businesses (February 27, 2023) Summary: Difficulty in finding qualified workers is tamping down growth plans, but owners continue to be bullish on the health of their own businesses, according to this 20-year survey of businesses with between $100,000 – $250 million annual revenue. 60% of business owners are optimistic about the prospects of their own business (11 points higher […]