NFIB Finds Slight Downturn In Small Business Owner Optimism

The optimism of small business owners has seen a modest downturn, according to the National Federation of Independent Small Business. NFIB State Director Dawn Starns says business owners are more cautious with spending and credits politics on both the federal and state level.

“When politics gets involved, small business owners look at things and say well maybe I need to hold my cards a little closer to my vest,” said Starns.

But Starns says small business optimism is still at historically high levels, but there’s just a general slowdown.

“From the perspective of how much they are going to spend, how much they are going to invest in expenditures and creating new jobs,” said Starns.

Starns says the national political scene has a huge impact, and following the recent Democratic debates and discussion of the 2020 election, small business owners are being more cautious not knowing what may happen.

“We are hopeful though that we continue along the route that we’ve been on, maybe this is just a little bump in the summertime and we’ll see things start to rebound again when the fall begins,” said Starns.