A brand new survey from GoDaddy Inc. reveals that whereas practically half of U.S. microbusiness house owners anticipate a weakening nationwide economic system within the coming months, most nonetheless preserve confidence within the progress prospects of their very own enterprises.
Based on information launched Could 5, 2025, by the GoDaddy Small Enterprise Analysis Lab, 49% of the two,100 surveyed enterprise house owners anticipate the nationwide economic system to say no within the subsequent six months, a 17-point improve from 2024. Regardless of this shift in sentiment, 66% of respondents expressed constructive income expectations, with solely 9% forecasting a decline in gross sales.
“Small enterprise house owners are practical in regards to the economic system, however they consider in themselves,” mentioned GoDaddy CEO Aman Bhutani. “GoDaddy’s analysis reveals they continue to be intent on pushing their small companies ahead.”
The survey findings, compiled by the GoDaddy Small Enterprise Analysis Lab—previously often called Enterprise Ahead—point out a gradual pattern of softening optimism. In 2023, 73% of microbusiness house owners anticipated income progress within the first half of the yr. That determine has declined to 66% in 2025.
The analysis additionally reveals a shift in long-term enterprise targets. Forty % of respondents now say they plan to stay solo entrepreneurs, up from 36% the earlier yr. This means a rising choice for lifestyle-aligned enterprise fashions fairly than scaling to mid-size or bigger enterprises.
Price Pressures and Monetary Stress Enhance
Whereas optimism stays, small companies proceed to face mounting monetary challenges. Greater than half of these surveyed (52%) recognized restricted money movement as their best monetary impediment. Particular considerations embrace present bills (34%) and pricing pressures on items and providers (33%).
These pressures are notably pronounced in sure sectors, with 40% of respondents in Development & Residence Trades and 36% in Artistic-Media reporting pricing considerations. Smaller companies—particularly solo operations and people with restricted workers—report struggling most with routine working bills.
Amongst corporations with 5–9 staff, wages have develop into the highest monetary problem, cited by 45% of these surveyed. GoDaddy notes this displays a shift towards labor-related bills changing into extra vital as companies develop.
Monetary pressure was additionally named the first stressor by 33% of respondents, rating larger than considerations about expertise adoption, vendor administration, or buyer acquisition and retention.
Entry to Capital Bettering
One doubtlessly constructive pattern is the advance in entry to capital. Solely 8% of homeowners surveyed cited it as their main problem, down from 10% within the prior yr.
Victor W. Hwang, founder and CEO of Proper to Begin, a nonprofit centered on small enterprise progress, commented on the survey’s findings: “The outcomes of this GoDaddy survey display quantitatively the drive and resilience of entrepreneurs all throughout the USA. Their dedication to their enterprises is relentless and modern. America’s entrepreneurs are a rare useful resource for strengthening the U.S. economic system and rising new companies and jobs nationwide.”
Leo Lopez, proprietor of San Jose-based La Fenice Pizza, added: “The economic system is certainly unsure proper now, however as a small enterprise proprietor, you study to dwell with that. I’ve needed to modify, simplify, and concentrate on what actually works, and that’s helped me develop stronger. For me, resilience isn’t about being unaffected. It’s about discovering a approach to maintain going, even when issues get unpredictable. That’s how I’ve constructed my enterprise, and I feel quite a lot of us are doing the identical.”
“Entrepreneurs are planning for what’s forward,” Bhutani mentioned. “They’re navigating these instances by staying centered and decided. At GoDaddy, our job is to ensure they’ve the instruments they should succeed.”
