A brand new survey from GoDaddy Inc. reveals that whereas almost half of U.S. microbusiness house owners anticipate a weakening nationwide economic system within the coming months, most nonetheless keep confidence within the development prospects of their very own enterprises.
In accordance with information launched Could 5, 2025, by the GoDaddy Small Enterprise Analysis Lab, 49% of the two,100 surveyed enterprise house owners count on the nationwide economic system to say no within the subsequent six months, a 17-point enhance from 2024. Regardless of this shift in sentiment, 66% of respondents expressed optimistic income expectations, with solely 9% forecasting a decline in gross sales.
“Small enterprise house owners are real looking concerning the economic system, however they imagine in themselves,” stated GoDaddy CEO Aman Bhutani. “GoDaddy’s analysis exhibits they continue to be intent on pushing their small companies ahead.”
The survey findings, compiled by the GoDaddy Small Enterprise Analysis Lab—previously referred to as Enterprise Ahead—point out a gradual pattern of softening optimism. In 2023, 73% of microbusiness house owners anticipated income development within the first half of the 12 months. That determine has declined to 66% in 2025.
The analysis additionally exhibits a shift in long-term enterprise objectives. Forty p.c of respondents now say they plan to stay solo entrepreneurs, up from 36% the earlier 12 months. This implies a rising desire for lifestyle-aligned enterprise fashions slightly than scaling to mid-size or bigger enterprises.
Value Pressures and Monetary Stress Improve
Whereas optimism stays, small companies proceed to face mounting monetary challenges. Greater than half of these surveyed (52%) recognized restricted money movement as their biggest monetary impediment. Particular considerations embrace present bills (34%) and pricing pressures on items and companies (33%).
These pressures are notably pronounced in sure sectors, with 40% of respondents in Development & House 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 firms with 5–9 staff, wages have grow to be the highest monetary problem, cited by 45% of these surveyed. GoDaddy notes this displays a shift towards labor-related bills changing into extra important as companies increase.
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 optimistic pattern is the development in entry to capital. Solely 8% of householders surveyed cited it as their main problem, down from 10% within the prior 12 months.
Victor W. Hwang, founder and CEO of Proper to Begin, a nonprofit centered on small enterprise development, commented on the survey’s findings: “The outcomes of this GoDaddy survey reveal quantitatively the drive and resilience of entrepreneurs all throughout the US. Their dedication to their enterprises is relentless and progressive. 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 unquestionably unsure proper now, however as a small enterprise proprietor, you study to reside 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 strategy to preserve going, even when issues get unpredictable. That’s how I’ve constructed my enterprise, and I believe quite a lot of us are doing the identical.”
“Entrepreneurs are planning for what’s forward,” Bhutani stated. “They’re navigating these instances by staying centered and decided. At GoDaddy, our job is to ensure they’ve the instruments they should succeed.”
