October 2026
Owners in Their First Three Years Rank Advertising 21st of 75 Problems. Owners of 21 Years or More Rank It 52nd
NFIB's 2024 survey: new owners rank advertising and getting a loan about 20 to 31 places higher. Owners of 21+ years rank estate tax and rules higher.
In Early 2020, Firms With Fewer Than 20 Employees Had the Highest Job-Loss Rate. One Quarter Later, Theirs Was the Closest to Normal
Census job-flow data: in Jan–Mar 2020, firms under 20 employees lost jobs at a 14.8% rate, against 7.6% at 500+. By April–June, theirs was nearly back.
After a Problem, 20.2% of Employers With 1 to 4 People Fixed It and Moved On or Did Nothing. At 20 to 49: 9.7%
After a service or production problem, 20.2% of employers with 1 to 4 people fixed it and stopped or left it unfixed, Census data show. At 20 to 49: 9.7%.
In 26% of Manufacturing Plants, the People Who Are Not Managers Never Review the Performance Numbers
In Census's 2021 management survey, 26.0% of manufacturing plants said non-managers never reviewed performance indicators. Managers: 9.8%.
When Money Got Tight, 58% of Owners With 1 to 4 Employees Used Their Own Funds. At 20 to 49, the Business’s Reserves Came First.
Fed survey data: at the smallest firms, the owner's own money was the most common answer to a cash squeeze. From 20 employees up, cash reserves came first.
Twenty-Six Years In, Firms That Started With One to Four Employees Still Close More Than Twice as Often
Census data on firms by the size they started at: those that opened with one to four employees close more often at every age, even 26 years in.