New Data Suggests Small Businesses Have Less Failure Risk than Large Companies
The impact of small businesses on the United States economy cannot be understated. What’s even better is when there is data to back that statement up. So even though Main Street might still be reeling from inflation and stubbornly high interest rates, PYMNTS Intelligence data is showing us something pretty impressive: that a lot of our small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are proving to be incredibly tough. Let us explain…
The SMB Growth Monitor Report, titled “Main Street Small Business Growth Exceeds GDP for First Time in Two Years,” shows that most SMBs are seeing revenues shoot up by 6 percent—continuing a trend that first began 3 years ago, in April 2021. This eye-opening survey was conducted with over 500 U.S. Main Steet small businesses that bring in $10 million or less in revenue. For two years, nominal GDP was outpacing that of SMBs—11.5 percent vs. 3.2 percent. But in 2023, the growth experienced by SMBs ticked higher ever so slightly: 6 percent for SMBs vs. 5.7 percent for GDP. And those small businesses in the Hospitality sector saw a staggering 72 percent growth in revenue.
We can pat America’s consumers on the back for a lot of this good news: we’re more comfortable than ever with visiting small businesses online and in-store now that our pandemic woes are behind us. And with digital sales channels growing even more robust, ecommerce is now a given for those small business that didn’t originally provide online shopping.
The report highlights that SMB revenue growth was actually higher than nominal GDP growth in 2023; in January 2024, over half of U.S. SMBs reported increased revenue; and SMBs that were in business more than 20 years are growing slower than new businesses (just 27 percent of older SMBs reported higher revenues). Interestingly enough, the SMBs seeing higher revenues are also the ones taking more forms of payment methods: “Growing businesses accept an average of 6.4 payment types. Those with decreasing revenue accept 4.7. For shoppers visiting these businesses, whether physical locations or shopping online, the most frequently accepted forms of payment are credit and debit cards, as well as cash for in-store purchases,” per the report.
Another bright spot? Small businesses are far less likely to declare bankruptcy than U.S. businesses in general. In 2023, U.S. businesses increased by 40 percent compared to just 2 percent for SMBs.
While falling revenues can make it tricky for businesses to qualify for loans and lines of credit, this could prove to be the nudge business owners need to look through their strategy and revisit their business goals. ARF Financial is ready to help with everything from financing solutions to marketing ideas, to loads of helpful content for small business owners.
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