Both revenue and hiring expectations increased in the second quarter, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s latest Small Business Index.
Two-thirds of (66%) of small business owners report that they expect increased revenue in the next year, up from 61% in the first quarter. Likewise, 35% now say they anticipate increasing staff, up from 30% the previous quarter.
The overall Small Business Index held steady, inching down from 67.0 to 66.5 over the quarter, the Chamber reported in a press release on Friday.
The percent of small business owners rating their businesses as being in good health also held steady, as seven in ten (69%) reported good health, unchanged from the first quarter. The percent who considered their business health to be “very good” dipped, however, from 32% to 27%.
Roughly a third said their local economy was in good health in both the first (35%) and second (33%) quarters. Regarding the U.S. economy, results were little changed. Here, 30% rated the health of the U.S. economy as good, compared to 28% in the first quarter.
Generally, owners of businesses in operation ten year or less were more optimistic than those who had been in business longer. Likewise, younger business owners expressed more optimism than older business owners.
In an analysis of the findings, the U.S. Chamber compares small business owners’ perspectives by sector:
“By sector, manufacturing and professional services businesses are more likely than those in services to anticipate staffing increases (43% each vs. 26%). There are no significant differences between sectors in terms of revenue and investment expectations. By business size, those with twenty or more employees remain the most likely to expect increases across all three measures than their smaller counterparts.”
The Chamber’s second quarter of adult (18+) small business owners and operators nationally was conducted by Ipsos May 19-June 4, 2026.
