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Business Know-How Small Business Outlook Survey 
Summer 2003
Copyright 2001-2003, Attard Communications, Inc.

We all know how tough the last few years have been for many small businesses. Hoped for economic recovery and related new business just never seemed to happen. Right through this past spring, companies were laying off workers and cutting back in whatever areas they could.

But what's the picture like now? Is the economy about to sputter back to life? Is business starting to improve? Or do you have reasonable expectations that it will soon?  Is business picking up? Do you expect sales and profits will improve in the last half of 2003?  Please complete the survey below and give us your feedback. 

We will publish the results in a future issue of our newsletter and on the Business Know-How web site. In the meantime you can see preliminary results in graph format when you complete the survey, or by clicking here if you already took the survey. Note: all results on the graphs are posted in real-time as soon as each person completes the survey so check back daily to see the latest trends.

What industry does your business fall into? (Example: construction, new media, human resources, writer, car dealer, etc.) 
 
Which of the following best describes your role in your business?
No selection made
Owner/top executive of a public corporation
Owner/top executive of a privately held corporation
Member of a partnership
Self-employed with employees
Self-employed with no employees other than yourself
Unemployed, working for myself until I can find a job
 
How profitable is it to work for yourself?
No selection made
I make more money than I would ever make as an employee
I make about the same as I'd make as an employee
I make somewhat less than I'd make as an employee
I'm discovering new ways to stretch a pound of macaroni
 
How profitable do you expect your business to be this quarter compared to last quarter?
No selection made
Much more profitable
Somewhat more profitable
About the same
Less profitable
Much less profitable
I've closed my business, or I am about to do so
 
Compared to the current quarter, how profitable do you expect your business to be in the last quarter of 2003?
No selection made
Much more profitable
Somewhat more profitable
About the same
Less profitable
Much less profitable
I expect to have to close the business
 
How long have you worked for yourself?
No selection made
Less than 1 year
1 to 3 years
4 to 5 years
More than 5 years
 
Do you work full-time or part-time at your business?
No selection made
Full-time
Part-time
 
Would you ever work for anyone else again?
No selection made
Yes
No
If the price were right
 
Which of the following is of most concern to your business?
No selection made
Lagging sales
Inability to find good workers at a price you can afford
Inability to find good workers at any price
High taxes
Government regulations (other than taxes)
Difficulty in securing a loan or other financing
Other (please use the comment section at the end of the survey)
 
What effect has the Internet had on the profitability of your business?
No selection made
My business is Internet-based. It wouldn't exist without the Internet
My business has become more profitable because of the Internet
The Internet has made my business less profitable
The Internet has made no change in my business
I don't use the Internet in my business
 
What staffing changes do you expect to make in the next 6 months?
No selection made
I don't plan any staffing changes
I plan to keep the same number of employees and use contractors when I need additional help
I plan to hire employees
I plan to hire employees and use more contractors as well
I plan to layoff employees and not replace them
I plan to layoff employees and replace them with freelancers or contractors
  I plan to stop outsourcing work to freelancers and bring it in-house to save employee jobs
I plan to lay off employees and also reduce work given to freelancers and contractors
There's no work to give anyone
 
Do you have health insurance?
No selection made
Yes
No
I'm covered under a spouse's policy
 
What is your sex?
No selection made
Male
Female
Prefer not to Answer
 
What is your age?
No selection made
Under 20
20 to 29
30 to 39
40 to 49
50 or older
 
What are your gross annual sales?
No selection made
Under $25,000
$25,000 to $50,000
$50,000 to $100,000
$100,000 to $500,000
$500,000 to $1,000,000
More than $1,000,000
 

Please use the space below to add any comments you have about your own situation and/or suggestions for other business owners to help get through the current economic slowdown. The survey does NOT automatically capture your email address. If you would like your name used if we publish your comments, or if you would like us to contact you, please include your email address and other contact information in the comments section.

Note: By submitting your comments in the space below, you grant Business Know-How unrestricted rights to reprint and reproduce them on the web, in print or in any other form of media.