---
title: "Small Business Owners Feeling Squeezed By Inflation"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/a075c2d2-daba-4835-8723-edfe75cd69f2
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/articles/small_business_owners_feeling_squeezed_by_inflation.html
author: "Kerry Pipes"
category: "General"
topics: ["Operations"]
published: 2022-01-19T08:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:11:09.121Z
image: https://imgs.franchising.com/art/articles/6507_plate.jpg
---

# Small Business Owners Feeling Squeezed By Inflation

**TL;DR:** The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose to 98.9 in December, with 22% of small business owners reporting inflation as their most important problem. Inflation is at its highest level since the 1980s, impacting owners' ability to manage their businesses.

*By Kerry Pipes, originally published in Franchising.com on 2022-01-19. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/articles/small_business_owners_feeling_squeezed_by_inflation.html).*

## Story

The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index ticked up slightly in December to 98.9, up 0.5 points from November.

Almost a quarter (22%) of small business owners reported that inflation was their single most important problem encountered in operating their business. Price raising activities have reached levels not seen since the early 1980s when prices were rising at double-digit rates. “Small businesses, unfortunately, saw a disappointing December jobs report, with staffing issues continuing to impact their ability to be fully productive,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg.

“Inflation is at the highest level since the 1980s and is having an overwhelming impact on owners’ ability to manage their businesses.” Other key findings in the new report include: Twenty-two percent report inflation as the single most important problem operating their business, a 20-point increase from the beginning of 2021 and the highest level since Q4 1981. Owners expecting better business conditions over the next six months increased three points to a net negative 35%.

Owners remain pessimistic about future economic conditions as this indicator has declined 23 points over the past six months. Forty-nine percent of owners reported job openings that could not be filled, an increase of one point from November.

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- General (sector)
- Kerry Pipes (person)
- small business optimism (topic)
- inflation concerns (topic)
- economic conditions (topic)
- staffing issues (topic)

---
Originally reported by Kerry Pipes, Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/articles/small_business_owners_feeling_squeezed_by_inflation.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/a075c2d2-daba-4835-8723-edfe75cd69f2).