Many small business owners expected 2022 to be a year of recovery after two years of struggling to survive a global pandemic. But inflation, fears of a recession, a still unreliable supply chain, and a nation at nearly full employment resulting in a tight job market all loomed large, dampening many of our goals.

As we enter 2023, the outlook seems somewhat brighter for small business owners. I talked to several small business experts to get their advice, insights, and predictions for small businesses in the new year.

“Nobody knows whether a recession will occur, but it’s certainly fair to say that small businesses are dealing with several economic obstacles right now. Fortunately, small businesses are resilient. Even if a recession does develop, our 2022 Small Business Now report shows that 90% are confident that they will still be in business a year from now. We also often see lots of small businesses get started during recessions.

“However, some sectors would likely be impacted more than others. The consumers we polled said that, during a recession, they would cut back on spending at “convenience,” “lifestyle,” and “entertainment” businesses first. I strongly encourage those business leaders to begin their recession planning now to be safe.”