Small business owners optimistic about the future

If you're like most small business owners, you think the chances are good for a strong recovery after the recent recession, according to the Guardian Life Index: What Matters Most to America's Small Business Owners, a study conducted by Guardian Life Insurance Company of America.

The survey revealed that 92 percent of small business owners were optimistic about their businesses, 54 percent thought that business would stay the same as usual, and 38 percent were anticipating expansion of their businesses in the next year or two.

More than 1,100 small business owners completed the online survey, which had them rank statements about what mattered most to them on a -10 to +10 scale. The researchers considered that any average rating above +3 for a statement meant significant importance overall.

Three main areas came up as most important: customers (e.g., "Having customers who appreciate what I do" was rated 5.8 overall), employees (e.g., "Giving my employees reasons to feel good about being part of our team" was rated 4.3 overall), and self-dependence ("Personal freedom" was rated 5.3 overall).

The researchers thought that the business owners' dedication in these three areas would be a key to getting the economy back on its feet.