Economic and government “uncertainty” continues to mar recovery efforts. These areas of uncertainty trigger anxiety among consumers, investors, and business owners alike. The degree to which “uncertainty” negatively impacts the small-business economy generates much de- bate, prompting the addition of two new problems, “Uncertainty over Economic Conditions” and “Uncertainty over Government Actions.” “Uncertainty over Economic Conditions” is one of the six new problems added to the survey this year. Small-business owners rank it as the second most severe problem facing their business and is critical for 38 percent of them. Recessions of the last four decades.
