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LISTEN: Small Businesses Can Predict Economic Conditions Long Before Anyone Else

LISTEN: Small Businesses Can Predict Economic Conditions Long Before Anyone Else

October 3, 2023 Last Edit: June 5, 2025

NFIB State Director Brad Jones discusses small business economic trends with Faune Riggin.

LISTEN: Small Businesses Can Predict Economic Conditions Long Before Anyone Else

While speaking with Cape Girardeau’s Faune Riggin on 960-KZIM, NFIB State Director Brad Jones discussed NFIB’s recent reporting on small business economic trends. “We’ve got small business folks raising their prices and raising compensation for their workers. When you combine those two things, those are two major triggers for inflation,” Jones said. “And as we’ve seen, it hasn’t gone down. We’re not seeing any break. Consequently, I think this is why the overall optimism index has gone down. [Small business owners] are bummed out because some of these things that are happening in the economy, they’re just not getting better.” Jones continued, noting that expectations for better business conditions dropped seven points. “That is a huge, huge drop in this particular survey. If we’ve got small businesses that are that bummed out, I’m really worried to see what’s going to happen in six months, because they’re a great barometer. Our small business people down there on Main Street, in downtown Cape, they know what’s going to happen to the economy long before any of the big experts in D.C. They feel it first.” CLICK HERE to listen to the full interview.
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