New study shows small businesses still apprehensive

A new study by the National Federation of Independent Business has found that 72 percent of surveyed small business owners want to hire new workers in the next five years, but feel that weak sales and political and economic uncertainties impede their ability to expand.

Surveyed small business owners overwhelmingly said they needed to see a boost in sales in order to restore their confidence in business conditions. But sales were not growing fast enough. Indeed, slow sales proved the top small business concern for a 16th consecutive quarter.

It's a familiar refrain: Small business owners say they need help and often look to political leaders to provide it.

The NFIB survey revealed that:

• Political and economic uncertainty affected 61 percent of the small employers surveyed.

• 51 percent blamed political uncertainty in Washington for partly obstructing their business growth.

• 40 percent said regulatory or legal issues were impeding growth.

• 61 percent found that it was a lack of skilled employees that hurt their business growth. Respondents added that they would hire at least one additional employee in the next six months if they could find people with appropriate skills.

• 15 percent of small-business owners cited the lack of a strong management or advisory team as an impediment to growth.