Economy is Trending Up, Says Survey of Entrepreneurs

Respondents report increased access to credit and greater use of personal savings in annual Kauffman Foundation/LegalZoom survey

KANSAS CITY, Mo.--()--Although the United States’ economic upturn remains modest, two indicators from the second annual Kauffman Foundation/LegalZoom survey of entrepreneurs indicated greater confidence in 2013. Small business owners reported lenders providing increased access to credit over the last 12 months, and a greater willingness from the entrepreneurs themselves to put personal savings toward new business ventures.

In the survey, titled “Who Started New Businesses in 2013”, and conducted with companies recently formed using LegalZoom, perhaps the strongest evidence of an improving economy is the survey’s operational findings. Thirty-seven percent of new business owners said they had encountered no difficulties in forming or running their companies, a 3 percentage point decrease from 2012. However, of those who did cite difficulties, 36 percent listed unpredictability and 28 percent named lack of access to credit – down a whopping 19 and 17 percentage points, respectively, from 2012.

Another encouraging sign was founders’ increased use of personal savings to start their businesses, which may indicate a broader economy-wide shift from savings to investment. Personal savings as a means for funding the startup jumped from 66 percent in 2012 to 86 percent in 2013. Other funding sources included credit cards at 16 percent (10 percent in 2012), retirement savings at 8.5 percent (6.5 percent in 2012) and bank or home equity loans at 6.5 percent (4.5 percent in 2012).

“In previous reports benchmarking entrepreneurial confidence, various elements indicated business owners’ often optimistic outlook on the economy,” said John Suh, CEO of LegalZoom. “But few actions correlate more directly with economic confidence than personal investment. Investing personal savings to start a business when credit is readily available signals high conviction in the future.”

Survey findings also showed that businesses with one to four employees increased from 25 percent in 2012 to 26.5 percent in 2013. Twelve percent of the respondents – whose nascent ventures naturally are small – had revenues above $100,000, a 4 percentage point increase over 2012. Further, startups with revenue below $50,000 dropped from 82 percent in 2012 to 77.5 percent in the most recent survey.

“Entrepreneurs are on the economy’s front lines daily,” said Dane Stangler, vice president of Research and Policy at the Kauffman Foundation. “The fact that the survey shows small, positive growth among these companies suggests that economic recovery may be gaining vibrancy on a broader scale, as well.”

The higher number of female founders (35 percent, a 4 percentage point increase over 2012) in the most recent survey also hints at a wider economic recovery. More female entrepreneurs may mean that fewer men are leaving salaried work, or that more men are going back to it.

Overall, the survey showed nominal shifts in age composition of the sample between 2012 and 2013, with slightly fewer entrepreneurs aged 18-29 and 50-59, and slightly more aged 30-39 and 60+.

In 2012, 44.7 percent of respondents had previously started businesses, as compared to 41.4 percent in 2013. Among those who had previously started a business, entrepreneurs who had started more than one other company dropped from 52 percent to 48 percent.

To access the survey report, visit www.kauffman.org/LZsurvey.

About the Kauffman Foundation

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private, nonpartisan foundation that aims to foster economic independence by advancing educational achievement and entrepreneurial success. Founded by late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman, the Foundation is based in Kansas City, Mo., and has approximately $2 billion in assets. For more information, visit www.kauffman.org, and follow the Foundation on www.twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and www.facebook.com/kauffmanfdn.

About LegalZoom

LegalZoom is the nation's leading provider of personalized, affordable online legal solutions for families and small businesses. Founded more than 12 years ago by attorneys with experience at some of the top law firms in the country, LegalZoom has helped over two million Americans become protected with binding legal documents. Although LegalZoom is not a law firm, it can help people access an attorney through its legal plans. The company has offices in Austin, Glendale and Mountain View. For more information, visit www.legalzoom.com.

Contacts

Rossana Weitekamp, 516-792-1462
rossana@weitekamp.com
or
Kauffman Foundation
Barbara Pruitt, 816-932-1288
bpruitt@kauffman.org
or
Access PR
Justin O’Neill, 415-844-6261
joneill@AccessPR.com
or
LegalZoom
Johanna Namir, 323-337-0022
jnamir@legalzoom.com

Contacts

Rossana Weitekamp, 516-792-1462
rossana@weitekamp.com
or
Kauffman Foundation
Barbara Pruitt, 816-932-1288
bpruitt@kauffman.org
or
Access PR
Justin O’Neill, 415-844-6261
joneill@AccessPR.com
or
LegalZoom
Johanna Namir, 323-337-0022
jnamir@legalzoom.com