Despite macro headwinds, small business owners find joy from within—84% happy, 74% using AI at least monthly, and more than 70% confident about 12-month growth

Ahead of National Small Business Week, VistaPrint, the print and design partner to small businesses, today released new research painting a strikingly optimistic portrait of America's entrepreneurs. Despite a year marked by economic uncertainty, small business owners are happy, prepared for growth and embracing the future.

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America's Small Business Owners Are Forging Ahead on Their Own Terms: New VistaPrint Research Finds 84% Are Happy and Advancing With AI, Resilience and Autonomy

VistaPrint's 2026 Small Business Happiness Report, based on a survey of 610 U.S. small business owners, finds that 84% are currently happy in their role and 83% report being happier than when they worked for someone else. The findings offer a clear counterpoint to persistent narratives of small business headwinds, revealing a community that is finding purpose, stability and satisfaction driven from within.

Key findings include:

84% of small business owners report being happy today, driven by autonomy, passion, and independence
74% use AI tools at least monthly, with 58% saying AI has made them happier as business owners
More than 70% are confident in their ability to grow or expand in the next 12 months
80% of small business owners say their employees seem happy to work there; 77% report high employee retention, bucking broader labor market trends
50% say they feel prepared for an economic downturn; 43% say policymakers do not fully understand their needs

"Today's small business owners are redefining what success looks like—prioritizing independence, flexibility, and fulfillment alongside growth," said Dave DeSandre, Senior Vice President of North America, VistaPrint. "What this research makes clear is that happiness isn't just a byproduct of success for entrepreneurs; it's a driver of it. From embracing AI to building resilient teams, small businesses are finding smarter ways to work that allow them to focus on what matters most."

Running a Business Is Hard, But Worth It

Owning a small business is not without its challenges. Small business owners ranked income uncertainty (41%), poor work/life balance (40%) and keeping up with evolving business trends (38%) as the top three things they dislike most.

Despite these pressures, small business owners are actively choosing this path and finding profound fulfillment in it. Of those who report being happier today than when they first opened a small business, 38% attribute their happiness solely to internal, day-to-day factors, rather than external or macroeconomic conditions (11%). What's driving that inner satisfaction? 54% cited the freedom to set their own schedule, followed by doing something they love or are passionate about (47%) and the ability to control the certainty of their income (35%) as the top three things they like most about being a small business owner.

Embracing Innovation: AI Contributes to Happiness

Another internal factor contributing to happiness is small business owners' strategic use of technology to support their bandwidth. 58% of small business owners who use AI regularly are happier now than before adoption. Today, 74% use AI at least monthly, with 55% using it several times per week or more. 47% of small business owners who use AI at least monthly are now deploying it specifically for marketing. Other leading use cases include writing and documentation (56%), analysis and problem solving (47%), and communication (45%). These align closely with the tasks owners find most time-consuming, helping free up capacity to focus on more fulfilling aspects of running their business.

"Small business owners have always worn many hats, but what's changing is how savvy they've become about where to invest their time and attention," said DeSandre. "By letting AI handle time-consuming tasks, they're able to be more intentional about how they spend their energy, focusing on the parts of their business that build real customer relationships and keep customers coming back. That sense of control is powerful, and it's no coincidence that it's translating directly into confidence about growth."

Confidence in Growth Remains Strong

Looking ahead, the outlook among small business owners is decidedly optimistic. More than 70% say they are confident in their ability to grow or expand over the next 12 months, with marketing and customer acquisition (51%) and business operations (51%) topping their list of planned investments, followed by team and staff (34%) and technology and automation (34%).

That optimism is tempered by a clear-eyed awareness of broader conditions. While half of small business owners say they feel prepared for an economic downturn, 43% say policymakers do not fully understand their needs, a reminder that America's small business owners remain self-reliant by necessity, not just by choice.

Fostering Workplaces Where Employees Want to Stay

Small business owners aren't just investing in their own happiness, they're building environments where employees thrive. A full 80% say their employees seem happy to work there, and 77% report high employee retention, standing in contrast to ongoing workforce challenges at larger companies. It's a testament to the culture of purpose and connection that defines so many small businesses: when the owner is fulfilled, that sense of meaning tends to extend to the entire team.

To access the full findings from VistaPrint's 2026 Small Business Happiness Report, please visit: https://www.vistaprint.com/hub/small-business-happiness-report.

About the Research

VistaPrint commissioned YouGov to conduct a research study of 610 small business owners aged 21 to 64 and with 100 employees or less, located in the United States. The data was collected between Jan. 20 - Feb. 15, 2026 and has a margin of error of 土4.0% at the 95% level of confidence.

About VistaPrint

VistaPrint is the print and design partner to millions of small businesses around the world. We help small business owners bring their ideas to life through custom print products, easy-to-use digital tools and expert design support. VistaPrint is a Cimpress company (NASDAQ:CMPR).

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Media contact: pr@vista.com