{"id":849918,"date":"2025-05-21T09:12:09","date_gmt":"2025-05-21T14:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/21\/small-businesses-show-cautious-optimism-in-q1-despite-tariff-and-economic-concerns-ondeck-report-finds\/"},"modified":"2025-05-21T09:12:09","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T14:12:09","slug":"small-businesses-show-cautious-optimism-in-q1-despite-tariff-and-economic-concerns-ondeck-report-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/21\/small-businesses-show-cautious-optimism-in-q1-despite-tariff-and-economic-concerns-ondeck-report-finds\/","title":{"rendered":"Small Businesses Show Cautious Optimism in Q1 Despite Tariff and Economic Concerns, OnDeck Report Finds"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div><meta content=\"Small Businesses Show Cautious Optimism in Q1 Despite Tariff and Economic Concerns, OnDeck Report Finds\"><\/p>\n<p><span><span>Published: <span datetime=\"2025-05-20T20:59:23-04:00\">May 20, 2025<\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span>by <span><a href=\"https:\/\/smallbiztrends.com\/author\/joshua-sophy\/\" title=\"Posts by Joshua Sophy\">Joshua Sophy<\/a><\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span>In <a href=\"https:\/\/smallbiztrends.com\/category\/small-business-news\/\" title=\"View all articles in Small Business News\">Small Business News<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><span><img width=\"850\" height=\"478\" src=\"https:\/\/smallbiztrends.com\/ezoimgfmt\/media.smallbiztrends.com\/2025\/05\/ondeck-850x478.png?ezimgfmt=ng%3Awebp%2Fngcb1%2Frs%3Adevice%2Frscb1-1\" alt decoding=\"async\" ezimgfmt=\"rs rscb1 src ng ngcb1\" loading=\"eager\" srcset sizes importance=\"high\" fetchpriority=\"high\"><\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<p data-start=\"109\" data-end=\"369\"><span>A <\/span><span>new <\/span><span>report <\/span><span>from <\/span><span>small <\/span><span>business <\/span><span>lender <\/span><span>OnDeck, <\/span><span>in <\/span><span>partnership <\/span><span>with <\/span><span>document <\/span><span>AI <\/span><span>platform <\/span><span>Ocrolus, <\/span><span>finds <\/span><span>that <\/span><span>while <\/span><span>small <\/span><span>business <\/span><span>owners <\/span><span>remain <\/span><span>largely <\/span><span>optimistic <\/span><span>about <\/span><span>their <\/span><span>growth <\/span><span>potential, <\/span><span>economic <\/span><span>uncertainty <\/span><span>is <\/span><span>prompting <\/span><span>many <\/span><span>to <\/span><span>take <\/span><span>precautionary <\/span><span>steps.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"371\" data-end=\"676\"><span>According <\/span><span>to <\/span><span>the <\/span><span>Small <\/span><span>Business <\/span><span>Cash <\/span><span>Flow <\/span><span>Trend <\/span><span>Report<\/span><span>, <\/span><span>released <\/span><span>on <\/span><span>May <\/span><span>20, <\/span><span>2025, <\/span><span>93% <\/span><span>of <\/span><span>small <\/span><span>businesses<\/span> <span>surveyed <\/span><span>said <\/span><span>they <\/span><span>anticipate <\/span><span>either <\/span><span>significant <\/span><span>or <\/span><span>moderate <\/span><span>growth <\/span><span>in <\/span><span>2025. <\/span><span>This <\/span><span>figure <\/span><span>reflects <\/span><span>only <\/span><span>a <\/span><span>slight <\/span><span>dip <\/span><span>from <\/span><span>the <\/span><span>94%<\/span> <span>who <\/span><span>shared <\/span><span>the <\/span><span>same <\/span><span>outlook <\/span><span>in <\/span><span>the <\/span><span>fourth <\/span><span>quarter <\/span><span>of <\/span><span>2024.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"678\" data-end=\"1025\"><span>However, <\/span><span>that <\/span><span>optimism <\/span><span>comes <\/span><span>with <\/span><span>increased <\/span><span>caution. <\/span><span>More <\/span><span>than <\/span><span>half <\/span><span>of <\/span><span>small <\/span><span>businesses (<\/span><span>55%)<\/span> <span>say <\/span><span>they\u2019ve <\/span><span>already <\/span><span>taken <\/span><span>preemptive <\/span><span>action <\/span><span>in <\/span><span>response <\/span><span>to <\/span><span>potential <\/span><span>tariff <\/span><span>changes<\/span><span>, <\/span><span>bracing <\/span><span>for <\/span><span>possible <\/span><span>financial <\/span><span>or <\/span><span>operational <\/span><span>disruptions. <\/span><span>These <\/span><span>actions <\/span><span>include <\/span><span>front-<\/span><span>loading <\/span><span>inventory <\/span><span>and <\/span><span>securing <\/span><span>additional <\/span><span>capital <\/span><span>to <\/span><span>stabilize <\/span><span>cash <\/span><span>flow.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1027\" data-end=\"1456\"><span>\u201c<\/span><span>The <\/span><span>small <\/span><span>business <\/span><span>community <\/span><span>is <\/span><span>resilient, <\/span><span>and <\/span><span>we <\/span><span>see <\/span><span>them <\/span><span>working <\/span><span>hard <\/span><span>to <\/span><span>prepare <\/span><span>themselves <\/span><span>to <\/span><span>weather <\/span><span>certain <\/span><span>environmental <\/span><span>factors <\/span><span>such <\/span><span>as <\/span><span>tariffs,\u201d <\/span><span>said <\/span><span>Jim <\/span><span>Granat<\/span><span>, <\/span><span>Co-<\/span><span>President <\/span><span>of <\/span><span>Small <\/span><span>Business <\/span><span>at <\/span><span>Enova. \u201c<\/span><span>Whether <\/span><span>it\u2019s <\/span><span>additional <\/span><span>capital <\/span><span>needed <\/span><span>for <\/span><span>front-<\/span><span>loading <\/span><span>inventory <\/span><span>or <\/span><span>help <\/span><span>with <\/span><span>general <\/span><span>cashflow <\/span><span>demands, <\/span><span>OnDeck <\/span><span>is <\/span><span>committed <\/span><span>to <\/span><span>supporting <\/span><span>small <\/span><span>businesses <\/span><span>with <\/span><span>accessible, <\/span><span>transparent <\/span><span>and <\/span><span>dependable <\/span><span>financing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1458\" data-end=\"1779\"><span>The <\/span><span>report <\/span><span>also <\/span><span>shows <\/span><span>a <\/span><span>significant <\/span><span>uptick <\/span><span>in <\/span><span>AI <\/span><span>adoption<\/span><span>, <\/span><span>especially <\/span><span>in <\/span><span>marketing <\/span><span>functions. <\/span><span>Sixty-<\/span><span>nine <\/span><span>percent<\/span> <span>of <\/span><span>respondents <\/span><span>reported <\/span><span>frequent <\/span><span>use <\/span><span>of <\/span><span>artificial <\/span><span>intelligence <\/span><span>tools<\/span> <span>to <\/span><span>assist <\/span><span>with <\/span><span>marketing-<\/span><span>related <\/span><span>tasks, <\/span><span>a <\/span><span>signal <\/span><span>that <\/span><span>digital <\/span><span>transformation <\/span><span>continues <\/span><span>to <\/span><span>take <\/span><span>root <\/span><span>among <\/span><span>smaller <\/span><span>enterprises.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1781\" data-end=\"2172\"><span>Meanwhile, <\/span><span>the <\/span><span>report <\/span><span>highlights <\/span><span>a <\/span><span>notable <\/span><span>shift <\/span><span>in <\/span><span>lending <\/span><span>preferences. <\/span><span>Seventy-<\/span><span>six <\/span><span>percent<\/span> <span>of <\/span><span>businesses <\/span><span>say <\/span><span>they\u2019re <\/span><span>now <\/span><span>bypassing <\/span><span>traditional <\/span><span>banks<\/span> <span>in <\/span><span>favor <\/span><span>of <\/span><span>non-<\/span><span>bank <\/span><span>lenders<\/span><span>, <\/span><span>marking <\/span><span>an <\/span><span>all-<\/span><span>time <\/span><span>high <\/span><span>in <\/span><span>the <\/span><span>survey\u2019s <\/span><span>history. <\/span><span>This <\/span><span>trend <\/span><span>suggests <\/span><span>small <\/span><span>business <\/span><span>owners <\/span><span>are <\/span><span>seeking <\/span><span>more <\/span><span>flexible <\/span><span>and <\/span><span>faster <\/span><span>financing <\/span><span>solutions <\/span><span>in <\/span><span>today\u2019s <\/span><span>rapidly <\/span><span>shifting <\/span><span>economic <\/span><span>environment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2174\" data-end=\"2420\"><span>\u201c<\/span><span>AI-<\/span><span>powered <\/span><span>analytics <\/span><span>infrastructure <\/span><span>enables <\/span><span>lenders <\/span><span>to <\/span><span>evaluate <\/span><span>real-<\/span><span>time <\/span><span>cash <\/span><span>flow <\/span><span>data <\/span><span>to <\/span><span>identify <\/span><span>more <\/span><span>qualified <\/span><span>businesses <\/span><span>and <\/span><span>expand <\/span><span>access <\/span><span>to <\/span><span>the <\/span><span>capital <\/span><span>they <\/span><span>need <\/span><span>to <\/span><span>navigate <\/span><span>uncertainty,\u201d <\/span><span>said <\/span><span>David <\/span><span>Snitkof<\/span><span>, <\/span><span>SVP <\/span><span>of <\/span><span>Growth <\/span><span>at <\/span><span>Ocrolus.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2422\" data-end=\"2727\"><span>The <\/span><span>findings <\/span><span>are <\/span><span>based <\/span><span>on <\/span><span>responses <\/span><span>from <\/span><span>437 <\/span><span>small <\/span><span>businesses<\/span> <span>with <\/span><span>existing <\/span><span>working <\/span><span>capital <\/span><span>loans, <\/span><span>along <\/span><span>with <\/span><span>data <\/span><span>from <\/span><span>over <\/span><span>2 <\/span><span>million <\/span><span>small <\/span><span>business <\/span><span>applications<\/span> <span>submitted <\/span><span>for <\/span><span>working <\/span><span>capital <\/span><span>financing <\/span><span>over <\/span><span>the <\/span><span>past <\/span><span>15 <\/span><span>months. <\/span><span>The <\/span><span>survey <\/span><span>was <\/span><span>conducted <\/span><span>nationwide <\/span><span>between <\/span><span>February <\/span><span>17\u2013<\/span><span>27, <\/span><span>2025<\/span><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2729\" data-end=\"2878\"><span>The <\/span><span>full <\/span><span>report, <\/span><span>including <\/span><span>detailed <\/span><span>survey <\/span><span>results, <\/span><span>is <\/span><span>available <\/span><span>at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ondeck.com\/small-business-trends\" target=\"_new\" rel=\"noopener\" data-start=\"2797\" data-end=\"2877\"><span>ondeck.<\/span><span>com\/<\/span><span>small-<\/span><span>business-<\/span><span>trends<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2880\" data-end=\"3152\"><span>OnDeck, <\/span><span>part <\/span><span>of <\/span><span>Enova <\/span><span>International (<\/span><span>NYSE: <\/span><span>ENVA)<\/span><span>, <\/span><span>partnered <\/span><span>with <\/span><span>Ocrolus<\/span> <span>to <\/span><span>produce <\/span><span>the <\/span><span>quarterly <\/span><span>report. <\/span><span>Together, <\/span><span>the <\/span><span>companies <\/span><span>say <\/span><span>they <\/span><span>aim <\/span><span>to <\/span><span>provide <\/span><span>actionable <\/span><span>insights <\/span><span>to <\/span><span>help <\/span><span>small <\/span><span>businesses <\/span><span>better <\/span><span>understand <\/span><span>their <\/span><span>financial <\/span><span>positions <\/span><span>and <\/span><span>plan <\/span><span>accordingly.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"related-articles\">\n<p>Editor&#8217;s Picks<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"abouttheauthor\">\n<ul><\/ul>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/smallbiztrends.com\/author\/joshua-sophy\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/smallbiztrends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/userphoto\/431.thumbnail.jpg\" alt=\"Joshua Sophy\" width=\"65\" height=\"150\" ezimgfmt=\"rs rscb1 src ng ngcb1\" data-ezsrc=\"https:\/\/smallbiztrends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/userphoto\/431.thumbnail.jpg\"><\/a><br \/>\nJoshua Sophy is the Editor for Small Business Trends and has been a member of the team for 16 years. A professional journalist with 20 years of experience in traditional media and online media, he attended Waynesburg University and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. He has held roles of reporter, editor and publisher, having founded his own local newspaper, the Pottsville Free Press.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<\/div>\n<hr>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/smallbiztrends.com\/ondeck-small-business-growth-report-q1-2025\/\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><br \/>\n Joshua Sophy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Published: May 20, 2025 by Joshua Sophy In Small Business News A new report from small business lender OnDeck, in partnership with document AI platform Ocrolus, finds that while small business owners remain largely optimistic about their growth potential, economic uncertainty is prompting many to take precautionary steps. According to the Small Business Cash Flow<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":849919,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2487,135],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-849918","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-businesses","8":"category-small"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/849918","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=849918"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/849918\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/849919"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=849918"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=849918"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=849918"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}