By Matthew French
Staff Writer

The National Federation of Independent Business, one of the nation’s largest small-business lobbies, last week released its first quarterly “South Carolina Small Business Conditions” report. NFIB, which represents some 600,000 small businesses nationwide, interviewed 350 businesses around the state to get their take on the condition of the government, sales, jobs, benefits and the short-term outlook.

“The Small-Business Conditions survey indicates an overall favorable climate for small businesses in South Carolina,” says Michael Fields, NFIB’s South Carolina state director. “These results are a tribute to the entrepreneurial spirit for which South Carolinians are known and the progress we are making in being viewed as a business-friendly state.”

As shown in the chart below, a net 40% of respondents to the survey indicated South Carolina is supportive of small business. Comparatively, Georgia and North Carolina registered 37% and 36%, respectively.

This chart shows the results from the Palmetto State and its comparative standing among neighboring states. The numbers represent the net percentage of the companies from each state responding to the correlating answer on the left.

South Carolina’s small business climate: A comparison

                                                                       S.C.      Ga.    N.C.

Business conditions in market area

       Good                                                          55        52        38

Outlook for business

       Good in next three months                           70        73          0

Reason for optimism

       Sales prospects                                           47        41        57

Reason for pessimism

       Government policy                                       29        36          7

Sales and Earnings

       Sales good                                                  43        43        39

       Profits good                                                 24        26        24

Employment

       Current job openings (one or more)             20        20        20

       Employee payroll cost

   (risen last three months)                                   10        18        16

Greater employee cost pressures

       Wages                                                         61        57        57

       Benefits                                                       23        27        24

Single most important business problem

       Weak sales                                                  10        10        11

       Taxes                                                          11        11          9

       Employee quality or costs                            11         9        11

       Insurance                                                     19        21        15

       Big business competition                              13        11        15

       Inflation or rising prices                                12        11        16

       Credit availability or interest rates                  3         4          4

       Regulations or red tape                                 7          6          5

SUBSCRIBE | REPRINTS | CONTACT US

Phone: 843-849-3100    Fax: 843-849-3122