Small businesses in the Washington region are expected to grow next year, according to a new study, however, most owners believe they have enough capital on hand and won’t need to pursue loans in 2013.
Washington area small businesses don’t expect to need much additional capital to carry them through 2013.
(Jacquelyn Martin - AP)
Nine of ten small business owners in the area expect to either maintain their current payrolls or hire new employees next year, and nearly two-thirds expect to see gains in revenue, according to a survey released on Thursday by Bank of America.
For many, their business expectations closely reflect their confidence in the direction of the local economy. Half of the respondents expect conditions to improve in the region, compared to only 39 percent who expect economic improvement nationwide in 2013.
The study is based on responses from 300 local small businesses.
“The economic backbone of Greater Washington isn’t rooted in national government organizations,” Raj Kochhar, Small Business Banker region executive for the Mid-Atlantic, said in a statement. “It’s powered by the region’s small business community, which is doing business every day with the public and private sector across the Mid-Atlantic.”
Surprisingly, business owners’ optimism doesn’t appear likely to translate into a surge in borrowing demand in Washington. Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they already have sufficient capital to run their businesses and more than three-fourths don’t to apply for a business loan next year.
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