Why Small Businesses Are The Pawns of This Election Cycle Some guidelines for navigating through the red, blue, or purple uncertainty.

This year is fueling a lot of uncertainty among small business owners. While business owners deal with the same movie, different characters every election cycle, 2020 has put small businesses in an incredibly precarious spot. Business challenges triggered by the pandemic coupled with an election cycle is delivering overwhelming anxiety. Navigating through this environment will require small business owners and entrepreneurs to stay focused and positive as we all carefully navigate the minefield.

Small businesses — the heart of America — are being played as one of the biggest pawns in the political game. With these businesses numbering more than 32 million in the U.S., candidate rhetoric and promises are often manipulated to court this constituency. The stakes are high in this election for small businesses. According to a Verizon Business Survey, 81% of small business decision-makers think that small businesses will be impacted in the U.S. depending on the election results. On top of that, 57% believe the election outcome will impact the financial health of businesses.

Each one of three possible election outcomes — Trump wins, Biden wins, or Undecided — will impact small businesses in different challenging ways.