Small Business Optimism Grows Despite Stagnant Hiring, Paycheck Size Payroll-processing firm SurePayroll releases its June Small-Business Scorecard.

By Catherine Clifford

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Small-business owners are optimistic about the next quarter, even while still mired in sluggish economic conditions, according to a new survey by payroll-processing firm SurePayroll.

More than half of the 5,000 micro-business owners, or those with an average of eight employees, surveyed for the June Small-Business Scorecard expect the third quarter of 2013 to surpass their expectations. At the same time, more than half of survey respondents plan to invest in their companies in July, August or September, primarily in the areas of marketing, technology or recruiting new staff, according to the report.

Almost three-in-four survey respondents report being optimistic about the future, up from just 45 percent in September last year, the survey finds.

Related: Small-Business Owners: Working Harder, But Optimistic

Meanwhile, small-business hiring and the average paycheck of employees and contractors each fell 0.1 percent in June from May, the report says.

"Right now, we're seeing two stories in the small-business economy: one for today, another for tomorrow," says Michael Alter, the chief executive and president of SurePayroll, in a statement. "Today things continue to be flat to slightly down, without much movement on the hiring front. However, there has been a steady trend of high optimism among small-business owners for tomorrow."

SurePayroll is owned by Rochester, N.Y.-based payroll processing firm Paychex.

Related: U.S. Small Businesses Expect Improved Sales Prospects (Infographic)

Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Side Hustle

This Gen Zer's Stylish Side Hustle Earns About $20,000 a Month and Paid Off His Parents' $200,000 Debt: 'I Enjoy the Hands-Off Nature'

Ray Cao went from working as a barista for $8 an hour to being a successful seller on online marketplace StockX.

Growing a Business

The Former Owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers Has a New Passion Project. Here's Why He's Fighting to Create a Safer Internet.

Frank McCourt Jr. built a successful career before dedicating his energy to a new passion.

Growing a Business

How to Determine the Right Pricing Strategy for Your Small Business

Discover how small businesses can navigate the challenging terrain of pricing strategy in a post-inflation economy.

Leadership

8 CEO Mindset Quotes That Keep Me Honest and Inspired

In this article, I'll share a collection of my favorite inspiring quotes for CEOs and why I think they're useful to remember.

Starting a Business

I Was a 25-Year-Old Nurse When I Started a Side Hustle to Combat Anxiety. It Made $1 Million in 7 Months — Then Sold for a Life-Changing Amount.

Sarah Michelle Boes knew there had to be a better way to prepare for her stress-inducing nurse practitioner's exam — so she created it.