Study offers insight into small business owners' expectations for the future

According to a recent study by the Shafran Moltz Group, the outlook for small businesses continues to be uncertain, with entrepreneurs expressing a range of opinions about the economy.

As company owner Barry Moltz writes for Small Business Trends, nearly half (45 percent) of the 5,000 survey respondents said they believed the economy had finally turned a corner, opining that a double dip recession is unlikely and things will remain at a steady 2 percent growth rate. However, more than one-third (38 percent) reported thinking the economy is essentially stuck in neutral and projected no growth whatsoever.

Entrepreneurs also expressed fears about the ongoing economic turmoil in Europe and questioned how gridlock in Washington will affect small business regulations and their ability to run their companies.

With regard to the topic of the upcoming presidential election, respondents were split between favoring President Barack Obama and the eventual, as yet undetermined Republican nominee. One-third said they wished someone else could take the position, with some naming the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs as a candidate they would have backed.