• September 30, 2010

Nearly three-fourths (72%) of small businesses say they plan to add positions despite the current economic situation -- up 23% from last year, according to a survey by Ink from Chase, the business card portfolio from Chase Card Services, a division of JPMorgan Chase & Co.

This is the second year that Ink from Chase surveyed CEOs and senior executives on the prominent Inc. 500/5000 list of fastest-growing U.S. small businesses about their outlook on the economy, employment, general growth, and critical issues to their business, such as access to capital and cash flow management.

More than nine out of ten (94%) believe businesses like theirs are "important" in leading the U.S. out of the current recession. More than three-fourths (76%) predict their business will be even better in three to six months, and 64% said their firms will either exceed or meet both revenue and profit goals for fiscal 2010, while only 37% of last year's respondents said the same for 2009.

The online survey queried 293 members of the annual Inc. 500/5000 list of fastest-growing companies Sept. 9 -14.--Tanya Irwin