The Nevada Small Business Development Center (Nevada SBDC), situated within the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno, has initiated the 2025 Small Business Challenges Survey. This survey invites entrepreneurs and small business owners across the state to share the most significant challenges they are encountering.
Greg Mosier, the dean of the College of Business, remarked, “By understanding the challenges faced by Nevada’s business owners, we can take purposeful action. This information enables us to enhance our partnerships, improve our programs, and ultimately support the growth and stability of the economy.”
The survey will be available from July 14 to August 31, 2025. It aims to gather anonymous insights from business owners, new startups, and solo entrepreneurs, who represent over 98% of all businesses in Nevada. The data collected will be instrumental in shaping local, regional, and statewide support initiatives, including technical assistance, funding access, and training for entrepreneurs.
Since 2022, the Nevada SBDC has been conducting this annual survey to pinpoint trends and offer data-driven insights to partners and policymakers.
The 2024 survey indicated that current business owners are increasingly worried about acquiring new customers (47%), coping with inflation (35%), managing growth (31%), and securing funding (25%). For startup entrepreneurs, the primary challenge remains funding (70%), followed by regulatory compliance (28%), marketing strategy (27%), navigating licensing requirements (23%), and assessing business feasibility (22%).
“Last year’s data indicated a shift in focus towards customer acquisition, even as inflation continued to be a significant concern,” stated Winnie Dowling, state director of the Nevada SBDC. “Now in our fourth year, we’ll be able to monitor how these challenges evolve over time and which issues persist across Nevada’s business environment.”
The survey results continue to bolster statewide initiatives, such as the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), a technical assistance program aimed at helping small businesses secure capital.
“The Nevada Small Business Challenge Survey remains an essential resource in establishing the data-driven foundation of Nevada’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Technical Assistance component.
The 2025 Small Business Challenges Survey is now accessible in both English and Spanish.
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