New research reveals the secret ingredients to small business happiness — and it’s not what you might expect.
As the print and design partner to small businesses around the world, we know that running your own business can be challenging, rewarding and everything in between. With all the joys and challenges that running a small business can present, staying connected to what makes you happy often directly influences the quality and longevity of your business.
That’s why this National Small Business Week VistaPrint launched our inaugural Small Business Happiness Report. We spoke with 1,000 small business owners across America to understand how happy they are today and the factors that drive this happiness. Read on to learn more about findings and understand how they can support your end journey.
Despite a tough start to the year, small business owners are happy
Even while navigating economic challenges and market uncertainty, America’s small business owners are showing resilience and optimism. According to updated findings* our report reveals that a significant 42% of small business owners report being currently “very happy,” with another 39% describing themselves as currently “somewhat happy.”
“Building something from nothing is extremely rewarding. As a media platform and community for female founders, our particular business only succeeds if we help others succeed”– Jasmine Garnsworthy, Creator of Female Founder World
That’s right, more than 80% of small business owners currently find happiness in their work despite the challenges of today’s economic landscape.
Ready to dive into the complete findings? Download the full 2025 Small Business Happiness Report to uncover all the insights.
So what is driving small business happiness?
The data from the 2025 Small Business Happiness Report suggests that happiness doesn’t necessarily depend on perfect economic conditions but is more dependent on internal or day-to-day factors. According to earlier research** 32% of respondents say the daily details of how they run their business influence their happiness more than external conditions.
Importantly, simply working for yourself can be a huge contributor to happiness. The majority (53%) of respondents we spoke to said they’re “much happier” now as a business owner than they were when they worked for someone else — a powerful endorsement for taking the entrepreneurial leap. “Small business owners are inherently positive people, and they find fulfillment by charting their own course”, says Emily Whittaker, EVP, NA & Global Marketing at VistaPrint.
For most small business owners, daily operations, interactions, passions and mindset influence their overall enjoyment of running a business more than current economic factors.
What small business owners enjoy the most:
- Freedom to set their own schedule (42%)
- Doing something they love or are passionate about (41%)
- Interacting with people, customers or society (30%)
While “controlling/improving the certainty of my income” is important and drives enjoyment for some (28%), this ranks lower than other factors, suggesting that running the day-to-day business is what truly contributes to fulfillment.
The customer feedback is the best part of having a small business, hearing and reading all the reviews like “Oh my gosh, I love this so much. It’s so cute, I’m going to order so much more”– Ashley Addison, Owner of amarieacreates
Unleashing potential: Leveraging learning and AI
As a small business owner, every new skill you develop becomes a building block for growth and innovation, and there are exciting opportunities that emerge when continuous learning meets AI adoption.
Focusing on continuous learning can empower you with skills to create a competitive edge, increase your adaptability and problem-solving skills as well as increase your community connection. In fact, 73% of small business owners shared that “continued learning” is one of the things they enjoy most about being a small business owner.
The most sought-after learning topics include, Technology and Innovation (66%), Marketing Management (66%) and Financial or Business Management (57%).
For Gen Z small business owners — the happiest demographic (very happy 54%) — “learning new things to improve the way I run my business” and “learning new ways to grow or expand my business” rank as key internal factors contributing to their current happiness.
You can read more about happiness by generation in our full report.
The role of AI
Another area for continuous learning that has been a hot topic for small business owners for some time now is the use of AI. You may be using it as a part of your day-to-day life, but for a large percentage of the business owners we interviewed, a human touch is still preferred in many areas especially Strategy and Planning (48%) and Campaign Execution (43%).
“As an artist whose art touches every single aspect of my business, I will 100% always prefer a human touch, even if it means it’s imperfect.”– Allie Arcos, Owner of Made To Dream Co.
This suggests that while AI tools can be valuable, many small business owners still value human creativity and connection in their marketing efforts.
If you’re starting out using AI tools for your business, look at areas that can help you win back some time, like AI design. Explore automating repetitive tasks that drain your energy, so you can focus on the tasks that are most fulfilling for you.
What other factors influence small business owners’ happiness?
Of course, there are some things outside of the everyday that contribute to overall fulfillment. The survey shows that business size, years in business and even location are all factors. These elements can shape how you experience success, manage stress, and connect with your communities. Every small business journey is unique, and these differences often play a big role in how happiness is defined.
“There have been a lot of moments that we’ve been proud of through the journey of WildFlora. I think seeing our business grow, seeing our clientele really grow, we’ve had the luxury of servicing some really awesome people.”– Alexandra Scholtz, Co-Owner of WildFlora
We’ve even uncovered some surprising statistics about happiness by industry. Want to know more? Download the complete report.
When passion meets persistence
Ultimately, finding happiness and purpose in your small business journey helps you build resilience, a crucial ingredient of small business success. As the EVP of NA & Global Marketing at VistaPrint, Whittaker, tells us, “Determination is synonymous with entrepreneurship. While every small business owner’s pathway to happiness is different, it’s evident that by focusing on what they can control and seeking out learning opportunities, SBOs have what it takes to persevere even in the midst of macroeconomic uncertainty.”
What this means for your business
You may already experience many signs of business success but want to infuse more happiness into the journey. For small business owners wanting to put these insights into practice, our top actionable takeaways are:
- Embrace your passion – Doing what you love ranks higher as a happiness factor than income certainty.
- Focus on what you can control – Internal factors appear to have a stronger influence on your happiness than external economic conditions.
- Prioritize continued learning – Expanding your skills and knowledge correlates strongly with business satisfaction.
Looking for more specific recommendations to grow your small business? We’ve pulled together some inspiring resources from established small business owners to support you. If you’re just starting out, check out our empowering advice for starting your business. If you are looking to improve and grow your business, explore our best business advice.
Methodology:
*April 2025: This data was updated by VistaPrint via YouGov as part of a recontact effort for select survey questions conducted between April 17 – April 21, 2025. Responses were collected from 450 of the same SBOs as the February 2025 survey. Recontact data are weighted to the February 2025 sample composition using company size (number of employees) and tenure (first year as an SBO) to rebalance the April 2025 sample to the February 2025 sample prior to any comparisons.
**February 2025: All findings following** were collected by VistaPrint via YouGov between Feb 3 – Feb 20, 2025. Qualified responses were collected from 1,000 small business owners, aged 21 to 64, with between 1-100 employees located in the United States. At that time, 48% of SBOs said they were currently “very” happy with 41% saying they were currently “somewhat” happy.
