Small business optimism remained steady in Q2 2026 with more than nine in 10 owners confident in growth over the next year, according to the latest Small Business Cash Flow Trend Report from OnDeck, a market leader in small business lending, and Ocrolus, an AI workflow and cash flow analytics platform for lenders.
Key findings include:
- Growth Expectations. Small business optimism held firm in Q2 2026, with 93% of owners expecting moderate to significant growth over the next year, consistent with Q1 2026.
- Top Challenges. Inflation reclaimed the top spot as the leading small business concern (34%), surpassing cash flow at 30%.
- Lender Preference. Seventy-five percent of small businesses report bypassing traditional banks in Q2, in line with prior quarters.
- AI Adoption. Sixty-one percent of small businesses report using AI, up from 58% in Q1, with 91% of users reporting a positive impact on their business.
“Small business owners are staying focused on growth even as the cost pressures they face shift from quarter to quarter,” said Cory Kampfer, Co-President of Small Business Lending at Enova. “What stands out in this quarter’s data is how deliberately small businesses are using AI. It is no longer a novelty – it is becoming part of how they run day-to-day operations.”
“The cash flow data tells a consistent story: non-bank loan inflows rose year over year, while traditional bank loan inflows declined,” said David Snitkof, General Manager of Small Business at Ocrolus. “Small businesses are steadily shifting how they access capital, and lenders with better data visibility are winning that business.”
