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Price increases due to the war in Ukraine are weighing increasingly heavily on SMEs, according to the Seventh Small Business Index. The second quarter of 2022 saw a visible increase in business performance, but now we see a drop in business confidence and a difficult recovery for certain sectors following the corona pandemic. Entrepreneurs also appear increasingly willing to invest in their businesses to keep their heads above water.

To give you an insight into the current status of SMEs in the Netherlands, we describe the main results of the survey in this blog.

Severe weather for entrepreneurs

Besides the fact that a large part of the Dutch population has less financial space due to high energy prices, more and more entrepreneurs are finding themselves in the eye of the storm. The results of the Small Business Index show that nearly six out of ten entrepreneurs are unable to pass on energy prices, or can do so only partially. Furthermore, 57% of business owners are experiencing disrupted supply or sales of services or products. Also, 53% of business owners say they are not prepared for unforeseen financial shortfalls.

For businesses hit hard by the corona pandemic, such as the cultural sector and the hospitality industry, it is especially tough to recover in the current crisis. Furthermore, only 43% of small business owners earn more than the minimum wage and 33% are even below the welfare level.

It is therefore not surprising that there is much criticism from entrepreneurs about the support measures that the government has presented for businesses. A large part of entrepreneurs indicate that the threshold to qualify for government support is too high.

Willingness to invest grows

The survey also shows a growing willingness among many companies to make additional investments. In particular, additional capital that can be used to reduce energy use and green energy generation is in high demand. Many entrepreneurs are opting for a business loan to make their business more sustainable. When you reduce your company's carbon footprint, you will have more financial room to grow your business. For example, you could make your business premises more sustainable by remodeling or by purchasing sustainable inventory and machinery. You could also purchase a sustainably driven business car for a green stamp on your business.

A nudge

A business loan from Qeld is highly recommended if you want to grow or sustain your business. Our business loans are clear, fast and hassle-free. An application is free, 100% no obligation and the loan is paid out the same day. Moreover, our Trustpilot score of 4.8/5 shows that our customers are very satisfied with our business loans and service.

Want to give your business a boost during these tough times? Applying for a business loan only takes 1 minute. Just fill out your information to the right and we'll get back to you as soon as possible!

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