Two in five (40.2%) Irish business leaders are confident that their SME will grow significantly over the next 12 months, according to research from SumUp.
In a survey of 250 small Irish business owners and decision-makers, the fintech company found that a quarter (23.1%) of respondents are generally positive but have some concerns.
A further (21.9%) believe their business will perform well and overcome challenges, and a minority expressed worry or uncertainty.
Some 7.2% reported they are worried about their business and expect a lot of challenges, and 6.8% said they are uncertain but expect their firm to either grow or decline significantly.
Inflation was flagged by 44.2% as their biggest concern, while 38.7% said energy bills and essential investment and 38.3% answered that they are seriously concerned about whether their business is capable of digital transformation.
A further 37.9% are worried about customer retention, and 37.1% fear their competitors offering cheaper alternatives. …