Patriot Software survey of 1,000 small business owners and managers reveals the sacrifices they make every day to keep things running.

CANTON, OH / ACCESS Newswire / June 17, 2026 / According to new research from Patriot Software, 47.7% of U.S. small business owners (SBOs) have skipped or delayed their paycheck, and 84.4% have sacrificed their health, relationships, or mental wellbeing for the sake of keeping their business running.

The survey polled 1,000 small business owners, managers, and recent former owners and documents the financial strain, chronic stress, and personal costs that define the everyday reality of entrepreneurship in America.

Key findings include:

53.5% of SBOs lose sleep over their business at least a few times a week
47.7% have skipped or delayed their own paycheck to keep the business running
47.2% say financial pressure has gotten worse over the past 12 months
84.4% have personally sacrificed their health, relationships, or mental wellbeing for the business
29.4% name affordable healthcare as the single change that would most reduce burnout
73% still believe in owning a small business: 30.8% love entrepreneurship and can’t imagine doing anything else, and 42.2% believe in it but are exhausted

According to the Small Business Administration, there are over 36 million small businesses in the U.S., collectively employing 62.3 million people, nearly 46% of the entire private sector workforce. These numbers represent an enormous engine of the American economy. According to Patriot’s recent survey data, the numbers also represent a significant number of people losing sleep, skipping paychecks, and sacrificing their health to keep it running.

The full survey results are available here on Patriot Software’s website.

Methodology: Patriot Software surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults who are current small business owners, managers, or recent former owners. Participants answered questions about financial pressure, mental health, personal sacrifices, healthcare access, and overall outlook on entrepreneurship.

###

About Patriot Software:

Patriot Software is disrupting the accounting and payroll industries with its low prices, highest customer reviews, and award-winning software. Patriot offers cloud-based accounting, payroll, HR, and time and attendance software solutions that help American businesses with up to 500 employees simplify their administrative tasks. Patriot’s US-based customer support team provides a personal touch that most software companies lack today. The company has been serving tens of thousands of businesses nationwide since 2002.

For more information, please contact:
Rachel Blakely-Gray
Content Manager
marketing@patriotsoftware.com
www.patriotsoftware.com

SOURCE: PATRIOT SOFTWARE LLC