WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – On Small Business Saturday 2025, the support of buyers is more critical than ever as many are still reeling from a year full of high operating costs and concerned consumers.
As the mad dash of holiday shopping picks up steam, the only thing on many small businesses’ wish lists is to be prepared for whatever comes next.
William Stern has seen the mindset of business owners firsthand. His company, Cardiff, specializes in small business lending, working with thousands of small businesses across the U.S.
He says owners have taken a more conservative approach this year following a series of challenges that left things uncertain.
“Small business funding has reached a fever pitch,” Stern said, citing both “defensive” funding as businesses keep dry powder on hand, and “offensive” funding focused on growth and expansion.
“I think with tariffs and inflation and sort of being locked out to bank capital,” he said, “I think many small business owners have been sort of gun shy about this year.”
What stern has seen is a lot of playing defense, with businesses clocking higher operating costs, steeper import prices due to extensive tariffs, and a shakier consumer base thanks to inflation.
The demand for business funding has only increased as banks tighten credit standards and the Small Business Administration (SBA) resumes loan programs that had been frozen during the government shutdown.
What that means for the 36 million independent businesses in the U.S. is that the Thanksgiving holiday shopping weekend could be the deciding factor heading into next year.
That’s where Small Business Saturday comes in, racking up around 20% of small businesses’ annual sales in just one day. Black Friday 2025 already saw success in the online world, with virtual sales reaching an estimated $10.8 billion, a 10.2% increase from 2024.
Small businesses hope despite an economically uncertain year, their special day will net similar results; the perfect holiday present after a challenging year.
“If you value your neighborhood, I think you have an obligation to support small business,” Stern advised. “When a small business comes into the neighborhood, it is a vote on the optimism of the future.”
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