Following a successful Savannah Small Business Week, the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce has released the results of its first-ever small business survey, offering new insight into the challenges, priorities and opportunities facing the local companies that help power the Coastal Empire’s economy.

The survey was launched as part of a weeklong series of events highlighting the important role small businesses play in Savannah’s workforce, economy and quality of life.

“Small businesses make up more than 85 percent of our membership, so it is critical that we shine a light on the meaningful role they play in both employment and economic growth,” said Bert Brantley, President & CEO of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce.

Most Chamber members who responded have been in business for more than 15 years and employ fewer than 10 people. Rising costs and generating revenue were identified as their top concerns.

“Our nation has experienced a sustained period of high inflation, which puts pressure on businesses as their costs continue to rise,” Brantley said. “This tightens margins, creates ongoing concerns around cash flow and fuels uncertainty for both owners and customers.”

The survey also highlighted opportunities for the Chamber to help small businesses better use technology, including artificial intelligence, to streamline operations, improve efficiency and support growth. Many owners said they recognize the value of these tools but need more training, resources and guidance to apply them in practical ways.

The effort was championed by Connor Buchanan, the Chamber’s Chair of Small Business Programs and a Financial Planner and Retirement Plan Advisor with Jacobs Coolidge & Company.

“The best way for us to know if our programs are beneficial to our members is to ask them,” Buchanan said. “We hope this survey becomes an annual tradition that we can benchmark against to see how we are doing with our programming and how our small business community navigates regional and national economic trends.”

Members also strongly endorsed networking events that create results-driven relationships leading to referrals, partnerships and real business opportunities.

“We are so appreciative that our members took the time to provide us feedback, and we will turn these results into action as we plan for the rest of this year and into 2027,” said Tina Mock, the Chamber’s Vice President of Member Services.

The Chamber will use the survey findings to guide future small business programming, educational opportunities, networking events and member resources.