Fora Financial released its 2026 Mid-Year Pulse survey. The results show a business landscape steadier than the headlines might suggest: 75% of business owners say 2026 is meeting or beating the expectations they set at the start of the year, even as 60% now see a recession as at least possible before year end.

"Business owners are not waiting to see how the year turns out before they act," said Jared Feldman, CEO of Fora Financial. "The ones performing best right now are the ones who started managing their cash flow like a weekly discipline months ago, not the ones hoping the economy sorts itself out."

Additional Key Findings

• Cash Flow Tops the List of Challenges: Cash flow ranks as the most commonly cited challenge, named by 57% of business owners, ahead of inflation (42%) and tariffs, cited by just 11%.

• Caution, Not Retreat: Despite rising recession concern, only 6% of business owners are actively pulling back on their plans.

• Tariffs Have Leveled Off: In Fora Financial's Annual Business Insights Report, 73% of business owners said tariffs were impacting their operations. Since January, just 11% say tariffs specifically have grown more challenging, a sign the pressure has stopped accelerating even if it hasn't disappeared.

Full survey findings and methodology are available at https://www.forafinancial.com/business-insights.