U.S. small business is showing signs of improvement and cautious optimism as firm births now exceed firm exit, entrepreneurs are raising their salaries and new lending markets are emerging, according to a new data report by Business.com, the leading online destination for growth companies seeking the knowledge, products and services to run and grow their businesses. The State of Small Business in America report analyzes the current issues and trends that are facing U.S. small business today and for the upcoming year. 

"U.S. small businesses employ 56.1 million of the nation's private workforce with a new business launched every minute," notes Betsy Scuteri, Editor In Chief of Business.com. "The data clearly shows there is a disruption occurring in our economy which is of interest to all business people, regardless of the size of the company you work in." 

This report reveals that U.S. business owners are starting to receive more funding from alternative lending markets and traditional banks alike, and are securing more government contracts. Since 2008, the number of collective trends seem to be at a high point including:

• U.S. government awarded 23% of contracts to small businesses in 2014 for the first time in seven years 
• 57% of small businesses setting aside budget for new technology 
• Alternative lending has created new opportunities for small business owners as a means of funding and exposure to other lenders 

The report also reveals the current issues small businesses are facing and their impact. Some of these include:

• Health care: 84% of small business owners feel more informed about the Affordable Care Act, but they are still concerned about the costs and losing employees due to their inability to provide competitive benefits. 
• Hiring: 67% of small business owners have not hired in the last year. There has been improvement, but still a lag from before 2007. 
• Data security: securing personal data is a top concern for small business owners, especially retailers. 

Download the full report and findings here: http://www.business.com/resources/state-of-small-business/