How Small Business Owners Win in 2026

Today, Nicole is teaming up with U.S. Bank to unpack the state of small businesses and what entrepreneurs can do right now to get ahead. Nicole sits down with Shruti Patel, U.S. Bank's Chief Product Officer for the Business Banking segment, to unpack the findings from the bank's fourth annual Small Business Survey and what they reveal about the state of entrepreneurship right now. Shruti breaks down why small business optimism dipped from 93% to 83% this year even as resilience holds strong, why only 3% of owners are currently considering a sale or exit, and what that signals about the massive wealth transfer coming as Boomer-aged owners hand off their businesses to the next generation over the next decade. Then the conversation turns to Gen Z founders specifically: their appetite for bold, calculated risk, and the surprising trend of delaying life milestones like marriage and family to build their businesses… a bet that, according to the data, is actually paying off in faster growth. Nicole and Shruti also get tactical: how business credit actually works (and why your personal credit score matters more than you'd think) and the real documentation lenders want to see. Plus: how small businesses are using AI to cut costs (even when the ROI math gets murky), where digital currency payments stand today, and why frictionless checkout is a bigger deal than most owners realize. Learn more about U.S. Bank's Small Business Banking solutions at: usbank.com Check-out the results of U.S. Bank’s Small Business Survey: https://www.usbank.com/business-banking/business-resource-center/small-business-survey.html Here's what Nicole covers with Shruti: 00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 00:43 Meet Shruti Patel, U.S. Bank's Chief Product Officer 01:20 Inside U.S. Bank's 4th Annual Small Business Survey 02:16 Why Optimism Dropped from 93% to 83% 04:45 Why Only 3% of Owners Are Considering an Exit 05:18 The Great Wealth Transfer and Succession Planning for the Next Decade 06:31 Inside Gen Z's Bold, Calculated Approach to Risk 07:37 Delaying Marriage and Family to Build a Business 09:03 "You Can Have It All, Just Not All at Once" 11:07 How Gen Z Defines Success 12:10 The Death of the "Shark Tank" Fundraising Dream 13:45 Debt vs. Equity: Rethinking How to Finance Growth 14:17 What Banks Look for Before Approving a Loan 16:08 Do Businesses Have Their Own Credit Score? 17:38 Personal Guarantees and the Documentation You'll Need 19:06 The SBA Loan Process 19:38 How Small Businesses Are Actually Using AI to Save Money 21:16 The "Digital Target Checkout" Problem with AI Costs 22:39 Where Digital Currency and Crypto Payments Stand Today 24:15 Why Frictionless Checkout Is Everything 26:03 Inside U.S. Bank's Business Essentials Launch 29:32 U.S. Bank's Partnership with the NFL and the Financial Edge Program 33:45 Shruti Patel's Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments.