Xero CEO: Why America’s entrepreneurship boom is only half the story

An Xero CEO sheds light on the hidden challenges faced by small business owners in the American economy. While businesses are booming, with 5.7 million new business applications in 2025 and AI playing a significant role, many owners struggle to feel successful. Despite their efforts, they question whether the stress and time investment is worth the outcome.

Data from Xero's payroll partner Gusto reveals that the median small business owner earns $4,800 per month, and most work over 50 hours a week. This raises concerns about the financial resilience, time control, access to capital, and overall well-being of these owners. The "Ownership Gap" refers to the gap between business success and personal satisfaction, which is often overlooked in the current metrics.

To address this issue, the CEO calls for a broader definition of a healthy small-business economy that includes not just business output and revenue, but also the owner's financial resilience, time control, access to capital, and overall well-being. This requires collaboration between owners, policymakers, economists, and investors to recognize the importance of owner health metrics in measuring entrepreneurial success.