Alignable Research Center
Welcome To The Alignable Research Center
Alignable is the largest online referral network for small businesses with over 9 million+ members across North America.
We established our research center in early March 2020, to track and report the impact of the Coronavirus on small businesses, and to monitor recovery efforts, informing the media, policymakers, and our members. While the research center was launched by the COVID Crisis, as the largest online network of small business owners in North America, we are constantly collecting information we feel will help champion the cause and success of the Small Business Economy.
You can also find additional COVID related information and resources in our Coronavirus Resource Center.
Below you’ll find links to much of our research and reporting. If you have any questions about the reports or to learn more about our data please contact Chuck Casto via email.
Research & Insights Reports:
2023 Comprehensive Quarterly Reports
- Q2 Road to Recovery (5/4/23)
- Q1 Road to Recovery (1/20/23)
2022 Comprehensive Monthly / Quarterly Reports
- Q4 Road to Recovery (1/20/23)
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Q3 Road to Recovery (8/2/22)
- Q2 Road to Recovery (4/21/22)
- March Road to Recovery (3/7/22)
- January Road to Recovery (1/30/22)
2021 Comprehensive Monthly Reports
- December Road to Recovery (12/27/21)
- November Road to Recovery (11/8/21)
- October Road to Recovery (10/27/21)
- September Road to Recovery (9/13/21)
- August Road to Recovery (8/11/21)
- July Road to Recovery (7/15/21)
- June Road to Recovery (6/11/21)
- May Road to Recovery (5/10/21)
- April Road to Recovery (4/5/21)
- March Road to Recovery (3/10/21)
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February Road to Recovery (2/9/21)
- January Road to Recovery (1/14/21)
2020 Comprehensive Monthly Reports
- December Road to Recovery (12/1/20)
- November Road to Recovery (11/4/20)
- October Road to Recovery (10/6/20)
- September Road to Recovery (9/8/20)
- August Road to Recovery (8/6/20)
- July Road to Recovery (7/2/20)
- June Road to Recovery (6/6/20)
- May Road to Recovery (5/6/20)
2020 Early Outbreak Weekly Reports
- Week 11 update: Data through 5/29/20
- Week 10 update: Data through 5/22/20
- Week 9 update: Data through 5/15/20
- Week 8 update: Data through 5/8/20
- Week 7 update: Data through 5/1/20
- Week 6 update: Data through 4/24/20
- Week 5 update: Data through 4/17/20
- Week 4 update: Data through 4/10/20
- Week 3 update: Data through 4/3/20
- Week 2 update: Data through 3/27/20
- Week 1 update: Data through 3/19/20
PPP Relief Program
- 78% Of SMBs Support PPP Deadline Extension, But Other Problems Remain Requiring Repair (3/15/21)
- Nearly Half Of SMBs Are Optimistic About Biden's New 2021 PPP Changes (3/2/21)
- Only 11% Of SMBs Have 2021 PPP Funds So Far (2/25/21)
- Special Report: Covid Crisis - Relief Needed for 85% of SMBs (12/9/20)
- Looming Cash Crisis (6/22/20)
- Why $130 Billion Sits Idle (6/18/20)
- Minority Owned Businesses Struggle to Access PPP (5/26/20)
- Majority of SMBs Still Waiting for Funds (5/6/20)
- 86% waiting for PPP Funding (3/21/20)
- 50% applying for PPP Relief (4/13/20)
- CARES Act Might Not Be Enough (4/3/20)
Business Segment Reports
- Special Report: Small Biz Owners Weigh In On Politics & Election (5/21/24)
- 55% of SMBs Want To Ban TikTok (5/3/24)
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Retail Crisis Looms (11/26/23)
- Q4 2023 Revenue Report (11/6/23)
- "High Interest Rates Are Killing Me" (9/21/23)
- Side Hustlers Rejoice: Temp Hiring Hits New High (8/12/23)
- Surge In Part-Time Hiring Breaks '23 Record, As Need For Full-Timers Sinks To New Low (8/9/23)
- 57% Of SMBs Have Used ChatGPT, 26% Already Feel It Will Help Their Businesses Grow (7/30/23)
- Bank Turmoil Leads To 65% Increase In Credit Union Use By SMBs (3/31/23)
- 54% of SMBs Are Trying To Hire Again (2/15/23)
- 62% of SMBs Say A Republican-Controlled Congress Would Help Their Businesses (11/3/22)
- Holiday Hiring Hits New Low: Only 7% Seeking Temp Workers, Down 29% From 2021 (10/13/22)
- Hiring Freeze Breaks New Record: 63% of SMBs Halt Hiring, 10% Start Layoffs (9/7/22)
- Special Report: 47% of SMBs at Risk, Fear Closing By Fall (7/7/22)
- Special Report: Small Biz Employers Fear Summer Jobs Situation (6/8/22)
- Special Report: 51% of SMBs Express Concerns About Shutdowns Due To Skyrocketing Inflation (5/23/22)
- 83% of Restaurants Still Can't Find Enough Workers, Up 3% (5/11/22)
- 50% of SMBs Disapprove Of U.S. Reactions To Russia-Ukraine War (4/10/22)
- Special Report: 68% Of SMBs Say Gas Price Spikes Have Hurt Their Business (3/29/22)
- Special Report: Small Biz Labor Shortage Worsens, 65% Can't Find Workers, Up 5% (3/4/22)
- Special Report: Only 16% Of Small Biz Owners Think The Feds Are Doing A Good Job (2/25/22)
- Special Report: 60% Of U.S. Small Businesses Still Can't Solve Labor Shortage (2/3/22)
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Recovery Crisis: 53% of U.S. Small Businesses Hurt By Omicron, 57% of Canadian SMBs (1/26/22)
- Special Report: 44% Of Small Biz Owners Fear Omicron Threat (12/8/21)
- 64% of U.S. Small Biz Owners Say The Feds Need To Do More To Fuel Their Recovery (11/15/21)
- Special Report: No End In Sight For Labor Shortage (10/26/21)
- The Gig Economy and Hiring Trend EDGE Report (9/2/21)
- Special Report: 76% of SMBs Fear Delta Variant Will Hurt Their Recovery (8/6/21)
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How SMBs Really Feel About The Proposed Minimum Wage Hike (2/25/21)
- Veteran Owned Business Recovery (10/30/20)
- Main Street Businesses (10/19/20)
- Main Street Retail on the Brink (8/27/20)
- Expectations for Customers Returning (6/9/20)
- Payroll & Hiring Expectations (6/8/20)
- 90% of Businesses Impacted by COVID (4/7/20)
Ability to Pay Rent
- July 2024 Revenue & Rent Report (8/16/24)
- June 2024 Revenue & Rent Report (7/12/24)
- May 2024 Revenue & Rent Report (6/7/24)
- March/April 2024 Rent Report (4/26/24)
- February 2024 Rent Report (3/12/24)
- January 2024 Rent Report (2/6/24)
- December 2023 Rent & Revenue Report (12/30/23)
- November 2023 Rent Report (11/30/23)
- October 2023 Rent Report (10/29/23)
- September 2023 Rent Report (9/29/23)
- August 2023 Rent Report (8/30/23)
- July 2023 Rent Report (7/29/23)
- June 2023 Rent Report (6/28/23)
- May 2023 Rent Report (5/31/23)
- April 2023 Rent Report (4/27/23)
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March 2023 Rent Report (3/24/23)
- February 2023 Rent Report (2/28/23)
- January 2023 Rent Report (1/31/23)
- December 2022 Rent Report (12/30/22)
- November 2022 Rent Report (11/23/22)
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October 2022 Rent Report (10/28/22)
- September 2022 Rent Report (9/30/22)
- August 2022 Rent Report (8/24/22)
- July 2022 Rent Report: Nearly Half of Restaurants & Car Services Couldn't Pay July Rent (7/29/22)
- June 2022 Rent Report: New Rent Crisis Record (6/29/22)
- May/Q2 Rent Report: 2022 Rent Crisis Breaks Troubling Records (5/30/22)
- April 2022 Rent Report (4/28/22)
- February 2022 Rent Report (2/28/22)
- January 2022 Rent Report (1/31/22)
- December 2021 Rent Report (12/31/21)
- November 2021 Rent Report (11/18/21)
- October 2021 Rent Report (10/29/21)
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September 2021 Rent Report (9/29/21)
- August 2021 Rent Report (8/26/21)
- July 2021 Rent Report (7/28/21)
- June 2021 Rent Report (6/16/21)
- May 2021 Rent Report (5/18/21)
- April 2021 Rent Report (4/15/21)
- March 2021 Rent Report (3/8/21)
- February 2021 Rent Report (2/7/21)
- January 2021 Rent Report (1/15/21)
- December 2020 Rent Report (12/5/20)
- November Rent Report (11/11/20)
- October Rent Report (10/8/20)
- September Rent Report (9/11/20)
- Negotiating Rent Reductions (9/10/20)
- April Rent Report (4/28/20)
Business Closures & Reopenings
- 35% of SMBs At Risk During The Summer Of '21 (6/2/21)
- 67% of SMBs Fear Inflation Will Hurt Their Recovery (5/7/21)
- A Tale Of Two Recoveries? Alignable Recovery Projection Poll (4/8/21)
- 45% Of SMBs Fear Closing Before COVID's Contained (3/22/21)
- At Risk of Closing in Q4 (11/25/20)
- State of SMB Economy (9/23/20)
- Rate of Closures (7/20/20)
- 37% Struggle to Stay in Business (3/27/20)
Editorial Posts:
- PRO Act Is ANTI-Small Business & Its Timing Is Terrible (4/14/21)
- Biden Addresses PPP for Solos (3/2/21)
- We Need A Business Investment Crisis Fund (9/25/20)
- Saving Our Local Economies: #MyMoneyStaysLocal (8/4/20)
- Major Money Center Banks Turn Backs to SMBs (5/1/20)
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Harvard Business Review: A Way Forward for SMBs (4/13/20)
Partner Sites:
We are Stronger Together in advocating for Small Business Owners and through our efforts we have found others who feel the same way. Here are links to their research and advocacy efforts:
- Indeed Hiring Lab - Research on jobs, hiring, and more
- Gusto Advocacy Page - They provide payroll systems for SMBs
- B2SMB Institute - Industry Organization in support of SMBs
Comments (1-10)
i do NOT think the government should regulate independent contractors! What would be the point? And it would hurt everyone involved, I'm convinced!!
Alignable is business transparency, a cornerstone of rational normalcy that helps connects all entrepreneurs.
We will have to try a little harder, and with Gods help, and our family and
friends things will get better.
I like how Alignable is advocating for the small businesses across the country-that includes my 4t33.com that has just started in the middle of the pandemic. Well, just holding the hope idea of online business would works with the policy makers safety orders of social distancing, stay at home... In a way it is impacting both negatively and positively to online businesses however navigation is tough when it comes to financial issues!!!
It is time to put our country back on an even footing! I have met donecsuprrvpeoplecherecand now that my book is in publishing I can redirect my energy to my core businesses! Thank you for providing this platform for all of us!
My business is not running well it have
Take sometime for custom to come back.
I appreciate the Alignable small business assistance; appropriate to business initiative personnel. I also focus, as was taught by Ross Perot of EDS early in my career, on serving the public by taking care of 1) customers (federal), 2) staff, 3) teammates, and 4) business. Business is necessary for the prior 3 goals. All of this is altruistic and beneficial to people.
Small business does not opportunities for large orders and small orders Amazon grabs.
U.S. bills should have Jeff Bezos photo now.
Politicians, Lobbyist. We small business cannot afford Lobbyist. I can go on and on. No point.
Are there existing collaborations groups that unpack these research results?
I am searching for a diverse cross section of people who are interested in researching a new form of employee & customer service support that fits into the existing data collection streams kept by Human Resource Directors, Workmen’s Comp, Heath Care Utilization Review, absenteeism, turnover, & productivity measures, and satisfaction surveys, etc.
Our groups will meet using recorded Zoom sessions with the group process mechanism that sets SMART Action Plan Steps.
We have Survey Monkey to help the group work more nimbly to divide into interest groups & as a record keeping tool.
I am new to this platform so any tips & tricks to help me work smarter to communicate better will be much appreciated.
Thanks