Finding customers, increasing visibility and generating revenue are the leading concerns facing small businesses in the Fox Cities, according to a new survey conducted by the Fox Cities Chamber.
The June 2026 survey gathered input from small and micro-business members; primarily organizations with 25 or fewer employees. Respondents ranked marketing and visibility as their greatest challenge, followed by customer acquisition and sales. Many also expressed uncertainty about changes in digital marketing, including the effect of artificial intelligence on search behavior and the growing difficulty of search engine optimization. Staffing challenges, rising costs and cash-flow concerns also emerged, although finding customers was identified as a greater concern than finding employees.
The results also highlighted several strengths within the region’s small business community. Respondents praised their customer relationships, employees, workplace cultures and professional connections. Many also reported increases in customers and sales and identified networking, referrals and community relationships as especially valuable.
The Fox Cities Chamber will use the survey results to continue shaping its programming, resources and services to better support the growth and long-term success of small businesses throughout the region. View the full report here: small-business-survey-2026-Executive-Summary.pdf
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About the Fox Cities Chamber
The Fox Cities Chamber is a nonprofit business-to-business membership organization that unites the regional business community for greater economic impact. Serving Outagamie, Calumet, and northern Winnebago Counties, we are the second largest Chamber in Wisconsin and were named National Chamber of the Year in 2024. We also received a Wisconsin Innovation Award in the nonprofit category for our free membership level for small businesses.
Our organization proudly captures the energy of one of Wisconsin’s most dynamic regions and transforms it into innovative programs and services to champion employers, economic development, and quality of life. The Fox Cities Chamber celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2024. For more information, visit https://foxcitieschamber.com/.