Studying The DNA of An Entrepreneur

(Courtesy of Hiscox, the first company in the U.S. to offer insurance for small professional services businesses direct, online, and in real-time.)

A survey just released by Hiscox has discovered that today’s entrepreneurs may be losing sleep but they’re definitely not losing hope. Hiscox surveyed 3,000 small business owners in the USA and Europe; the survey offers first-person insights into entrepreneurs’ thoughts and behaviors as they cope with the economic crisis.

The 2012 eDNA survey highlights include:

• Optimism presides: Many more small businesses are optimistic (48%) than pessimistic (27%) despite tough times in the last year.
• Stresses and strains: The downturn has brought more stress to 43% of small business owners, and 31% reported sleeping problems. More women reported stress, sleeplessness and health problems than men
• Few small businesses seek outside help: Only 22% of small businesses had turned to outside help from elected representatives and business groups – and those that did preferred a business organization or a local representative to a national politician.

If you’re an entrepreneur, are you losing sleep? Are you losing hope?

Or, are you starting to feel a little better about things?