I thought, given that it's FriYay, we could start today's show with a bit of good news, a bit of positivity.

Incredibly to me, a survey commissioned by small business lender Prospa showed that New Zealand's small businesses are feeling positive heading into the Christmas holiday period.

514 businesses with between one and 49 employees - 73 percent of those said that they felt good about their overall business health. 63 percent are optimistic about their business growth potential over the next year. 80 percent feel prepared for the holiday season and just under half expect their business revenue will increase in the next 12 months.

So that's fairly significant. That's 514 businesses, SMEs. 73 percent of those surveyed felt good about their overall business health. Most of them expect business growth. 80 percent feel prepared for the holiday season.

Maybe it's the nature of talkback that we tend to accentuate the negative. Maybe people are more motivated to phone in when they're stressed or worried than when they're feeling positive and hopeful.

Given the owners of SME's that I've spoken to in the past, the Prospa results really surprised me. The people I've talked to on the show are concerned about staffing. They don't know if they'll be able to make hay while the sun is shining.

They're concerned about the rising cost of everything they are exhausted. They certainly didn't sound as though they were heading into the holiday season spirits high and loins girded, ready and able to face the challenges to come.

Barry Soper, our Political Editor, was talking to Mike Hosking this morning and he said there was a malaise around the country. Agreed, and I would have too.

But, I guess, although we are the top rating radio station and the top rating morning show, we don't talk to everyone. We're not everybody’s tasse de thé!

So maybe we are our own little microclimate where a deep depression always looms over the frequency and beyond our sphere there is a community of people who are happy and positive, and not at all concerned about the looming recession and the closed borders.

I mean, I am.

I'm nervous about next year. I'm nervous that the recession will bring about an increase in unemployment. I'm nervous that rising interest rates are going to put real pressure on young families, especially if they have mortgages. I'm nervous about the growing division between so many different factions in our country. I'm nervous about the election. But maybe that's just me.

And most Kiwis are like these 514 SME’s that are feeling positive about the next year. I hope so. I would far rather that people felt empowered and confident. Give me some of what you're having for breakfast, if that is the case!

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Barnaby Conrad

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