2025 Outlook: What’s Shaping B2B?

We asked. B2B leaders answered. With so much change happening in just a couple months, we set out to gauge B2B businesses leaders’ outlook and key concerns. Through a survey, we gathered insights from marketers and business owners to understand their outlook, challenges, and strategies in today’s shifting market. Here’s a quick breakdown of our respondents.   

Nearly two-thirds of the respondents were small business (under 50 employees) owners, with the other third accounting for larger businesses. Respondents ranged across various industries, including industrial, science & health, travel & hospitality, education, and many others.

Many believe proposed trade policies will have negative effects on business

Overall, respondents expressed more optimism than concern about what the future holds. Only 10% reported feeling pessimistic, while nearly half (49%) had a positive outlook and 41% remained neutral. However, when it comes to specific policies impacting their business, a significant 57% of respondents believe that proposed trade policies will have a negative effect.

Trade policies are expected to have varied impact on businesses of different sizes and industries. For instance, the U.S. government's consideration of new tariffs on copper imports aims to boost domestic production but may inadvertently increase costs for industries reliant on copper, such as construction. Our respondents in the construction industry had markedly more pessimistic outlook than the average. Without the capacity to immediately ramp up domestic production, these tariffs could lead to higher prices and supply chain disruptions. Conversely, tariffs may benefit certain domestic businesses by reducing competition from lower-cost imports. Of our respondents, small businesses were the most likely to say these trade policies would positively impact their business.

Rising costs are the biggest concern regarding supply chain stability

Rising costs are top of mind for businesses, with inflation pushing up prices on materials, labor, and transportation. Along with that, many are facing regulatory changes and shipping delays that are slowing things down a bit. It appears that supply chain challenges are impacting a variety of industries, as there were no clear patterns in which sectors expressed the most concern. Interestingly, all the businesses with no concerns (14%) had fewer than 200 employees. Perhaps smaller companies have an edge with more flexible, local supply chains that insulate them from some of these issues.

Many businesses are not choosing to alter anything in direct response to trade

Despite nearly half of our respondents stating the trade policies would negatively impact their business, 51% are not making any changes in response. Many businesses may be waiting to see how things unfold before deciding on their next steps.

We do not have the data on those respondents who have offshore production, so of those who have offshore productions, we are unsure of the amount that may be bringing production back or near home. 

Most companies continue to see value in investing in technology

Most respondents are keeping their current technology investments the same or increasing them—because in today’s world, staying competitive means staying digital. Whether it’s automation, AI, or just making sure the Wi-Fi never crashes, smart tech investments keep businesses agile and ready for whatever comes next.  

Almost half of respondents will be increasing their marketing budget. About a third of businesses will be expanding business & operations and R&D. Overall, business leaders seem more focused on investing in growth rather than scaling back. Given that only 10% of respondents have a negative outlook for 2025, this makes sense.

Despite the challenges businesses face, there’s a strong sense of optimism and a clear focus on growth. As we move forward, businesses that continue to innovate and adapt to changing conditions are likely to be the ones that thrive in the long run.