What small businesses need to grow, and how the organizations that serve them can deliver it.

Small and medium-sized businesses aren’t abandoning growth. They’re redefining it. Today’s business owners are balancing ambition with stability, customer loyalty and control, and they’re looking for partners who make running a business simpler, not harder.

Mastercard surveyed 6,615 SME owners, founders and decision-makers across 18 markets, including Canada, to understand how they define success today. For banks, payment providers, software platforms, marketplaces, telcos and suppliers, the findings point to a clear opportunity: become the partner SMEs rely on to grow with confidence.

What you’ll learn:

Success is being redefined: Why SMEs now put stability, trusted relationships and resilience ahead of growth at any cost
Stability requires adaptability: How faster payments, real-time visibility and reliable access to funds help SMEs stay in control
Cybersecurity is becoming a growth enabler: Why SMEs want protection built into the tools they already use
Business tools must be flexible and rewarding: What it takes to move SMEs from personal financial products to business ones

Key stats:

• 84% of SMEs are interested in real-time payments
• 78% say integrated solutions are critical
• 62% use personal credit cards for business expenses
• 51% of small businesses are willing to switch providers for better support