Survey of 1,376 Business Owners Nationwide Reveals Actual Conditions

To All Media Representatives

June 30, 2026

EO Tokyo Central

EO Tokyo Central, a global network organization for entrepreneurs and founders, conducted a survey targeting 1,376 business owners nationwide to understand the realities of modern business owners, including management challenges, consultation environments, and the value they seek from business owner communities. The results revealed the reality of "business owner loneliness" (loneliness and mental state of business owners) that business owners face.

[Survey Overview]

Survey Sponsor: EO Tokyo Central

Survey Name: Questionnaire Survey on Business Management

Target Audience: Business owners nationwide (company representatives, executives, etc.)

Survey Period: June 19, 2026 (Fri) - June 22, 2026 (Mon)

Survey Method: Internet research

[Survey Results Summary]

The survey, conducted among 1,376 business owners nationwide, revealed the actual conditions regarding the concerns of business owners, their consultation environments, and the value they seek from business owner communities.

Top business owner concerns are "sales/performance" and "recruitment/personnel." On the other hand, for those in their 20s to 40s, "health/mental well-being" and "loneliness" are also management challenges, reflecting their own physical and mental burdens.

Approximately 1 in 4 people "have no one to consult with honestly." This highlights the loneliness of business owners.

Business owner communities are sought for more than just "connections." Younger owners prioritize "companionship" and "growth opportunities."

*When using the content of this survey, please cite "Survey by EO Tokyo Central" as the source.

Survey Results

1. Top business owner concerns are "sales/performance" and "recruitment/personnel." On the other hand, for those in their 20s to 40s, "health/mental well-being" and "loneliness" are also management challenges, reflecting their own physical and mental burdens.

When asked about management concerns among 1,376 business owners nationwide, business-related challenges such as "stagnant sales/performance" and "recruitment/personnel acquisition" ranked highest. On the other hand, a certain number of respondents also cited concerns related to their own physical and mental well-being, such as health, mental state, and loneliness, as challenges.

Particularly among business owners in their 20s to 40s, while "stagnant sales/performance" (35.2%) and "recruitment/personnel acquisition" (30.0%) were top concerns, "my own health/mental well-being" (22.1%) ranked fourth, and "loneliness/pressure as a business owner" (21.1%) ranked fifth. This revealed that about 1 in 5 business owners face not only business challenges but also their own physical and mental burdens as management issues.

[Q] Please select all the worries and challenges you currently have as a business owner. (Multiple answers allowed) n=1,376

[Q] Please select all the worries and challenges you currently have as a business owner. (Multiple answers allowed) Business owners in their 20s-40s nationwide n=213

2. Approximately 1 in 4 people "have no one to consult with honestly." This highlights the loneliness of business owners.

Following the observation that a certain number of people cited "having no one to consult with about business concerns" as a management worry, when asked about someone they could consult with honestly, approximately 1 in 4 (27.2%) responded that they "have no one to consult with honestly."

On the other hand, when they do have someone to consult with honestly, "spouse/family" (34.4%) was the most frequent response, surpassing "professionals such as tax accountants, accountants, and lawyers" (29.7%) and "external business owner peers" (25.1%).

While family serves as emotional support for business owners, a certain number of them lack someone to confide in, suggesting they face management challenges with a sense of loneliness.

[Q] Please select all individuals with whom you can "honestly" consult about business concerns. (Multiple answers allowed) n=1,376

3. Business owner communities are sought for more than just "connections." Younger owners prioritize "companionship" and "growth opportunities."

When asked what they seek from business owner organizations/communities, the top responses overall were "connections/introductions leading to sales and transactions," "deep trust relationships free from vested interests," and "practical learning related to business management." This indicates that expectations extend beyond networking to include roles as facilitators of trust and learning.

Among those aged 20-39, "companions who can talk about worries honestly" (26.6%), along with "gathering industry/market information," "personal human growth," and "a place to offer my own experiences and knowledge (Give)," all ranked higher than the overall average. This suggests that younger business owners seek not only networking but also roles that provide trusted relationships for honest consultation beyond vested interests and opportunities for practical learning.

[Q] If you were to participate in a business owner organization or community, what would you seek? (Multiple answers allowed) n=1,376

Implications from the Survey

This survey revealed that the concerns of business owners extend beyond business issues like sales and recruitment to include mental burdens such as health, mental well-being, and loneliness. Furthermore, while approximately 1 in 4 business owners lack someone to consult with honestly, younger business owners tend to seek "companions with whom they can talk about worries honestly."

Based on these findings, it is evident that business owner communities are increasingly expected to provide not only networking and information exchange but also roles that foster trust relationships for honest sharing of concerns beyond vested interests, and as a supportive space for business owners themselves.

◼︎ What EO Tokyo Central Aims to Achieve

Under its purpose of "Maximizing the potential of entrepreneurs to advance the world," EO Tokyo Central operates a community where founding business owners can engage in honest dialogue beyond vested interests and learn from each other.

The challenges of "business owner loneliness" and "lack of people to consult with honestly," revealed by this survey, are precisely the themes that EO Tokyo Central has been addressing since its inception. EO Tokyo Central is committed to creating an environment that facilitates the sharing of concerns with peace of mind and contributes to the growth of business owners themselves through small-group forums that operate under strict confidentiality.

◼︎ About EO Tokyo Central

EO (Entrepreneurs’ Organization) is a global network of founding business owners leading companies with annual sales of over 100 million yen, established in 1987. With the purpose of "Maximizing the potential of entrepreneurs to advance the world," it currently has over 19,500 members across 220 chapters in 62 countries worldwide.

In Japan, EO Japan was established in 1995, and currently, approximately 1,360 members are active in 18 chapters nationwide. Among these, EO Tokyo Central, one of the largest chapters, has 499 founding business owners, forming a community where they learn from and support each other honestly, beyond vested interests.

https://eotokyo.org