Published May 24, 2026 at 4:00 AM CDT

For many Americans, the pandemic reshaped not only where they work, but how they think about work altogether. Remote jobs, freelance gigs and side hustles opened the door for more people to consider starting businesses of their own.

This week, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, based in Kansas City, released a 30-year study examining early-stage entrepreneurship across the country. The research explores who is starting businesses, why startup survival remains difficult and how many entrepreneurs still face barriers like access to capital — especially women and historically underserved communities.

Dr. Robert Fairlie and Dr. Joshua Akers joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss what the data reveals about entrepreneurship, economic mobility and the changing nature of work in America.

The report found startup activity has rebounded since the pandemic, with millions of Americans launching businesses in 2025. But researchers also found more people are starting businesses out of financial necessity rather than opportunity, raising larger questions about job stability and long-term economic security.

Fairlie says the rise in entrepreneurship may reflect a broader shift in how Americans build careers and piece together income.

“Maybe it’s not just one job anymore,” Fairlie said. “People are piecing together income from multiple kinds of work… and entrepreneurship is becoming part of that mix.”

• Dr. Robert Fairlie, developer and lead researcher of the Kauffman Indicators and Distinguished Professor of Public Policy and Economics at UCLA
• Dr. Joshua Akers, Director in Research, Learning, and Evaluation for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation