Owning the Main Street Narrative During an Economic Data Blackout for Homebase
When official economic reporting went dark, Homebase used proprietary data from more than 100,000 businesses and 2 million hourly workers to become the leading source of real-time insight into the health of America’s small businesses, generating nearly 200 media placements and more than 2.1 billion audience reach.
200
Media placements across national, local and industry publications
2.19 billion
audience reach
100,000+
businesses represented
Challenge
As inflation, tariff uncertainty, and rising fuel costs squeezed small businesses, a temporary disruption in federal economic reporting left journalists and policymakers without a clear picture of what was happening on Main Street.
Without timely government data, the operational realities of small businesses risked being overlooked during a critical economic moment.
Homebase saw an opportunity to fill that void and become the definitive source of truth for small business trends and impact.
Solution
Rather than react to the news cycle, we built a first-mover strategy designed to get ahead of it.
Using Homebase’s proprietary dataset spanning more than 100,000 businesses and 2 million hourly workers, we tracked four key indicators of small business health: hours worked, businesses open, employees working, and wage inflation. This gave us a real-time view of Main Street that traditional government reporting could not match.
Each month, we analyzed emerging trends before major economic releases, including Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. We paired those insights with commentary from Homebase’s economist and founder, then brought the data to life through stories from business owners experiencing the impact firsthand.
By delivering predictive analysis and human-centered storytelling before the broader market had access to official data, Homebase became a trusted source for journalists covering the economy, labor market, and small business landscape.
Results
Nearly 200 media placements across national, local, and industry publications.
2.19 billion audience reach generated through earned coverage.
100,000+ businesses and 2 million hourly workers represented in one of the country’s largest real-time small business datasets.
Consistent pre-BLS coverage that positioned Homebase as a leading predictor of Main Street economic trends.
National narrative influence that ensured small business realities remained central to economic reporting during a period of uncertainty.
By filling a critical information gap with real-time data and authentic business perspectives, Homebase didn’t just contribute to the economic conversation. It helped shape it.
