NEW YORK – A CNBC report last week took a look at the woes of small business owners, which are inhibiting expansion plans and new hires, even as the small business optimism index ticked up slightly. According to CNBC, rising health-care costs, the minimum wage debate and even more red tape are dampening entrepreneurs' outlook and ability to create jobs.

Few small businesses think now is the time to expand, and hiring was essentially flat for the eleventh straight month, according to last week's release of the August small business optimism index from the National Federation of Independent Business. To put it simply: Business owners don't think things will be getting better anytime soon.

Key issues, including rising health-care costs, have created a big overhang on small to mid-sized employers, who are not feeling particularly optimistic as they look ahead. Another major concern for small business owners is the nationwide push for a higher minimum wage at state and local levels. Lastly, increasing governmental regulations may feel like a barrier to business for many small business owners, who lament the increasing — and increasingly perplexing — number of rules regulating all aspects of business.