The opportunities to own your own business abound, whether it’s starting one from the ground up, buying an already existing one or opting for a proven successful business opportunity or small franchise. But is it really such a good idea to start a business of your own when the economy is still so, dare we say it, iffy?

Well, according to findings from a new survey of small business owners conducted just this week by SurePayroll, Inc., a leading provider of small-business online payroll services, the answer is a resounding “yes!” In fact, asked if they would encourage others to go into business for themselves, even given the current economic climate, a full 70% of small business owners surveyed said that they would offer nothing but encouragement.

According to Michael Alter, SurePayroll’s CEO and President, the reason for that may be reasonably straightforward. “Small business owners are optimistic by nature, and they know that if you have a good idea you can take advantage of the lower costs (of doing business) in this economy and be successful.”

Conducted monthly as part of SurePayroll’s Small Business Scorecard®, which compiles data from more than 35,000 small businesses and is the first economic indicator created by a payroll company, the survey findings further confirmed Alter’s assertion, placing small business owner optimism at 62%. That may have something to do with the fact that while July’s Scorecard results showed small business hiring to be flat, this marks the first time that that particular indicator has not been negative since February.

And when it comes to economic recovery, some semblance of stability is welcome news―especially if you’re a “glass half full” type.