Small businesses are not hiring, despite what last week's Labor Department employment report may show, according to a National Federation of Independent Business survey.
Chief Economist William Dunkelberg told CNBC Tuesday the survey of 1,985 small businesses found NFIB's optimism index dropped to 91.2 in April.
Optimism is down because of economic uncertainty, he said. McDonald's may be hiring, but smaller companies are struggling.
"It's a very bifurcated economy. Everything's great if you're Caterpillar, if you're exporting, if you're doing all that kind of manufacturing stuff...That's great. But if you're a small firm out in Smallville, USA, it's not happening out there yet," he said.