Picture: SuppliedWhen asked if he would open his business today if he was starting out, he simply told NewsWire "No". He said everything had a compounding impact with costs such as wages, insurance and payday superannuation all having an impact on small businesses. The inaugural AMP Bank GO small business cost pressure index found prices for small businesses have surged almost 25 per cent since the Covid pandemic, with no end in sight. Business costs have soared nearly 25 per cent since Covid. Mr Arnott said while AMP only started tracking the index back to 2020, in conversations with small businesses, they say things have never been tougher.