The Jam Coffee House has been open for business for 5 years now.

"It was something that me and my sister had talked about doing in the future," said Maile Newton, The Jam Coffee House Owner.

It's been slow going for the coffee shop but momentum has been growing, and customers keep coming back. Though business is established here at the Jam Coffee House there are reports that show not every small business is thriving in Nashville.

"What we hear from some of our members here in Nashville, just too much regulation and regulation can be at the local level state and federal," said Jim Brown, The National Federation of Independent Business, Tennessee State Director.

According to a 2016 study released by Kauffman Index, Nashville has fallen in its ranking. Back in 2015 Nashville was ranked number 11 for small businesses in the nation, but it has dropped down to 20 in this year's report.

"At the federal level it's Obamacare that's one. There are some good things in that bill but there are some really bad things in that bill and that's something that they want fixed," said Brown.

Many small business owners throughout Nashville said local leadership may share some of that blame.

"We just think that metro should focus on helping business come to town and stop with all of the regulations and red tape, and things that are in conflict with either state or federal law," said Brown.

Though the ranking isn't a cause for concern, Nashville would like to be the it city for business too.

"I think the metro council might want to look at that, go out and listen to the small businesses and go out and ask them why did we slip and what's frustrating me with either permitting or something you've introduced that's created uncertainty with my business," said Brown.