Rising U.S. tariffs are doing more than reshaping trade flows, they’re squeezing small, founder-led businesses that operate on thin margins and limited hedging options. For many SMEs and startups, higher import duties translate directly into larger input costs, delayed shipments and disrupted inventory planning. Those effects force painful choices: absorb costs, raise prices (risking demand), or cut investment in growth and people. 

Uncertainty compounds the pain. Rapidly changing tariff lists and retaliatory measures make forecasting and supplier negotiation much harder, undermining the long-term planning founders rely on to win market share. Recent surveys show a large share of small businesses are either raising prices or worried about survival over the next 12 months, a sign that policy volatility is filtering down to Main Street.

The macro knock-on effects matter too: higher tariffs contribute to inflationary pressure and tighter consumer spending, while firms that can’t re-engineer supply chains lose competitiveness to larger players who can absorb costs or relocate sourcing. Economists warn these policy shifts can reduce investment and growth if uncertainty persists.

How Leru Remote can help: for founder-led organisations needing rapid, lower-risk capacity, Leru Remote sources and employs skilled talent in lower-cost markets, manages payroll, compliance and builds flexible, distributed teams that reduce reliance on tariff-exposed supply chains. That combination lets founders protect margins, keep momentum on product and growth, and scale operationally without long lead times or heavy fixed costs.

Ready to see the difference in your next hire? [Connect with us]