The Real Impact of Tariffs: Empty Shelves, Rising Prices, and Vanishing Startups | Bruce Kaminstein

Are tariffs still something to worry about?

Tariffs might sound like a distant, big-business issue, but as Bruce Kaminstein shares, their impact is immediate and destructive for small businesses across the country.

In this episode of Cut to the Chase: Podcast, Gregg welcomes back Bruce Kaminstein—Angel Investor, Founder of Casabella, and CNBC Contributor—to break down the real impacts of this overlooked crisis.

He explains—from real math and real-world examples—how quickly tariffs can push companies to the financial brink, why moving manufacturing isn’t as simple as picking another country, and why “Made in America” is often an impractical dream due to capital, workforce, and regulatory barriers.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• The brutal impact of unpredictable tariffs—and how sudden spikes up to 145% are gutting small businesses across America

• The hidden cost of supply chain disruption: Why reshoring sounds good politically but fails economically for most industries

• An insider look at how planning becomes impossible when trade policy shifts overnight—killing innovation, cash flow, and inventory control

• How inflation is fueled by tariffs—and why empty shelves and rising prices are just the beginning

• The double standard in trade policy: How corporate lobbyists win exemptions while small businesses are left defenseless

• Why “Made in America” isn’t a silver bullet—and the real challenges of rebuilding U.S. manufacturing from the ground up

• How small businesses, despite driving nearly half of the economy, have no voice in the tariff conversation

Key Takeaways:

• Protect Small Businesses from Tariff Spikes: Sudden tariff increases hit small businesses hardest, leaving them with two bad options—raise prices or take losses—putting their survival at risk.

• Rethink "Reshoring" Assumptions: Moving supply chains isn’t quick or cheap. Most small businesses can’t afford the costs, lost relationships, or infrastructure gaps needed to relocate or return production to the U.S.

• Plan for Tariff Volatility: Constant tariff changes wreck forecasting. Uncertainty around pricing, inventory, and logistics cripples growth, cash flow, and customer trust—killing innovation at the root.

Stay tuned for more updates, and don't miss our next deep dive on Cut to The Chase: Podcast with Gregg Goldfarb!

Subscribe, rate, review, and share this episode of the Cut to the Chase: Podcast!

 

Resources:

• Connect with Bruce Kaminstein on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucekaminstein

 

This episode was produced and brought to you by Reignite Media.