There’s a surprising shortage of well thought, grounded information out there about economics today. And nowhere is that more obvious than in the recent wave of tariff hysteria. You’ve probably seen it: opinion pieces, X threads, talk show panels—everyone suddenly has a PhD in international trade and a hot take on tariffs. And the majority of those takes? Pretty negative.

But here’s the real kicker: who exactly are these people offering all this advice? A prominent reporter wrote a rather scathing opinion piece about tariffs the other day in a widely read media outlet. I looked into that reporters background and guess what… they’ve never once run a company or worked in a company that’s had anything ever to do with tariffs. Actually, they’ve worked in very large media organizations their entire career, which, hilariously, is the last kind of firm to ever be impacted by tariffs or actually understand them.

Have they ever run a business that imports goods? Handled supply chains? Paid payroll out of their own bank account? Filed taxes with receipts scattered like confetti? I think if you do the research the next time you hear about tariffs, you’ll find the very person critiquing them is actually a career person within that very organization whether it’s a corporation, media outlet or university. There’s nothing wrong with that, by the way. It’s awesome! But there is an issue of how or why they are now tariff experts never having practiced it themselves.

We need more practitioners leading these discussions. Not theorists or those who have never done it. If we want useful, practical conversations about economic policies, we must be listening to the people who’ve actually lived through them, built something with their hands, and seen the ebbs and flows of business creation in America first hand.

I listen to the builders, the doers, not the theorists.

Academic economists especially don’t always cut it here. Writing policy papers from a well-heated office is important, but it’s not the same as surviving Q4 with three angry vendors or payroll you have to meet.

Here’s what I’ve noticed, time and time again: when I talk to small business owners, to founders, to people who actually import or manufacture things, you find a much more nuanced (and often more interesting) view of tariffs. Not because they’re waving flags or chanting slogans—but because tariffs, when done right, offer several interesting solutions to some of their problems:

1. They level the playing field by making American-made goods more competitive—especially within our own borders. For once, small businesses and local manufacturers aren’t forced to compete with artificially cheap imports.
2. They open doors to new supplier relationships within countries that cut a tariff deal with America, particularly in rising regions like Mexico or South America, where trade is growing and infrastructure is improving. Diversifying away from single-source dependency (you know who) isn’t just smart—it’s strategic.
3. They create immediate demand for products and materials made right here in the U.S. Tariffs can make “Made in America” a strategic advantage.
4. They spark a reassessment of outdated trade laws, potentially streamlining or eliminating unnecessary red tape for businesses operating on American soil. Think of it as an opportunity to modernize the system and prioritize those who build and employ here.
5. They incentivize domestic investment. When imported goods become less competitive due to tariffs, it encourages companies to invest in American factories, machinery, and workers. This doesn’t just protect existing jobs—it creates new ones, especially in sectors that have been hollowed out over time.
6. They support regional economies and small-town revival. When tariffs redirect production back to American soil, it’s not just the big cities that benefit—it’s the small towns that used to hum with factory life.

I’ll say it again: The builders. The doers. The folks with coffee-stained spreadsheets and three backup suppliers on speed dial are the ones to listen to, to work with, and to study. Not the theorists.

And that’s who I listen to. And that’s who should own the discussion.

Note: I run my own business today, started from the ground up. I also come from a family of small business owners. I’ve seen it first hand.