Tariffs, Fantasy, and the Cost of Looking Tough

Hey —

Welcome to the very first edition of Signal // Noise.

Let’s get this baby rolling.

// The Signal

Politicians love talking tough on trade. But if you’re running a company, tariffs aren’t strategy — they’re a big fat tax on execution.

New import duties are on the table, with some proposed as high as 50%. And while the headlines focus on policy, the cost will land squarely on founders and biz owners.

In a recent Hampton survey of 24 CEOs across CPG, DTC, and manufacturing, 92% said they’re already being impacted by tariffs.

One in five face $50K+ in new monthly costs, and 83% are eating those costs themselves. Only 25% are even exploring U.S. suppliers, because most simply don’t exist.

And that’s the issue. Even if the theory behind tariffs holds water (which, there is no data to suggest it does), it assumes two very basic things to be present that simply don’t exist in America right now:

Pain tolerance and political consistency.

We’re all hooked on low prices and bigger paychecks—but no one’s lining up for the factory‑floor grind & shitty working conditions that we long ago shipped overseas.

Meanwhile, every four years we elect a new president to dismantle whatever came before them. Long-term industrial strategy in the U.S.? Not happening anytime soon.

Now’s the time to:

• Audit your supply chain

• Recheck pricing and margin exposure

• Communicate clearly — upstream and down

Tariffs sound bold in press conferences. But they don’t hit policy makers.

They hit founders, biz owners, operators.

🔖 The Blog Round

The market has face‑planted into official correction territory—cable TV hosts are hyperventilating and your uncle Ralph just bought more gold “because the dollar’s going to zero.” I banged out three quick reads to help you keep your cool.

• The Real Cost of Panic Selling — spoiler: it’s steep, and ya gonna hate yourself if you do it. Read.

• Buy High, Buy Higher, Never Sell — my playbook for staying long & minting money. Read.

• Investor Class ≠ Only Class — the tariff tantrums don’t just clip those hedge‑fund bois; 62% of U.S. households own stocks, so when the markets drop, your 401(k) feels it. Read.

🥨 A few Jawns to Check Out

Mags, Money, & Martinis. If you worked in media - or came of age when magazines had some relevance - this one’s worth a read. Bryan Burrough unpacks the wild, bloated, brilliant Vanity Fair era under Graydon Carter: a world of six-figure story comp, bomb-ass dinner parties, and long-form journalism with a little umph. Its’ a sharp and fun read - nostalgic in every way. Check it.

Got Paper $$$? Don’t wait for a perfect moment. While I may not be posting on Truth Social and telling you to BUY, I will say this: Josh Brown lays it out — with a killer chart — showing how in 2020, stocks bottomed out months before GDP did… and more than a year before earnings. If you’re waiting for clear signals, you’ll miss the move. Check it.

Why are so many dudes terrified of cities? This GQ piece dives into the “manfluencer” movement — guys preaching rural escape, self-reliance, and fear of anything with a skyline. As a Philly native, it’s hilarious watching dudes who couldn’t survive a Wawa parking lot pretend they’re ready for societal collapse. Masculinity’s in a weird place right now, and this article nails the vibe. Check it.

Alright playas, that’s all for now.

Please feel free to forward this along to someone who’d dig it - or just hit reply and tell me what you liked (or didn’t).

Love yous.

Jordan