This publication of Forefront deals with the impact of tariffs. Many companies are uncertain how the U.S. Government’s policy will impact their business. There are positives and negatives with an aggressive policy. My personal belief is this strategy will be short lived. President Trump is certainly getting the attention of foreign leaders. I remember the adage of an old friend who once said, “the key to my success is I tell people what I am going to do and I do it and sometimes that surprises people.” I think President Trump also subscribes to that adage. As his agenda was very clear, he is swiftly executing it at a speed unaccustomed within the Federal bureaucracies. His efforts are unsettling to all those who don’t support him. To those who do, he is like a breath of fresh Northern Michigan air. A certain cleansing to it. My view is that this is a necessary maneuver to level the U.S. trade playing field. We compete against countries who dump goods, manipulate their currency and steal our innovations with no recourse. It is about high time somebody in government address these inequities as our competitive advantage as an economic power erodes. Even though his style is not my own, I cheer the President’s efforts because I see the long-term benefits even if in the short run it causes uncertainty. Uncertainty in our world breeds opportunity. It is our hope that our clients and referral sources identify strategies with the information on the trends we see. As I often say, we don’t determine the speed or direction of the wind but we do control how we set our sails. Good luck to all in making your businesses even greater. – Patrick O’Keefe

Read this issue of Forefront here.