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Coalition Members Speak Out: Four Small Businesses, One Tariff Reality


Across the country, small business owners are stepping forward to share what tariffs have meant for their businesses.


Not in theory, but in real numbers, real decisions, and real consequences.


Four members of the We Pay the Tariffs coalition recently published op-eds in outlets across the country. Each story is different, but together they reveal a consistent pattern: tariffs created immediate financial pressure, and refunds are essential for recovery.


Four Stories from Coalition Members

Alton Sioussat, President of Bioforce USA and a member of the We Pay the Tariffs coalition, describes how tariffs pushed his company toward an 85% drop in net income. For a small business, that level of impact forces immediate decisions on pricing, investment, and growth. With courts now ruling these tariffs unlawful, refunds represent a path back to hiring and expansion.



Serena Sato, CEO of SERRV International and a member of the coalition, outlines how her organization paid nearly $220,000 in tariffs. Those payments reduced hiring, limited purchases from global partners, and forced price increases. The financial pressure was immediate, and recovery remains uncertain as businesses wait for refunds.



Denise Attwood, co-founder of Ganesh Himal Trading and a coalition member, explains how nearly $30,000 in tariffs forced her business to absorb costs while trying to protect customers. Hiring plans were delayed, and operations were constrained. Even with court rulings in place, uncertainty around timing continues to limit long-term planning.



Julie Robbins, co-founder of EarthQuaker Devices and a coalition member, shares how her U.S.-based manufacturing business paid more than $80,000 in tariffs. Attempts to source components domestically revealed costs 20 to 30 times higher, leading to hiring freezes, delayed product launches, and reduced exports.




A Shared Reality

These stories span industries, geographies, and business models. But the pattern is the same. Tariffs function as immediate, out-of-pocket costs for small businesses.


That leads to:

  • Delayed hiring

  • Reduced investment

  • Higher prices

  • Slower growth


For small businesses operating on tight margins, these are not minor adjustments. They shape whether a business can move forward or stay afloat.


What Comes Next

With courts ruling these tariffs unlawful, the conversation has shifted.

Now the focus is on what happens next.


For coalition members, refunds are not theoretical. They represent capital that has already been paid and could now be reinvested into hiring, expansion, and stability.


Timely refunds would allow businesses to recover. Delays extend the impact of policies already deemed unlawful.


Join the Coalition

These stories are not isolated. They are part of a growing coalition of small businesses calling for accountability.


If your business has been impacted by tariffs, you are not alone.

Join the We Pay the Tariffs coalition and sign the letter calling for refunds.

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