The Social Impact Media Partnership between the AEO (Association for Enterprise Opportunity) and Latestsale.com was conceived in March 2025. We continue our bumper annual coverage earmarking this exciting collaboration that celebrates its first year.
May 28th 2025, U.S. business leaders, Latestsale.com Founder and the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) leadership team in collaboration with leading national partners convened to review U.S. tariffs, international trade policies and their implications on small businesses particularly those in local communities. The conversation that reached our desks: “Tariffs, Trade & Main Street: Navigating the Impact on Small Businesses,” required not just engagement and understanding of tariffs but also presented an avenue through which we could communicate an adequate response to Congress.
TARIFFS AND ACCESS TO GLOBAL MARKETS
The timely webinar provided all attendees with a unique opportunity to evaluate how tariffs would impact pricing strategies, inventory decision making, and global competitiveness, whilst also putting under the microscope key policies introduced by the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
The AEO Regional Leadership Council, reiterated its goals: to “elevate the voices of small businesses, advance equity and small business opportunity whilst building sustainable pathways for inclusive economic growth.”
In so doing, the question of tariffs that have a direct influence on the cost of goods, access to global markets, and overall business viability, have a direct impact on small enterprise owners who are often burdened with red tape.
SPEAKERS
- Jacob Press, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship
- Maria Powell, U.S. Women Grocers Association
- Devin Fergus, Claremont McKenna College & The Joint Center
- Christine LoCascio, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
- Alexis D’Amato, Small Business Majority
- Jetheda Hernandez, The National Minority Supplier Development Council
U.S. TARIFFS: 2025 LEGISLATIVE IMPACT
Jacob Press, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship joined the esteemed list of speakers and communicated his own views on the legislative update for trade and tariff policy, as forecasted by Congress for the 2025 fiscal year.
As Senior Counsel to the U.S. Senate Small Business Committee, focusing on small business and entrepreneurship, Press has worked on the Senate Appropriations Committee since 2019, and prior, was an attorney at the Department of Housing and Urban Development for eight years. Furthermore. since 2019, Press has lead SBA (U.S. Small Business Administration) policy relief and emergency grants.
With 16 years in Government-eight years of which were spent on the Hill- Press expressed his concerns for small businesses grappling with the new era of tariffs, where failing or succeeding could be a determining factor. He also highlighted the need for recognition that small businesses are especially susceptible to small margins, foreign customers confirming orders with currency fluctuations a necessary profit margin consideration. Equally, it was agreed that small business hiring challenges could also place planning for the future in peril.
To offset what could develop into a decline in consumer confidence Press emphasized the lived experiences of small business owners who have loans due that are often secured on homes. The proposed Small Business Liberation Act is destined to exempt small businesses from tariffs, and has at the time of writing, since 21st May 2025 been read twice, and referred to the Committee of Finance, while exemptions have already been granted to electronics giants and tech companies also impacted by tariffs, namely, Apple and Google.
SUPPORTING VETERANS AND MINORITY SUPPLY CHAINS
With renewed challenges amongst small businesses, the AEO panel referenced the concern over the Federal Government’s 43% cut in staff at the SBA which could also lead to further reductions in support for Veteran programs, thus hampering any Federal Government desire for improved consolidation.
It was also noted that Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts has also expressed his concerns over the now historic DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) and has consistently called for the implementation of the Small Business Liberation Act, ensuring that small businesses can enjoy vital tariff exemptions in order to thrive.
Jetheda Hernandez, speaking on behalf of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), indicated how the total of 52 new tariffs introduced would directly affect the 18,000 minority businesses represented at the NMSDC.
The evolution of these small businesses in light of tariffs was indicated as one of the principal priorities for 2025 Trade Policy. The panel debated whether the short term pain claimed would be a reality for the many small U.S. enterprises with supply chain complexities. These include coffee vendors dependent on international territories for import and for whom, manufacturing or onshoring as stated by Jacob Press, faced difficulty.
U.S. 2025 TARIFF IMPACT: INTERNATIONAL SUPPLY CHAINS
Jetheda Hernandez, Director, Business Services & Global Partnerships at the NMSDC, headquartered in New York, explained that small enterprises could experience up to 17% manufacturing cost increases due to supplies coming from international markets under new tariffs, many products of which cannot be made in the USA such as coffee.
The session was also joined by Capitol Hill representative Alexis D’Amato, Government Affairs Director at Small Business Majority that supports 85,000 members, defined as micro businesses with 10 or less employees.
Revelations from the Small Business Majority 5th February 2025 Voice of Main Street Opinion Poll demonstrated that:
53% of micro business owners are concerned about how tariffs will impact their business directly, and 77% of micro business owners worry about the impact of tariffs on the overall economy.
RENÉE JOHNSON TAKES CENTER STAGE AS NEWLY APPOINTED AEO VP OF ECOSYSTEMS AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
For the second part of the webinar, Renée Johnson, AEO Vice President of Ecosystems and Strategic Partnerships (formerly 2024 AEO Senior Director of Regional and Ecosystem Councils) introduced further speakers to attendees:
Christine LoCascio, Chief of Policy, Strategy and Membership at the Distilled Spirits Council of the USA.
Maria Powell, Founder and President of U.S. Women’s Grocers Association, the body that aims to put U.S. producers, distributors and retailers back in control in order to power America’s next supply chain revolution. Powell called for investment in the infrastructure that will feed, heal and empower the USA.
Dr. Devin Fergus, The Joint Center (for Political and Economic Studies) Board member and Professor of History and Public affairs at Claremont McKenna College also joined the panel.
AEO PANEL RESPOND TO U.S. TARIFFS WITH NEW SUPPLY CHAIN PROGRAMS
The AEO panel discussed with Founder and President of U.S. Women Grocers Association Maria Powell, how objectives to respond to and support small businesses in light of new U.S. tariffs could be adopted. Alongside Christine LoCascio, Chief of Policy, Strategy and Membership at the Distilled Spirits Council of the USA, we concluded that a 25% tariff for Mexico could negatively impact the industry.
Maria Powell, Founder and President of U.S. Women Grocers Association and producer of the Grocerszon platform for over twenty years, called for a more pragmatic response to tariffs by using the example of goods and produce such as Bottle Tequila that can only be manufactured in Mexico. The industry’s response to tariffs was to change how supply chain works for delivery of goods produced in Mexico. For the example of tequila, the industry has now called for the spirit to arrive in the USA via pipelines and for labeling to be carried out in the USA. Repackaging for avocados is also recommended for this fruit that may often be grown overseas. This practice addresses the challenge of tariffs within the spirits and distillery sector whilst creating jobs in the USA for labelling, supply chain and distribution.
Powell further confirmed that as the state of California enjoys import/export as its main industry, she was committed to building links between the USA, Canada, Mexico and South America and focusing on solutions rather than problems in order to strengthen supply chains in the USA.
The Made in the USA initiative has begun, and this movement destined to fulfil the Grocerszon mission to connect and incubate small U.S. producers across the Pacific Rim, whilst creating millions of jobs is a challenge that has been laid on the sidewalks of small business leaders across the nation who require both protection and the opportunity to accelerate the performance of domestic industries to new heights.
DELIVERING THE MADE IN AMERICA MISSION THROUGH SUPPLY CHAINS
The panel discussed how a Made in America philosophy could support manufacturers to thrive and take advantage of the nation’s proprietary technology, land, and infrastructure. This nationwide initiative will drive global business platforms forward with Powell attesting to her aim to continue to develop the Economic Development Forum Between Three Nations Grocerszon platform at pace.
Founder and President of U.S. Women Grocers Association, Maria Powell, announced that the West Coast movement is expanding to the East Coast and tariffs should be viewed as an opportunity for the full eco system of five sectors underlined: the private sector, educational sector, non profit sector, churches, and NGOs.
Alexis D’Amato, Small Business Majority Government Affairs Director concurred with Powell and also expressed the need to view tariffs as an opportunity.
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY: AEO PANEL DEBATES TARIFFS ON SPIRITS
Christine LoCascio, Chief of Policy, Strategy and Membership at the Distilled Spirits Council of the USA introduced the Washington D.C.-based trade association that has supported U.S. distilled spirit producers and exporters for over 50 years to attendees. Since 2018, the issue of tariffs on spirits has come to the forefront despite the prior zero tariff principles enjoyed across the industry. As the Distilled Spirits Council of the USA acts as a national trade association that represents both U.S. importers and exporters, concerns have been raised regarding the level of tariffs added to produce from the UK and the EU and how this directly impacts the hospitality industry as a whole as well as enterprises in the USA.
From May 2025 to November 2025 inclusive, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) reported that, “The U.S. is currently imposing a 15% tariff on EU spirits and a 10% tariff on UK spirits. According to a Distilled Spirits Council analysis, the 15% tariff on EU spirits alone could result in $1 billion lost in U.S. sales and 12,000 American jobs.”
Furthermore, several months after the 28th May 2025 convening, on November 12th 2025 to be precise, Distilled Spirits Council President & CEO Chris Swonger insisted that there should be exemption for some commodities not grown in the U.S. to enjoy tariff relief, especially in markets such as the EU, the U.S.’s largest international export market for spirits. Swonger argued;
“We have reached out to the White House to urge the Administration to include EU and UK distilled spirits to the list of commodities not produced in the U.S. that they are targeting for tariff relief. Many spirits including Scotch, Cognac and Irish whiskey are distinctive products that can only be made in their country of origin. A return to zero-for zero tariffs on UK and EU distilled spirits products will boost the struggling U.S. hospitality industry just as the important holiday season begins.”
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY: AEO PANEL REVIEW SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES IN THE WAKE OF TARIFFS ON SPIRITS
Returning to the specifics of the AEO Tariffs, Trade and Main Street- Navigating the Impact on Small Business 28/05/2025 convening, Chief of Policy, Strategy and Membership at the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S., Christine LoCascio, confirmed that 2018 was the year when tariff constraints on spirits began and called on the need for recognition of constraints all businesses (small, medium and large) face within the industry. LoCascio called for support of the affected sectors that require fair reciprocal trade.
LoCascio also highlighted the incredible growth over 20 years of distilleries within 42 states known to be spirit exporters as of 2024 compared to 2001 when there were less than a dozen, and hailed the “Toast not tariffs” coalition in opposition to tariffs on spirits and wines, as championed by Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. 58 association members.
Furthermore, U.S. Restaurants Association of Bar Tenders and Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. data indicates that of the 3,100 distilleries in the USA, many are very small, demonstrating the priority to protect the industry on all levels through manufacturing and job creation.
Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey should enjoy 2-way protection the AEO panel concluded, and a wider policy is highly anticipated that continuously protects the spirits industry as a whole, especially for those products that cannot be made in the USA.
JOINT CENTER SPEAKS OUT: IMPACT OF TARIFFS ON AFRICAN AMERICAN BUSINESS OWNERS
With two thirds of Small Business Majority enterprises estimated to be black owned businesses, Dr. Devin Fergus, Joint Center (for Political and Economic Studies) Board member and Professor of History and Public affairs at Claremont McKenna College highlighted how tariffs could also have a negative impact on Black owned businesses whose owners cannot survive short term pain as many who operate within the textiles, beauty, and retail sectors, may start their business with no revenue, no lobbying access, and no clear Black business representation, to communicate with law makers and policy makers. The “unintended and unimagined impact of tariffs” needs to be borne in mind Fergus proclaimed.
Joint Center Board member Dr. Devin Fergus, further pushed for unveiling benefits from conversations and reimagining trade. Fergus called for pledging in the use of federal export programs, and trade financing, for those historically excluded firms, who may need to seek ways to harness a more inclusive supply chain
Joint Center reported that retail remained at the heart of black owned businesses and therefore adoption of the “50% pledge” could offer a gateway of untapped success. Larger retailers, Fergus continued, should develop programs that offer black owned companies that represent 50% of the U.S. population, 50% shelf space.
IDENTIFYING RELIABLE SALES CONVERSION MECHANISMS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
Chief of Policy, Strategy and Membership at the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S., Christine LoCascio, cited large numbers of Black owned businesses impacted by tariffs whose primary business includes grocery stores, and gas stations whilst Maria Powell, Founder and President of U.S. Women Grocers Association claimed that “Power comes in numbers,” as she reiterated the need for small businesses to share their stories, and make their voices heard in celebration of the “Toast not Tariffs” coalition, as indicated on the grassroots platform Spiritsunited.org. Notifications confirmed as of November 2025 that the “U.S. – E.U. trade agreement includes a 15% tariff on ALL E.U. spirits and wine imports and significantly raises future risk that the EU will impose a 35% tariff on U.S. spirits and wines. Additionally, the U.S. continues to impose a 10% tariff on UK spirits including Scotch Whisky.”
Dr. Devin Fergus, Joint Center (for Political and Economic Studies) Board member and Professor of History and Public affairs at Claremont McKenna College indicated the consistent support for sales conversion of public sector employers located in the Washington D.C. and Maryland vicinities who translate into a reliable consumer base for Black businesses time and time again. Fergus insisted that racial equity or racial wealth, should be part of federal trade policy, declaring that “Trade policy is not trade neutral.”
Alexis D’Amato, Small Business Majority Government Affairs Director seconded insights from Dr. Devin Fergus, indicating the importance of equity. D’Amato emphasized the need to develop a robust “Minority policy to support minority businesses.” Without access to the minority business administration, or minority business centers explaining how to elevate voices above challenges, gain a seat at the table, and share priority experiences on the ground that are pivotal channels to success, gaining a foothold into policy representation would remain a hurdle.
MAKING AN AEO BUSINESS IMPACT: POWER COMES IN NUMBERS
Maria Powell, Founder and President of US Women Grocers Association concluded by calling for business leaders to “Come together” repeating that “power comes in numbers” in the quest to drive up private sector deal breakers that have a direct impact on jobs.
Dr. Devin Fergus, Joint Center (for Political and Economic Studies) Board member and Professor of History and Public affairs at Claremont McKenna College reminded the audience that policy makers needed to be minded of the fact that reliable consumers for black owned enterprises are typically public sector workers. The rise in the largest number of black owned businesses located in Washington D.C. and Maryland is testament to this ethos. Fergus expressed concern relating to the reduction in DEI programs that had the potential to hamper growth of black owned businesses. The 2025, 13% reduction in employees from DEI programs and Government departments was determined as presenting a danger for aspiring black organizations seeking opportunities to thrive.
“Distilled Spirits Council CEO on tariffs: Our industry is the model for fair and reciprocal trade,” video interview with Distilled Spirits Council President & CEO Chris Swonger © CNBC.