Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy. We help support the communities where we live and work. Yet we are rarely part of the conversation when it comes to trade policy.
To some, tariffs might sound like a distant policy issue, but for small businesses like mine, they show up in very real ways.
I have been designing high-end crafting products, including stationary, in Atlanta since 1994. What began as a passion for helping people celebrate life’s meaningful moments has grown into a business with more than 30 employees and customers around the world.
When the threat of new tariffs on goods from China was announced, we had no choice but to move fast to protect the creative process that fuels our work.
I started manufacturing in China back in 2001. Contrary to what many might assume, this decision had nothing to do with cutting corners or seeking the lowest prices.
It was about finding the expertise, precision and capability needed to bring my designs to life. The factories we partnered with had decades of experience and were trained to produce the level of quality our customers have come to expect.
So, when I learned the tariffs on imported goods would jump to 145%, my team began looking at every possible option. With just six months of inventory in our pipeline, we had no time to waste.
In an attempt to manufacture our products domestically, I met with the top printer in the United States and gave them one of our floral sticker designs. They reviewed it, tested it and came back with the simple truth: They could not match the quality.
It was not for lack of trying. The reality is that the skill set needed to produce our designs just does not exist here at the scale and consistency we need.
There is this belief that these tariffs will bring jobs and manufacturing back to the United States. In theory, that sounds hopeful. In practice, it misses the mark.
The expertise in overseas factories was not built overnight. It was shaped over decades, often through partnerships with American companies like mine. That level of craftsmanship cannot be replaced simply because a policy changes, especially for us small businesses. We are now exploring manufacturing options in Malaysia as a way to continue meeting our product standards while keeping production moving forward.
But this is not a story of failure. We responded the only way we knew how: with creativity.
We doubled down on our digital offerings, expanding the ways customers could access and enjoy our products without relying solely on physical inventory. We created a custom service called Print My Page, where members of our community can upload their favorite photos into our signature scrapbook templates and have the completed pages printed and shipped directly to their door.
It is one more way we are helping people tell their stories, even when the tariffs make it harder to manufacture the way we used to. At a time when everything feels uncertain, we are continuing to focus on connection.
Every decision we make now is made with our employees in mind. These are people who have been with me through different seasons of change.
Some have worked at Anna Griffin Inc. for decades. They help make up the creative heartbeat of this company and this city. It is their dedication that fuels my drive to build a business that can weather any storm.
Tariff policies may be intended to protect American interests, but without nuance, they end up punishing the very entrepreneurs who make our economy thrive.
I am not a multinational corporation. I am a small-business owner who has spent the last three decades employing local talent and sharing our work with the world. My goal will always be to continue designing right here in Atlanta.
While the recent 90-day pause on the new tariffs is a temporary relief, it is not a permanent solution. I like to refer to it as a Band-Aid on a bullet hole.
It only delays the uncertainty that businesses like mine are already facing each and every day.
But entrepreneurs like me are not sitting still. We are reimagining how to keep delivering on our missions and our promises to our community.
Atlanta has always been a city of visionaries and builders. We know how to create. We know how to adapt. But we also know that no one builds alone.
My hope is that small businesses like mine will have a seat at the table when decisions are made that directly shape our future.
Credit: Anna Griffin/contributed
Credit: Anna Griffin/contributed
Anna Griffin is founder and CEO of Anna Griffin Inc., a business that produces high-end crafting products in Atlanta.
Credit: NYT
Credit: NYT
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
