Tariffs feel like a sledgehammer to small businesses. Most of them depend on importing raw materials or components because they can’t do it all in house. When tariffs drive up those costs, small businesses don’t necessarily have the buffer to soak up the additional cost. Passing the cost to the consumer makes their products less competitive, but eating the cost constricts already tight profit margins. Picture a tiny furniture manufacturer who imports unique wood — a tariff could price their item immediately 15% higher, driving customers to substitute it with a cheaper option.

Big companies, however, usually have more levers to work around tariffs. They may shift supply chains, negotiate bulk prices, or even relocate parts of production to tariff-free areas. Some of the largest players can lobby governments or cut deals to minimize the effect. Although tariffs do increase costs, large companies typically have the size and flexibility to adjust — sometimes even benefiting at the expense of smaller competitors who can’t.

In simple words: tariffs can be like a storm for small businesses and merely rough weather for big business. Both get battered, but the big vessels have more means to remain buoyant.