The Tariff Tempest: No Retreat for the Resilient

By Rick Bell, Managing Partner, The Merlin Group April 1, 2025

In the winter of 1776, Thomas Paine wrote words that still echo: “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” Today, we face no revolution of arms, but a tempest of tariffs—a storm stirring unease across markets and supply lines. Yet where others see only peril, I see potential. At The Merlin Group, we believe this disruption isn’t a threat to cower from—it’s an opportunity for those with the vision to seize it.

The tariff headlines scream chaos: logistics snarl, shipping costs climb, leasing agreements falter, and commercial sales brace for turbulence. Too many buckle under the weight of fear, lamenting the end of stability. But that’s the misstep—fear clouds judgment. The reality? This is a proving ground. The dynamics of our trade—vehicles rolling, ports humming, deals struck—thrive on adaptability. Tariffs may shift the currents, but they also reveal new paths. The prepared, the innovative, the ones with grit in their DNA—they’re the ones who’ll navigate this and emerge stronger. 

History backs this up. Think back to the early 2000s, when a sluggish economy tangled supply chains. Recall the blistering pace of 2016 through 2019, when demand pushed every limit. Then came COVID—a global halt, followed by a jagged restart. Inflation’s recent bite tested us again. Each was a crucible; each separated the timid from the tenacious. Those who endured didn’t just survive—they adapted, innovated, and thrived. Those lessons, hard-won over decades, are the foundation for facing today’s tariff tempest.

The sunshine soldier retreats at the first gust, but the resilient stand firm. Like many of us, The Merlin Group has weathered worse—twists and turns that forged us into what we are today. Tariffs are just another wave to ride, not a tide to drown in. For those who’ve learned from the past, who reject fear for foresight, this is no crisis—it’s a call to rise. We’re ready. Are you?