Trump’s Tariff Pause Is a 90-Day Gift. Here’s 5 Steps to Prepare for Next Time.

President Trump put a 90-day pause on the tariffs with the exception of few (primarily China). It’s a headline that grabbed attention—and markets did react positively. Whether tariffs go up, down, or sideways in the future, one thing is clear: we’ve entered another cycle of geopolitical and economic uncertainty. And if you're leading a business, that uncertainty isn’t just background noise, it’s a strategic risk.

As a CEO who's built and sustained businesses through a global recession, a pandemic, and multiple global disruptions, I’ve learned that waiting for the storm to pass isn’t a strategy. Preparation is.

Back in 2020, I leaned heavily on Bain & Company’s crisis response framework to navigate the early chaos of the pandemic. It remains one of the most practical, actionable playbooks for leaders in uncertain times. Its five steps are:

1. Protect your people.
2. Stress-test your financials.
3. Defend against significant revenue declines.
4. Stabilize the business to the new reality.
5. Go on offense.

If you’re trying to figure out how to respond to the latest tariff news—and more broadly, how to future-proof your organization—this framework could be your north star.

1. Protect Your People (and Their Confidence)

Uncertainty always hits your team first. It shows up as distraction, disengagement, or fear of what’s next. The best thing you can do in the short term is create clarity.

Even if you don’t have all the answers, show that leadership is proactive. Tell your team how you’re scenario planning. Reassure them that you’re building a resilient organization—not just waiting for the next headline to drop.

In 2020, one of the first things I did was communicate a clear plan using Bain’s framework. It wasn't just about protecting people—it was about protecting morale. That move paid off in retention, culture, and performance.

2. Stress-Test Your Financials

This isn’t about fear-based cost-cutting. It’s about understanding your exposure.

Ask yourself:

• How much of your cost structure is variable versus fixed?
• What happens if your gross margin takes a 10-point hit?
• Can you scale labor costs up or down without breaking the business?

This is where many leaders are rethinking their workforce strategy. Not because they want to reduce headcount—but because they want flexibility. They’re exploring how to blend domestic and offshore talent to maintain performance, reduce risk, and create longer-term scalability.

Offshoring isn’t just about saving money—it’s about creating a more agile business model.

3. Defend Against Significant Revenue Declines

This step is often overlooked until it’s too late.

If tariffs or supply chain issues cut into your top-line revenue—or if customer buying slows in anticipation of policy shifts—what’s your play?

Consider:

• Can you repackage services or products to fit new economic realities?
• Are there near-term opportunities to diversify your client base or revenue streams?
• What investments (in marketing, sales, or CX) can you make now to strengthen pipeline predictability?
• Where can you create more margin quickly?

I’ve seen (and helped) companies invest in global teams, building more efficient funnels, renegotiate with vendors, and expanding into markets where demand is more stable. This is the time to act offensively on revenue, not just defensively on cost.

4. Stabilize the Business to a New Reality

Post pandemic, I cannot tell you how many people told me, “I can’t wait until things return to normal.”  Here’s a hard truth: there is no “return to normal.” There’s only the next version of normal—and your ability to adapt to it faster than competitors.

Stabilization doesn’t mean hitting pause. It means recalibrating. That might look like:

• Redefining roles for hybrid, remote and/or global operations.
• Leaning into asynchronous collaboration across time zones.
• Upgrading systems and documentation to support distributed teams.
• Making a concerted effort to embrace AI faster than your competitors.

In my own businesses, the shift to remote work and a deep investment in AI-enabled humans, became a long-term advantage, not just a pandemic workaround. We discovered incredible talent in markets we’d never tapped before. It forced us to document better, lead more intentionally, and think globally.

5. Go on Offense

Once you’ve stabilized, the real opportunity is this: most of your competitors are still in reactive mode.

This 90-day tariff delay is a gift—but only if you use it wisely. Consider:

• Exploring new markets while others sit on their hands.
• Investing in operational upgrades that will pay off post-election.
• Building distributed teams that help you scale affordably and flexibly.

Global economic volatility has made offshore talent a strategic lever, not just a cost one. When done right, it gives you resilience, speed, and access to skill sets that may be increasingly hard to find domestically.

At DOXA Talent, I’ve worked with dozens of CEOs rethinking their org charts through this lens. The best decisions aren’t just about cost. They’re about positioning—making sure the business is ready to grow no matter what comes next.

Final Thought: Preparation Is the New Advantage

This 90-day pause on tariffs might turn into 180. It might evaporate soon. Either way, it’s not the time to wait.

Use this moment to prepare. Protect your people. Fortify your financials. Defend your revenue. Stabilize for what’s next. Then go on offense—before your competitors do.

Uncertainty isn’t going away. But how you respond to it will define your leadership—and your company’s trajectory—for years to come.