I'm John Batchel with my colleague, Gene Marks, Small Business columnist,

the Business of America is Small Business, and Washington knows it.

And that's why we've watched the economic appointments of a new administration.

Gene writes for the Guardian, he writes for the Philadelphia Inquiry, writes for Forbes.

We're now going to ask him to speak a column.

Gene, the economic appointments that I'm paying attention to. Mr. Besant at Treasury, said to be diplomatic, but a man who knows

the markets and knows trading. Mr. Lutnik at Commerce, a man who's also skilled in the marketways.

And Kevin Hassett, a brainiac at the White House,

economic advisors. They're all of good, given that Mr. Powell is in place since he was appointed

by Mr. Trump in the first term. I don't see any weakness at all. How do you interpret for small

business these big appointments of big departments?

There's two impacts that I see on small business. You mentioned, you know,

present the Treasury Secretary, Lutnik, Commerce Secretary. These are very much pro-growth

and also pro-tariff people.

So if you're running a business and you're ignoring the fact that tariffs are not going to go up, you're making a big mistake.

And tariffs will have a big impact on the economy, both good and bad.

And John, I just, you know, I wrote a whole piece in the hill about tariffs, and I'm

actually working on another piece for Philly Inquire.

Maybe next time we speak, we can talk about some thoughts and ideas that I'm going to be

sharing about how to navigate, what small businesses are doing to prepare themselves for

this increase in tariffs.

But that's going to be one area that the cabinet itself is going to be focused on.

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