Co-Founder Michelle Rockwell Joins “The Unshakeables” Podcast
In Discussion with Ben Walter and Tino McFarland
Sheltered International co-founder Michelle Rockwell was a guest on the latest episode of The Unshakeables [click here to listen], a Chase for Business podcast on the iHeartRadio network. She was joined by Tino McFarland, CEO of McFarland Construction, for an engaging and entertaining conversation about the current challenges facing small businesses. Through her personal experiences with freight forwarding, she sheds insight on the realities of working through tariffs, how inflation affects operations, and more.
“I personally thought it was a good chance to give people a feel for really what’s going on out there right now,” says host Ben Walter, reflecting on the interview. “We spend a lot of time [on the show] telling stories…[this] was a good chance to talk about where we are as an economy.”
Diving into the Realities of Tariffs
Speaking on how recent tariffs have affected importers, Michelle characterised clients as understandably conservative and careful. “There’s a lot of uncertainty with the importers of record. We have seen business slower than normal this time of year because ultimately, the end consumer has to pay those additional costs. It’s inevitable. We try to explain and we sympathize with them. We completely understand.”
“And unfortunately, we’ve had those hard conversations because what happens is sometimes those things go into effect and there’s no backdating. So it doesn’t matter when it departed, those tariffs are going to take effect. And it doesn’t matter if your cargo was already on the water and you were only expecting to say pay 20% or 30%. Now tomorrow you’re going to pay 55%. And it’s hard for them to swallow. And I get it.”
These difficulties are strongly felt across the board, especially when it comes to the de minimis exemption. “If you’re ordering, say clothing, it used to be that they could come into the country and there was no duty charge because the value was so little. [Importers used] a Section 321 entry and there was no duties and taxes. They can no longer do that. Now there’s a hundred-dollar duty automatically on any small package like that. Going from free to a hundred, that’s a lot, especially if you’re talking you bought a $20 dress or top whatever. It’s not worth it any longer. As a result, many clothing and textile retailers had to shut down.”
How SiShips Succeeds as a Small Business
Transparency, communication, and offering white glove service are key offerings from SiShips for every client, regardless of size. “The difference is, when you call us, we’re going to pick up that telephone, and we’re going to answer you. Our clients come to us because they need a certain level of service, and that’s what they expect.”
“We tell [our clients] what we know. Most of the time with tariffs, we’ve heard what they’ve heard. But until it’s printed in the Federal Register for us, it’s not a fact. We’re transparent with them, because we don’t know what to tell them or how to tell them to run their business. That’s obviously up to them.”
I’m Every episode of The Unshakeables ends with the same question from Ben Walter: “What’s one piece of advice you have for aspiring or current small business owners who are trying to make it out there?”
Michelle was ready with her answer from her decades of experience. “You have to partner with people who are your opposite. You’re going to have to stay positive and work hard, but you’re going to have to work together.”
Listen to the Full Episode Now
Check out the full episode now for all of Michelle’s insights, and a few laughs along the way, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
