How the 2018 Trump Tariffs Impacted My Business

Excerpt from Knock It Off!: Imitation Isn’t Flattering, Chapter 7: The Predators (Corporate Greed)

Throughout this chapter, I’ve also outlined how the environmental impact of excessive consumerism is devastating. Factories producing fast fashion and electronics rely on exploitative labor practices, with workers in developing countries forced to work for minimum pay in unsafe conditions that negatively impact their physical and psychological well-being. Toxic landfills continue to fill with discarded clothing, older model gadgets, and packaging because the next collection or model has launched.

Realize your power as a consumer by focusing on intentional purchases—choose quality over quantity, support ethical brands, and maybe even consider embracing second-hand and upcycled products. Along with focusing on sustainable resources and manufacturing, I include a disclaimer on my businesses' ecommerce sites to inform our customers that we reuse packaging. This way, they know to expect their orders in previously used boxes. We repurpose packaging from incoming shipments for outgoing orders, minimizing waste whenever possible. Meaningful change begins with small, everyday actions that support the environment.

By truly embodying the understanding that self-worth emanates from within—rooted in your spirit, not in your material possessions—you begin taking crucial steps toward breaking free from the psychological manipulation that corporations rely on. They thrive by instilling feelings of inadequacy, creating a false sense of dependency on their products for you to feel worthy or complete. Knowing your true inner worth disrupts their abusive tactics, creating a resistance to these false pressures.

Corporations must be held accountable. Governments and consumers alike must push for transparency, ethical labor practices, and sustainable production models. Since governments are often influenced by hefty donations from corporations, we can’t entirely trust them to protect us. Consumers have the power because they decide where to spend their money. Ultimately, shifting away from excessive consumerism requires redefining success and fulfillment. Real happiness doesn’t come from accumulating things. As I shared with you in the first few chapters of this book, wealthy people are not always happier. They actually tend to be more dangerous in their desperate means to cling to status based relevancy founded on these illusions of success. No amount of “stuff” can hide a lie forever.

The bottom line is this: corporations driven by greed will never prioritize the well-being of others over their profits, just as a power-hungry politician will never be able to empower the people. Those who benefit from power are rarely motivated to share it. Once they’ve attained power, they cling to it fiercely, unwilling to let go. Think of a big wave surfer. If someone didn’t do the work to paddle into a big wave, they won’t be able to handle the power if they were lucky enough to land on top of one. In the frenzy, they’ll focus solely on surviving, clinging desperately just to stay on the wave. Power is simply too powerful.

The paradox is that the people most suited for power are often the ones least interested in pursuing it. Only someone with the integrity to resist the seduction of wealth, status, and influence is truly fit to wield power. Genuine leadership requires humility, selflessness, and a deep commitment to serving others—not personal gain. The challenge lies in creating governance and platforms that elevate such individuals, and allows them to be heard, rather than rewarding those who are the most ruthless, ambitious, willing to sacrifice others for their own advancement, and/or blindly submit to a corrupt system.

Earlier, I mentioned the fact that street gangs secure loyalty from new members by requiring them to participate in a crime as part of their initiation. This tactic implies mutual liability, making recruits less likely to betray the gang or expose its activities, since they too are implicated and risk facing consequences. As I mentioned in the Preface, the rich and powerful operate in much the same way—and predatory business leaders are no exception.

Again, I’ve refused to compromise my integrity throughout my journey. Yet, that hasn’t stopped me from sharing powerful, inspiring ideas to some of the biggest sharks in the industry. It wasn’t all out of naivety or foolishness—it was because my drive to create meaningful, positive change has always outweighed my ego's need for recognition.

About twenty years ago, I wrote a children’s book about a girl on an overcrowded ship, where merchants were too busy selling their goods, and passengers were fixated on buying, all of them oblivious to their surroundings and the ship’s direction. Even the captain of the ship was caught up in the distractions, leaving only the girl aware that the ship was headed for disaster. Desperate, she tried warning everyone, running from person to person and microphone to microphone, but no one would listen. So, she planted the idea in the mind of the loudest merchant—knowing that if he believed it was his own, he could sell the idea to the crowd and convince them to change course to avoid a catastrophe.

This story reflects the difficulty of communicating vital truths that go against society’s norm, in a world dominated by distractions and consumerism. It highlights how those in control (corporations and government), driven by their own greed, often disregard warnings that could benefit the collective, until it becomes profitable for them. The story serves as a powerful metaphor, illustrating the need for society to shift its focus toward what truly matters—before it’s too late. By planting the positive solution in the mind of the loudest merchant, the girl demonstrates that sometimes the only way to create change is through indirect influence, leveraging the systems already in place to enlighten the deluded masses as quickly as possible.

YOGA DOLL INVENTION

You think Barbie was a feminist icon before Margot Robbie’s 2023 blockbuster? Think again! I spent 13 hardworking years creating the first moveable fashion doll, driven by research showing how damaging traditional plastic dolls were to young girls’ developing minds, self esteem, and body image. A 2006 study led by Dittmar, Halliwell, and Ive found that girls aged 5 to 8 who were exposed to Barbie dolls experienced a stronger desire to be thinner compared to those who interacted with more realistically proportioned dolls, like the Emme doll, or no dolls at all.

This research suggested that Barbie’s unrealistic body ideals could influence young girls to internalize thinness as a standard of beauty, potentially increasing the risk of dissatisfaction with their own image, and related issues such as disordered eating. Understanding these valid concerns about how toys can shape young children’s perceptions of beauty and self-worth at critical developmental stages, I began working with my yoga teacher's salary to bring my idea and innovative invention to life, The World’s First Yoga Doll®.

When I finally had a prototype, I pitched it to several toy companies, hoping to license it to one of them. I never wanted to manufacture myself. I flew to NY, Minneapolis, drove to San Francisco, and had several meetings in Los Angeles, pitching my new patent-pending moveable plastic doll design. I wanted to give young girls a doll that celebrated who they are, as they are, not merely focused on looking glamorous. And let them move, for goodness' sake!

Then I got a call from one of the designers at the major toy company I had just pitched. She warned me that the company was planning to knock off my concept of a moveable fashion doll. This is always a risk when pitching ideas to large corporations—part of the unspoken reality of the industry. Still, a part of me had hoped, perhaps naively, that they would act with integrity and respect my work rather than copy it outright.

Well, I am not going to let that happen, I thought! Knowing I was ahead of them with my design—and with finalized molds already complete—I made the bold decision to put my life savings on the line to produce The World's First Yoga Doll®. My brand, AZ I AM, became the first to market, with a moveable, plastic fashion doll designed specifically to move with a full range of motion, just like you!

Because of this, other companies that released similar dolls after mine were limited to market them under different names since they legally couldn’t use the term "Yoga Doll." But still—what a low move, right? Unfortunately, that’s just how the world works, and these risks are expected when dealing with cut throat businesses trying to stay at the top of their industries, which increases the chances that they are led from corporate greed.

Undeterred, however, I presented at ToyFair in 2015, which was absolutely epic! There I met one of the buyers from Target, who took a chance on my innovative collections, opening a line of conversation to officially present my dolls and toys to sell at Target.

I remember watching the film, Joy, based on the life and business of Joy Mangano. I remember crying with relief during the scenes where the main character flies to China and crawls through an air vent to find her molds after unethical business partners tried to shut her out of her own business. In that moment, watching another fiercely innovative woman who truly understood the exhausting struggle of manufacturing, safeguarding molds, and protecting patents and intellectual property, I felt an overwhelming alignment with her story.

THE TARGET

Although I am not currently manufacturing or selling my products at Target, they remain the most integral company I’ve ever worked with. I’m not saying this just because they were the first retailer to take a chance on a small business like mine. Their commitment to integrity, clear communication, thoughtful product selection, sustainability, and dedication to diversity are unmatched by any other major retailer I’ve partnered with, ever.

Due to several factors, I had to temporarily stop selling to Target. The Trump administration's tariffs during the 2018 trade war significantly impacted small businesses importing from China, increasing costs and massively disrupting supply chains​. My reps and brokers in Asia were frustrated with U.S. businesses, increasing all of their costs, making it impossible for a small business like mine to produce at a reasonable price.

Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of one of my manufacturing facilities, which I relied on to ensure recycled plastics and sustainable resources. On top of that, managing a brick-and-mortar yoga studio left me overwhelmed, making it impossible to meet demand. As a result, I had to reject orders and pause operations.

UPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES

So, the solution to lessening the grip of corporate greed lies in supporting small businesses. These are companies rooted in communities and built on trust, authenticity, and genuine customer care. And you’ve likely heard the following slogan: When you support a small business, you’re not just buying a product or service—you’re investing in a person, a dream, and a community. Unlike faceless corporations driven by profit, small businesses are built on passion and a commitment to quality over quantity.

Additionally, supporting small businesses contributes to healthier market competition, which helps keep larger corporations in check. It shifts the power balance away from monopolies that dominate industries and ultimately limit opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Make buying choices that align with your values, and vote with your wallet by supporting businesses that prioritize authenticity, fairness, and human connection. Say “no” to impersonal, profit-driven models that disregard consumer well-being or put health at risk. Through small, intentional actions, we can revive the original spirit of business, and every mindful purchase that you make contributes to a shift away from exploitative practices and corporate greed.

You hold the power to make these changes.