Curiosity In Motion: Breaking Mental Barriers, Building Better Networks, and Navigating Trade Shifts

➡️ Productivity: Break Your Own Barriers Before Worrying About the Competition

Self-sabotage often hides in habits that look productive on the surface. Perfectionism, procrastination, and fear of visibility quietly stall momentum, even for high performers.

Here are three common patterns to watch for:

1. The Perfectionism Trap
   You tweak endlessly, but never ship. You wait for the moment when the work feels “ready”—but that moment rarely comes. Progress happens when you stop aiming for flawless and start moving forward with work that’s good enough to test.

2. The Procrastination Pattern
   You stay busy but avoid what matters. Instead of sending the proposal, you rearrange your to-do list or answer emails. This isn’t laziness—it’s often fear in disguise. Tackling one high-impact task first thing can reset the tone of your day.

3. The Negative Self-Talk Loop
   “I’m not ready.” “Someone else could do it better.” The inner critic doesn’t need evidence to derail momentum. One way forward: ask, “What would I do today if I believed I could figure it out along the way?”

💡 Key Takeaway: You don’t need to be more productive—you need to remove what’s in your way.

➡️ Entrepreneurship: The Real Power of Your Network

85% of successful people credit their network for their growth—but most founders spend too long trying to “meet more people” instead of identifying the right ones.

Three types of people that should be in your circle:

1 The Mentor Who’s Been There
They’ve seen cycles, made hard decisions, and bring perspective when things feel overwhelming. Often, their advice isn’t loud—but it’s grounded and practical.

2 The Truth-Teller
They’ll say what others won’t. They point out blind spots, challenge your assumptions, and value your growth over your comfort.

3 The Connector
They bring people together across industries and perspectives. They spot patterns, open doors, and help you reach people you didn’t think were accessible.

The strength of your business is often determined by the strength of the conversations around it. Are the people in your circle pushing you forward—or keeping you where you are?

➡️ What Founders Need to Know About Tariffs and Trade Shifts

Tariffs are often viewed as something that impacts commodity exporters or big industrial players. But today, even tech-enabled startups and service-based businesses can’t ignore how global trade policy reshapes costs, timelines, and business decisions.

Here’s where the real insight lies for founders:

1. Tariffs Are a Canary for Volatility
   When tariffs shift, they signal more than pricing changes—they often coincide with broader shifts in regulation, border controls, and political instability. A tariff hike today might precede new restrictions or subsidies tomorrow. Founders should treat tariff policy as a proxy for risk—not just cost.

2. Second-Order Effects Are the Real Cost
   Maybe you’re not importing hardware, but your supplier is. A U.S. tariff on Chinese components could affect your Canadian supplier’s lead times or margins—which in turn affects your service delivery, pricing model, or cash flow predictability. Trace your exposure two levels deep, not just one.

3. Tariffs Trigger Reshoring—But That’s Not Always Cheaper
   Yes, reshoring is a common response. But founders should be careful not to overcorrect. Local alternatives might be slower, more expensive, or less scalable. The better move? Run a model that compares total landed cost over a 12- to 24-month horizon, not just base pricing. Factor in currency risk, time delays, and political uncertainty.

💡 Key Takeaway: Founders with flexible supply chains—or SaaS teams using outsourced development—should revisit contracts and SLAs now. Build tariff-related price adjustments or risk buffers into future terms. You don’t need to react to every headline, but you do need to stay agile in your planning.

This edition is about control—recognizing where we’ve quietly given it away and how to reclaim it. Whether that’s silencing your inner critic, asking a mentor for help, or building pricing resilience into your supply chain, the next step is usually small but intentional.

Keep questioning. Keep adjusting. Keep moving.

Until next time,
The Curiosity in Motion Team