SALT LAKE CITY — Jackson Hollberg is the CEO of a product-design company in Lindon called Market Sculpt. But this week, he’s in China, negotiating the best deals for his clients back home in Utah.
He said his schedule was non-stop from the moment he touched down overseas.
“I spent all day yesterday in four factories,” he said.
During his factory tour, he noticed many businesses putting orders and shipments on hold.
“Some of them are holding the product; they’re not moving it.”
The reason behind the hold is President Donald Trump’s 125% tariff on imports from China.
But that tariff is inconsequential to the revenue loss many flagship companies, such as Walmart, could experience if they put manufacturing and shipping on hold.
But for the smaller business owners, like Hollberg, he recommends holding unless it’s absolutely necessary.
“The best thing for most people right now is that they’re just going to hold unless it’s a priority to bring it in,” he said.
Even with his inventory on hold, Hollberg still said the art of negotiation is key, especially for clients who need products now.
“If we are in a hurry, so let’s say I do have one client that needs stuff in here fast. If I need to go to production then I’ll tell them ‘Hey, I need you to drop the price to help us out because we need to ship this or we are not going to get a deal,'” Hollberg said.
While most of his clients’ inventory is on hold, Hollberg’s focus during his trip to China has been strengthening relationships with his trade partners.
He believes those relationships will pay off in the long run and help him expand into other countries like Germany, an alternative trade partner for products like high-quality printers.
