Sean Brownlee Discusses Small-Business Supply-Chain Pressure with CNN

CNN Business reporter David Goldman interviewed me for his September 20, 2026 article, “‘Crisis even bigger than Covid’: American business owners are barely getting by”. His reporting examines how fuel costs, war, severe weather, transportation constraints, tariffs, inflation and unpredictable shipping conditions are affecting American businesses.

I spoke with David as CEO of Ravenox, a manufacturer of ropes, cordage and leashes, and as a retired United States Marine who served for 25 years. My commitment to building Ravenox is rooted in supporting American production and American jobs. That operating experience also informs my advocacy for small businesses, which often have less room than larger companies to absorb rising costs and unexpected delays.

A functioning supply chain can still be difficult to manage

During COVID, many parts of the supply chain effectively stopped. Today, goods generally continue to move, but doing business involves more expense, friction, volatility and uncertainty. A shipment can arrive and still create a problem if its timing or cost has changed after commitments have already been made to customers.

Diesel prices and freight costs matter well beyond the transportation industry. They affect the cost of moving materials into a factory and finished products out to customers. For a small manufacturer, these pressures arrive alongside decisions about staffing, purchasing, production schedules and pricing.

American manufacturing is connected to global supply chains

In preparing for the interview, I looked back at what these pressures have meant for Ravenox. By 2020, we had incurred more than $150,000 in tariff-related costs. That was money that could otherwise have supported hiring, inventory, marketing, product development and business growth.

Manufacturing in the United States does not eliminate exposure to international supply chains. Even a business that does not directly import finished goods can depend on domestic suppliers using imported materials, equipment or components. Energy and international freight costs can also work their way through supplier pricing. I have discussed this connection in my earlier reflections on tariffs and small-business challenges.

Longer lead times tie up working capital

One recent order for specialized American-made mooring line illustrates the planning challenge. An order that might previously have taken approximately three to four weeks now has an estimated lead time of 50–60 days because a specialized coating and manufacturing step has become a constraint.

The supplier did not establish that this delay was caused by tariffs, war, fuel prices or weather. I would not attribute it to any of those factors. The operational consequence is still significant: we have to plan further ahead while giving customers realistic expectations.

Ordering earlier or carrying additional safety stock means financing uncertainty. Cash stays committed to inventory for longer instead of remaining available for hiring, investment or a new opportunity. Supply-chain resilience requires that buffer, but maintaining it has a cost.

Predictability makes investment possible

Small businesses often absorb higher costs for as long as they can before raising customer prices. That helps protect customer relationships, but margins have limits. Each additional expense reduces the resources available to keep improving the business.

As I told CNN, “We just want predictability.” A difficult but stable environment gives a business owner something to plan around. Rapid changes in costs, lead times and consumer demand make it much harder to decide when to purchase, hire or invest.

That is the perspective I want to bring to these conversations: the practical decisions behind the headlines, and what they mean for the people running American businesses. My background in military service and business shapes that approach. Related conversations, including my Amazon Small Business Podcast appearance, explore the work of building and operating a manufacturing business.

Read the original CNN Business report

Read David Goldman’s full report at CNN, published September 20, 2026.

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