Go Straight, or Go in Circles

I’ve just returned from the Annual IMCO Trade Conference for Medical Product Distributors in Florida.

It’s always energizing to catch up with industry colleagues and talk shop.

This year, one topic dominated every conversation: Trump’s trade tariffs.

“How can BMG Advisors help?”

“What are you seeing out there?”

“What do you recommend?”

“How long will this last?”

“Should we pass on price increases—and if so, when?”

The list of countries tossed around sounded more like a high school geography quiz than a trade conference:

India. Turkey. Cambodia. Vietnam. Indonesia. Malaysia. Kenya.

We explored:

Free Trade Zones. Bonded Warehouses. HTS Codes. Transfer Costs.

Singapore. UAE. Panama. Mauritius.

U.S. Manufacturing Options. Line Time Investing. Logistics-friendly States.

It’s clear these aren’t isolated conversations. These disruptions are rattling boardrooms across every sector.

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This morning, on my way to synagogue—coffee in one hand, phone in the other, stopped at a red light (I know Mom… don't drink and drive)—I was scanning a report on the shadow logistics industry now known as TCI: Tariff Circumvention Industry.

Yes, it has a name now.

These TCI networks have exploded. Companies—especially in China—are rerouting goods, reclassifying products, and using supply chain gymnastics to sidestep tariffs and preserve market access.

In response, the U.S. Government is ramping up enforcement:

• CBP (Customs and Border Protection) backed by AI and advanced cargo screening

• Future audits and tracebacks

• Whistleblower incentives

• Stricter scrutiny of bonded warehouses and FTZ activity

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But let’s pause for a moment.

None of this would be necessary—no transshipment games, no shadow logistics, no sleepless nights for compliance officers—if countries and companies simply honored intellectual property and operated with integrity.

Instead, we see:

• Factories closing

• Dockworkers laid off

• Supply chains fragmented

• Consumers caught in the crossfire

• Millions of livelihoods impacted

  
  

All because some players choose to go crooked.

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My father—a professional, not a businessman—used to say something I didn’t appreciate until much later.

He’d bend his finger into a half circle, make a spiraling motion, and say in Yiddish:

“אויב מען גייט קרום, דרייט מען זיך אין קרייזן. אויב מען גייט גלייך, קען זיין עס נעמט מער צייט, אבער מען קומט אנשטענדיק אן."

"If you go crooked, you end up going in circles. If you go straight, it might take more time — but you get there properly in the end.”

Then he’d straighten his finger and point it forward.

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At the time, I chalked it up to another “Dad-ism” to ignore.

Then I entered the world of business.

I saw companies that cut corners, break commitments, withhold payments, and sidestep responsibilities—to their vendors, customers, and even their own employees.

And I saw them get stuck.

Hamsters on a wheel.

Spinning faster, going nowhere.

Losing their best people.

Losing trust.

Losing investors.

Then there are companies that walk straight.

They:

• Treat employees with dignity

• See vendors as partners

• Respect their customers

  
  

They grow.

They attract talent.

They build loyalty.

And when it’s time for an exit—it’s one worth remembering.

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In the morning blessings we recite each day, there’s one that reads:

הַמֵּכִין מִצְעֲדֵי גָבֶר“

Blessed are You, Hashem… Who prepares the footsteps of man.”

There are many interpretations. But for me, it’s a daily reminder:

G-d helps me walk.

Not just physically—but morally, ethically, and purposefully.

When I forget that—when I convince myself I'm fully in control—I start walking bent.

I get anxious.

I can rationalize crooked behavior.

I can lose direction.

But when I reflect on that blessing each morning, I realign.

I remember: If I walk straight, even if the road is slower, I’ll get where I’m meant to be.

And beyond.

This post is part of my ongoing series:

Business of Soul: 100 Blessings

In this series, I explore timeless spiritual ideas—rooted in Jewish wisdom—and how they apply to the modern business world. Each post connects a daily blessing or teaching to practical lessons in leadership, decision-making, ethics, and growth.

Business of Soul is about aligning profit with purpose. It’s about recognizing that values like trust, dignity, accountability, and gratitude aren’t just moral ideals—they’re strategic advantages. In a world flooded with shortcuts, Business of Soul asks: What does it mean to go straight, and why does it matter?

⚖️ Important Note:

The reflections and examples shared in this post are general in nature. They are not directed at any specific company, individual, or situation—past or present—and should not be interpreted as commentary on any legal matter or business relationship.