A 4-part series by Sri Kaza
The Negotiation Series
What the trade wars in the headlines teach about the deals you make every week.
You have three choices, almost at any time
- 1Take what your counterparty is offering
- 2Walk away
- 3Try to keep negotiating
1 / 8
The tariff fights of 2025 were the biggest negotiation most of us will ever watch play out in public. Whatever you think of the politics, the moves are the same ones a small business owner makes with a landlord, a supplier or a big customer, only louder.
This series uses those trade deals to walk through four ideas I've leaned on in my own deals: know what you're walking away to, focus on interests instead of positions, understand what conviction does to the other side of the table, and play differently when you'll be negotiating with the same people again next year.
Enjoyed this article?
These ideas come from Unconvention — Sri Kaza's guide to competing smart as a small business.
Copyright 2026
Sri Kaza