How to survive and thrive as tariffs, AI, and politics unsettle the rules of business

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Apr 23, 2025

Sean West, co-founder of Hence.ai and author of 'Unruly,' shares insights on navigating today's chaotic business landscape shaped by tariffs and political turmoil. He discusses how companies can proactively adapt to rising geopolitical risks and the importance of corporate diplomacy. West emphasizes the complex interplay between patriotism and business strategy, revealing the evolving role of AI-driven tools in democratizing high-level business intelligence. Tune in for expert advice on thriving amidst uncertainty!

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INSIGHT

Geopolitical turmoil reshaping business

The current geopolitical turmoil is far more severe than in the past decade.
The traditional business rules are breaking down amidst this volatility.

ANECDOTE

Cold brew founder fights tariffs

Cason Crane, a cold brew founder, used media appearances to highlight tariff impacts.
His public stance provided free publicity and raised awareness for his brand.

ADVICE

Go on offense with tariffs

Founders should be opportunistic and go on offense amidst tariff challenges.
Publicly sharing experiences can raise issues and generate marketing benefits.

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Trump’s tariffs have upended global trade and created an environment of uncertainty. But this situation wasn’t created in a vacuum. The rules of business have been shifting for years as technology moves quicker than regulation, geopolitics descend into turmoil, and the law erodes and becomes weaponized.

Businesses might be asking themselves, how are they meant to keep their heads above water? And what can they do to fight back?

Hence AI co-founder Sean West has some answers. With a team spread across the U.K., Rwanda, the U.S., and the Netherlands, the London-based startup has raised $5.2 million to date with a mission to democratize access to high-level business intelligence—something traditionally reserved for the biggest companies with the biggest budgets.

Today on Equity, Rebecca Bellan sat down with West, who recently published the book Unruly: Fighting Back When Politics, AI, and Law Upend the Rules of Business, to dig into how companies should respond to rising geopolitical risk, the macro cost of keeping your head down, and why AI-powered tools like Hence Global, built on Palantir’s Foundry platform, are quietly redefining what it means to be “advised.”

Listen to the full episode to hear more about:

What businesses are getting wrong about tariffs and political risk.
How companies can go on the offensive to thrive in the chaos.
Why patriotism can shield companies, but comes with a cost.
Why law firms and consultants are some of Hence’s earliest adopters.
The broader implications of “democratizing access” to geopolitical risk intel.

Equity is TechCrunch’s flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.

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Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. We’d also like to thank TechCrunch’s audience development team. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll talk to you next time.

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