Tariff Talk with Tom

Hey.

So. Tariffs. Typically, we try not to add to the noise on things, but with news of publishers folding, peers of ours showing up on CNN, our moms calling, and endless walls of commentary about it, I want to address this briefly and provide clarity on where things are with Orange Nebula and our projects.

First, thank you for all the emails and other messages of love and support. I cannot overstate the affect such things have on this team. We understand, conceptually, that this community is founded on really substantive shared truths, but when you bring that to bear in our lives in such a tangible way, it’s always more powerful than we are prepared for. Truly — thank you.

Alright, here’s where we stand.

Our approach to the-world-being-the-world is to navigate things with intention and poise. We’re observing, talking to peers and mentors, consulting our network, hoarding squishmallows*, and staying calm. If we need to make moves, we will do so thoughtfully. If we need to be still and be patient, we will. We're approaching this from a place of responsible (squishmallow-supported) peacefulness. 

We promise to communicate along the way. You’re our partner in these things, and we carry the responsibility of the trust you place in us with great care. If there’s something you need to know, we will share abundantly and openly. There’s no denying that the tariffs are a big deal, but unless you’ve heard otherwise from us, you need not worry that we, or projects of ours, are secretly in trouble in ways beyond your awareness. Whatever the situation is, we will tell you as things happen.

As always, we remain committed to you as our highest priority. Our heart is to see that the blows from these tariff complications land on us, rather than you, so that your experience can be as peaceful and steady as possible. Right now, the most likely impact of the tariffs on our projects is us pausing shipments while we let things play out a bit. But again, we don't know anything for certain yet. For now, just know that whatever happens, our intent is to shelter you from the impact.

That being said, many members of this community recognize that the tariffs are going to have a weighty impact on our team. We’ve received lots of messages asking for ways to come alongside us and support us. Apparently, you like the idea of us still being around or something. As you can imagine, we are very moved by this. So, with full hearts, we have decided to humbly provide means to receive that support and love. If this is something you want to do, there are three options available. The most straightforward is to support through the new item available on our website (found here). You will also find that the Vestige and Spirit Fire campaigns each feature new add-ons that do much the same. Again, humbly, thank you.

I’ll skip the instinct to write a paragraph about what you mean to us, and how much we hope you can feel it. Instead I’ll simply say this—keep being wonderful. It matters.

Much love, and deepest respect,

Tom
President, Orange Nebula

* We're telling ourselves that Squishmallow hoarding is smart and reasonable in the face of potential shortages, but since we've been doing it for years its possible we're gaslighting ourselves a bit on that one. Kinda OK with it.