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July’s jobs report confirmed what many Miami businesses already know: the economy is slowing down — and South Florida is feeling the impact.
Across our region, businesses of all sizes are being pushed to the edge. Supply chains are strained. Costs are rising. And the uncertainty is forcing tough decisions about hiring, investment, and long-term growth.
Tourism is down. Restaurants are facing one of their worst summers in years. Construction projects are losing workers as prices for steel, aluminum, and concrete spike. And in a city already battling unaffordable housing, rising building costs are making it even harder to keep up.
I know how tough it is — because I’m living it too. In 2012, my brother and I started ecofi, a clean energy company that helps cut water usage and lower utility bills. We’ve created good-paying jobs while making sustainability more affordable. But now, like so many others, we’re struggling.
Tariffs have driven up our costs by as much as 40%. Suppliers can’t keep up. Clients are pulling back. Over the last 12 years, my brother and I have built the company to last, but because of the impacts of tariffs, we’ve been forced to freeze hiring.
This isn’t just a downturn. It’s a self-inflicted policy failure supported by Congresswoman Salazar. Tariffs were sold as a way to bring jobs back – but make no mistake: these tariffs are taxes. They’ve driven up costs, weakened supply chains, and left communities like ours holding the bill.
Small businesses are the backbone of Miami’s economy. Politicians love to say that — but when it’s time to show up, our Congresswoman is consistently MIA.
Rather than voting for the “Big Ugly Bill” –which hands massive tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations while small and mid-sized businesses struggle with rising costs and shrinking margins – she should be fighting for the people she represents: small business owners and workers, students, families, and the entrepreneurs trying to grow in a volatile economy.
That means restoring stable trade relationships. Investing in American manufacturing. Accelerating the creation of green collar jobs — skilled work that pays well and builds a sustainable future. And above all, confronting the affordability crisis that’s pushing everyone to the brink.
What we don’t need is more political talk. Miami’s business owners, workers, and families are running out of time — and money.
We need leadership. We need stability. And we need a representative who shows up when it matters most.
Richard Lamondin is a Miami-born entrepreneur, father, and first-time candidate for Congress in Florida’s 27th District. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of ecofi, a nationally recognized environmental services company, and serves on several nonprofit boards focused on youth empowerment and community development.
