Rittener Reflections

Matt Bell Episode 36 brings Jeff together with Matt Bell, founder of TradeCompliance.Software, for a timely look at the fast‑changing trade tech landscape. After two decades in consulting and enforcement, Matt built Matt’s List as a passion project — mapping more than 200 compliance tools and AI solutions to a resource designed to help companies […]

Event details and registration for the: WIT‑NC, TTRA, & PAEI 2026 Global Trade Compliance Best Practices Conference — October 14, 2026: Leading the Trade Community brings together three respected association leaders — WIT‑NC, TTRA, and PAEI — for a candid conversation about the trade profession today. Host Jeff Rittener speaks with Gabrielle Griffith, Ken Montgomery, and […]

Jeff previews the 2026 NFL season with a ten‑point primer, a training‑camp field clip, and a warm, story‑rich conversation with two close friends, Robin and Scott. Together they reflect on decades of 49ers history, unforgettable games, and remarkable personal moments that emerged naturally as the discussion unfolded. It’s an episode filled with authenticity, nostalgia, and […]

Inspired by a toolbox passed down from his grandfather, Jeff uses Episode 33 to unpack the real tariff tools the President is reaching for in 2026. With IEEPA gone and decades‑old authorities suddenly back in play, this episode explains how each tool works, why it matters, and what companies should expect next. A clear, structured […]

This episode follows Jeff’s month‑long experience of the 2026 World Cup as lived across the Bay Area. Along the way, he reflects on a World Cup journey that now spans twelve tournaments, connecting early memories from Switzerland with the sights and sounds of this one. He enjoys matches with friends, family, and fans from around […]

Geostrategy is an inflection point; a way for companies to think strategically, act proactively, and neutralize surprises. In Part II, Jeff and Jeannette shift from the strategic environment to the operational realities inside companies, where resilience depends on the systems, decisions, and relationships built long before a crisis hits. Join us as we explore choke […]

Jeff Rittener sits down with national‑security strategist Jennette Chu for a two‑part conversation on geo‑strategy; the discipline of connecting geopolitical reality to corporate decision‑making. Together, they explore how national security, economic statecraft, and technology leadership are reshaping the global operating environment. Part I examines the strategic forces driving this shift, while Part II turns to the operational realities companies face as they navigate rapid geopolitical change. This series offers leaders a clear framework for operating in a world where geopolitics is now part of the job.

In this solo episode, Jeff records from inside his own Airbnb condo on Main Street in Fuquay‑Varina, North Carolina, to mark one year as a short‑term rental owner and host. He tells the full story: what led him to buy the condo in the first place, the scramble of those first bookings, the guest moments that made him laugh and problem‑solve on the fly, and what he’s learned about hospitality, systems, and people along the way. He also touches on a few practical takeaways for both future hosts and guests. If you’ve ever stayed in a short‑term rental, thought about hosting, or simply enjoy a good story, this one offers a candid look behind the scenes.

Europe's export control system is evolving quickly, creating new challenges for global companies operating across borders. In this episode, Jeff speaks with Anna Goncz, founder of the Export Compliance Academy, for an inside view of how EU rules are developing — from the post-Ukraine shift in European posture to the practical realities of dual-use licensing, member state divergence, and the growing tension between EU and U.S. approaches. Anna brings a rare ground-level perspective from inside the European system, helping global trade professionals understand what's changing, why it matters, and what comes next. This conversation adds the essential European lens to Jeff's ongoing series on the evolving trade profession.

With clarity on the forces shaping the profession, this second episode turns to what it takes to ride the rollercoaster with confidence in 2026. Bruce Jackson and Karen Murphy return discussing the capabilities, leadership qualities, hiring priorities, and practical improvements that define strong trade teams today and what it now means to lead with clarity, judgment, and strategic influence in a rapidly shifting environment.