Simply Trade

Importing isn’t as simple as buying a product overseas and having it show up at your door.

In this episode of Simply Trade, Lalo Solorzano and Andy Shiles break down three of the most common (and costly) assumptions business owners make about importing—and how those mistakes can quietly erode margins, create compliance risk, and lead to serious problems with U.S. Customs.

If you’re importing—or thinking about it—this is a must-listen.

Many importers assume their overseas supplier manages the process.

Reality:

If documentation is wrong—valuation, country of origin, product description—you own the consequences.

“Your supplier may ship the goods—but you own the risk.”

What used to be a stable, forecastable cost is now a moving target.

“Duty used to be a line item. Now it’s a variable you have to actively manage.”

Hiring a broker does not transfer liability.

“Customs holds the importer accountable—not the broker.”

Even when no one is trying to cut corners:

…can result in:

All three mistakes come down to one thing:

👉 Misunderstanding responsibility

Importing is not passive.

The companies that succeed:

Hosts:

Lalo Solorzano

Andy Shiles

Produced by: Global Training Center

Stay connected with the Simply Trade community and never miss an episode that helps you trade smarter.

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Trade Geeks Community

Renee Chiuchiarelli

Julie Parks

April 2026

~10 minutes

In this episode of Simply Trade Tips: Hammer & Heels, Renee and Julie continue their Tactical vs. Strategic series by focusing on the how.

If the last episode defined the difference…

👉 How do you actually build a more strategic, mature trade organization?

From stabilizing operations to introducing KPIs and redefining roles, this episode lays out a practical roadmap for evolving beyond reactive, tactical work into a proactive, value-driving function.

Before making changes, define:

Your problem statement (e.g., too much manual work, rework, delays)

Your future state (automation, efficiency, reduced firefighting)

👉 Clarity drives alignment.

You can’t build strategy on chaos.

Focus on:

Clean master data

Classification governance

Standard broker instructions

Documented SOPs (and keep them updated!)

Controls to prevent repeat errors

Look for opportunities to:

Automate screening and validation checks

Replace email approvals with system controls

Implement exception-based workflows

💡 Small wins create momentum—and buy-in.

Separate tactical vs. strategic responsibilities:

Shift transactional work to:

Brokers

Shared services

Create roles focused on:

Analytics

Optimization

Strategy

👉 Not everything belongs in trade. Know your boundaries.

Move beyond activity tracking to impact measurement:

Duty savings & cost avoidance

Free Trade Agreement utilization (e.g., USMCA)

Error rate reduction (first-time accuracy)

Cycle time improvements

Audit readiness / risk metrics

📊 Measure over time—this is where transformation becomes visible.

Strategic trade leaders:

Remove roadblocks

Translate regulations into business decisions

Speak in financial and operational impact

Influence sourcing and supply chain early

Build dashboards (not just spreadsheets)

Design compliance into systems

👉 This is where trade becomes a business driver—not just a function.

Examples:

Eliminate recurring manual tasks

Reassign non-trade work (like track & trace)

Implement broker scorecards

Pilot automation or controls

🎉 And don’t forget to celebrate progress.

Take a step back and assess your organization:

List the tasks your team performs

Survey how much time is spent on each

Identify:

% of time spent on tactical vs. strategic work

Time spent during shipment vs. pre/post (the “bookends”)

👉 This exercise will reveal your true maturity level—and where to focus next.

How much of your team’s time is spent firefighting vs. driving strategy?

Have you tried a time study or implemented KPIs that changed your organization?

👉 Join the discussion in the Trade Geeks Community and share your FIO!

Hosts:

Julie Parks

Producer:

New TIPS episodes every Tuesday.

Presented by:

Simply Trade Podcast on LinkedIn

Global Training Center on LinkedIn

YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@SimplyTradePod?utm_source=SimplyTradePodcast

Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/09m199JO6fuNumbcrHTkGq?utm_source=SimplyTradePodcast

Apple Podcasts — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/simply-trade/id1640329690?utm_source=SimplyTradePodcast

Trade Geeks Community — https://www.globaltrainingcenter.com/portal/?utm_source=SimplyTradePodcast

💬 Don’t forget to rate, review & share with your fellow trade geeks!

📧 [email protected]

Host: Annik Sobing

ICPA After the Conference: Building Community, Sharing Ideas, and Preparing for What’s Next

In this post-ICPA conversation, Annik sits down with Benita Lee, an independent consultant and trade compliance strategist, to reflect on the energy, diversity, and value of the ICPA San Antonio conference and why this community continues to matter for trade professionals across import, export, supply chain, and government relations. Together, they talk about how the conference brings together practitioners, legal experts, tech leaders, students, and even investors to share real-world perspectives on tariffs, refunds, AI, and the changing trade landscape.

Why ICPA matters

ICPA is more than a conference—it’s a place where trade professionals connect, learn, and build a stronger community.

Benita and Annik talk about how the event helps break the isolation many people feel in customs and compliance roles.

The San Antonio conference experience

This year’s conference was described as the largest and most diverse yet, with strong attendance, active booth traffic, and meaningful conversation across tracks.

Attendees included legal counsel, compliance professionals, Big Four alumni, tech-minded practitioners, and newer voices entering the industry.

AI and practical use cases

A key conference theme was AI in trade compliance, with sessions focused on practical use cases instead of fear-based “replacement” talk.

Benita highlights the value of these sessions in showing how AI can support existing work, not eliminate the need for expertise.

Student engagement and career development

The conference welcomed students and scholarship recipients, reinforcing ICPA’s role in helping the next generation find mentors and learn the trade path.

Benita points to sessions like “Advancing Your Career” with Laila Landis as must-see content for both students and experienced professionals.

Canada conference perspective

The upcoming ICPA Canada conference in June is a different lens on trade, especially given Canada’s export relationship with the U.S. and the current political tension.

Benita explains why Canadian practitioners benefit from seeing both the U.S. and Canadian sides of the trade equation and how ICPA helps keep the conversation practical rather than political.

Connections and collaboration

A recurring theme of the episode is that trade is solved through connections—meeting the right people, asking questions, and finding the experts who can help.

Benita emphasizes that ICPA makes it easy to engage, network, and find mentors, which can dramatically shorten the learning curve in your career.

ICPA Canada: June 7–9, 2026.

ICPA Dresden: April 8–10, 2026.

ICPA Grapevine, Texas: September 13–15, 2026

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Host: Cindy Allen

In this week’s episode of Simply Trade: Cindy’s Version, Cindy Allen breaks down a major shift in trade operations as CBP moves closer to launching the CAPE system for IEEPA duty refunds—while at the same time, new Section 232 actions signal that trade enforcement is far from slowing down.

CBP has indicated it is on track for an April 20 rollout of CAPE, with key components nearing completion. However, Phase 1 will only cover certain entries, leaving many importers navigating critical decisions around protests and timing.

At the same time, new developments in pharmaceutical tariffs and steel and aluminum revisions suggest that, despite recent legal challenges, trade enforcement is evolving—not retreating.

Inspired by Taylor Swift’s Begin Again, Cindy walks through why this moment feels less like closure—and more like the start of a new phase in global trade compliance.

• CBP signals April 20 target for CAPE rollout tied to IEEPA refunds

CBP continues to make progress toward launching CAPE (Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries):

• Claim portal (~85% complete)

Phase 1 will:

⏱️ Timeline:

This week brought significant new developments under Section 232:

• 100% duty on name-brand pharmaceuticals

Key complexity:

• 50% duty remains for core steel/aluminum products

These updates simplify some calculations—but may increase duty exposure for many importers.

• CAPE is progressing—but refunds will be phased and complex

• Global Training Center

• Global Training Center on LinkedIn

Host: Warrington Ellacott

🌍 Adapting to Disruption in a Shifting Trade Landscape

In this episode of Simply Trade [Canada], Warrington Ellacott sits down with Dr. David A. Johnston to explore how geopolitical shifts, infrastructure investments, and evolving trade dynamics are reshaping supply chains.

From Canada’s renewed focus on nation-building infrastructure to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding USMCA negotiations, this conversation highlights the realities businesses face today—and the strategies they need to stay resilient. Dr. Johnston shares insights from his work at the Schulich School of Business, emphasizing the importance of flexibility, collaboration, and long-term planning in an increasingly volatile global trade environment.

🧠 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🌐 How geopolitical risks and policy shifts are disrupting global supply chains

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Strong communication with suppliers, carriers, and partners is essential during disruption.

Infrastructure investments create long-term opportunities—but won’t solve short-term challenges.

Flexibility in transportation modes can keep goods moving, even at higher costs.

Businesses should balance immediate risk management with longer-term strategic repositioning.

Trade relationships—especially between Canada and the U.S.—remain critical despite uncertainty.

Disruption often creates opportunity, particularly in emerging sectors like infrastructure and defense.

📌 Resources & Mentions:

George Weston Ltd Centre for Sustainable Supply Chains – Schulich School of Business

Master of Supply Chain Management Program – York University

Sloan Management Review (2022) – Preparing for Supply Chain Disruptions

USMCA / CUSMA Trade Agreement

CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership)

🎧 Credits

Host:

Warrington Ellacott – https://www.linkedin.com/in/warringtonellacott/

Guest:

David A. Johnston – https://www.schulich.yorku.ca/faculty-research/george-weston

Producer:

Lalo Solorzano

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New episodes every week.

Presented by: Global Training Center — providing education, consulting, workshops, and compliance resources for trade professionals.

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Hosts: Renee Chiuchiarelli & Julie Parks

Published: March 31, 2026

Length: ~10 minutes

Presented by: Global Training Center

In this episode, Renee and Julie kick off a new series focused on a critical evolution in global trade:

👉 How do you shift your team from tactical execution to strategic impact?

Most trade teams are buried in transactions—processing entries, fixing data, responding to audits. But today’s environment demands more.

The question is no longer:

It’s:

This episode breaks down the difference between tactical vs. strategic work, why teams get stuck, and what’s at risk if you don’t evolve.

Tactical work keeps the business moving—but it’s often:

Transaction-focused

Time-sensitive

Manual and repetitive

Reactive and firefighting

Examples include:

Entry processing

Data corrections

Broker email back-and-forth

Audit scrambling

Manual screening and rework

👉 It’s essential—but it won’t move your organization forward.

Strategic trade work is where real impact happens.

It includes:

Tariff mitigation strategies

Country of origin and sourcing optimization

Trade analytics and risk pattern identification

Broker governance and performance management

Automation and control design

Characteristics of strategic teams:

This isn’t an either/or conversation anymore.

👉 The current trade environment demands:

Tactical excellence and

Strategic leadership

As Renee highlights, even seasoned leaders are being pulled back into the details—while tactical teams are being asked to think more strategically.

Common reasons include:

Understaffing

Constant operational pressure

Poor data quality

Lack of documented processes

Over-reliance on email and tribal knowledge

Leadership viewing trade as purely transactional

No KPIs tied to value creation

If your team never evolves:

Errors repeat and expand during audits

Duty savings opportunities are missed

Regulatory changes outpace your response

Burnout and turnover increase

Trade gets excluded from strategic planning

👉 You become a cost center… instead of a strategic partner.

Before you can evolve, you need visibility.

👉 Track where your team is spending time.

List out current activities and projects

Categorize them:

Tactical

Strategic

Identify where the majority of time is going

🎯 This becomes your baseline for the rest of the series.

Where does your team spend most of its time today?

🔥 Firefighting?

📊 Strategy?

⚖️ A mix of both?

👉 Head over to the Trade Geeks community and share your breakdown—and let’s compare notes.

Hosts:

Producer:

New TIPS episodes every Tuesday.

Presented by:

Simply Trade Podcast on LinkedIn

Global Training Center on LinkedIn

YouTube

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

Trade Geeks Community

💬 Don’t forget to rate, review & share with your fellow trade geeks!

📧 [email protected]

Host: Annik Sobing

Annik sits down with Chris Bachinnski, Co‑CEO and President of GHY International, for a leadership‑focused conversation on what it really takes to build and sustain a customs brokerage and trade business in a volatile, tech‑driven environment. Starting from sweeping floors in his dad’s trucking company at age 12 to leading a 100+ year‑old firm, Chris shares how work ethic, curiosity, and culture have shaped his career across transportation, marketing, and now trade.

Chris’s unconventional path to trade

Grew up in trucking, bought his dad’s company in his 20s, then sold into a publicly traded roll‑up and learned the pros/cons of “quarterly mindset.”

Shifted into a small marketing agency as CFO/COO, where he discovered the tight link between brand and culture and began doing leadership/culture training for clients.

GHY first hired his firm for branding and leadership work; later, owner Rick Reeseinvited him in as President specifically for his leadership and culture skills, not customs expertise.

Designing and changing culture on purpose

Chris interviewed all 105 GHY associates in his first 6–7 months just to listen, then worked with leadership to define: what must never change, what needs to improve, and which behaviors will be tolerated.

His core belief: “Culture is the result of the behaviors you permit”—leaders must live values first, then hold people accountable, even when that means making hard calls on long‑tenured but misaligned employees.

From operator to enterprise‑level leader

With GHY now ~245–250 people, Chris’s CEO coach pushed him to stop being involved in everything and focus on: looking around the corner, aligning the organization, and holding leaders accountable.

He still stays grounded by walking the office daily, restarting one‑on‑one interviews with staff after 10 years, and sharing results from his annual leadership feedback survey with the entire company.

Leading through uncertainty and mistakes

In COVID and the recent tariff/trade waves, GHY leaned into two non‑negotiables: care for people and care for clients, avoiding knee‑jerk layoffs and thinking long‑term even after a “spooked” decision in early 2025.

On errors, Chris rejects the “I let people make mistakes so they learn” line as arrogant; instead, he tells the story of a six‑figure error where GHY refused a resignation, treated it as (expensive) education, and moved forward.

Advice for aspiring leaders

Chris distinguishes between title‑driven leaders and those who see leadership as stewardship: taking what’s been entrusted, making it better, and protecting it for the future.

His core advice: cultivate insatiable curiosity, ask lots of questions, seek mentors, practice empathy (especially now, with stressed employees and customers), and avoid short‑term, fear‑based decisions.

Tech, AI, and the future of brokerage

Chris is candid with his board that technology is the one thing he least wants to under‑estimate; the impact he thought was 5–10 years out is arriving much faster.

GHY’s focus: embrace technology plus process improvement not as a headcount weapon, but as a tool to make people better, improve accuracy, and help clients succeed—constantly questioning “we’ve always done it this way.”

Credits

• YouTube

Join the conversation with fellow trade professionals in the Trade Geeks Community:

Host: Cindy Allen

Evermore: Section 122, Steel/Aluminum Valuation, DHS Funding, and the Never‑Ending IEEPA Refund Saga

Cindy Allen returns with another Taylor Swift–themed trade update, this time using “Evermore” to capture how the trade community feels about the seemingly endless cycle of new tariffs, court decisions, and refund processes. She covers leadership changes at DHS, shifting timelines for key CBP events, fresh confusion around steel and aluminum valuation, Section 122 and 301/232 moves aimed at replacing IEEPA revenue, and why she thinks the trade world needs to hit “pause” on IEEPA expectations until CBP’s CAPE process is truly defined.

DHS & CBP updates

New DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, a Trump‑aligned former U.S. Representative from Oklahoma, is sworn in; early signals focus on immigration, with little yet on customs.

CBP’s Trade and Cargo Summit in Dallas is postponed from next month to September due to funding issues; existing registrations will be transferred, with updated instructions to come via CSMS/announcements.

USMCA and steel/aluminum valuation

USMCA: U.S. and Mexico are in talks to extend/renew the agreement using three‑year review periods with annual extensions—essentially letting it “limp along” another 4–10 years, but at least keeping parties at the table.

Steel/aluminum/copper components: CBP has issued new but confusing and partly contradictory guidance on valuation; with court challenges pending and no comprehensive methodology, Cindy urges importers to consult counsel and test whether their approach is defensible under reasonable care standards.

Section 122, 301, and 232 moves

The White House again signals raising Section 122 tariffs from 10% to 15%, but provides no timing; the statutory 150‑day clock keeps running, raising questions about whether they’ll increase within that window or let it lapse and start a new 122 action.

Legal uncertainty: Can the administration lawfully let one 122 action expire and immediately launch another at 15%? With no case law on this rarely used tool, Cindy expects eventual court challenges.

New or adjusted Section 301 and potential 232 cases are clearly framed as ways to replace lost IEEPA revenue after the Supreme Court ruling; the administration also hints that announced rates may change after investigations and hearings.

Forced labor and 301 justification questions

One proposed 301 angle targets countries that “don’t fully enforce forced labor protections,” but Cindy questions how foreign import enforcement links to unfair trade practices harming U.S. commerce, given the U.S. already has its own forced labor import rules.

She flags this as another area ripe for challenge if 301 gets stretched to cover other countries’ internal enforcement of their own import regimes.

DHS budget standoff and FMC decision

As of 1 p.m. CT on March 27: No DHS funding bill fully passed; the Senate approved a measure apparently including DHS funding but maybe not CBP/ICE, and then recessed until mid‑April. The House and the President’s final positions remain uncertain.

Strait of Hormuz: Limited, negotiated safe‑passage traffic continues for some countries, but full reopening hasn’t happened; oil over $100/barrel is impacting carriers and downstream users.

FMC: Denies some carriers’ requests for immediate rate hikes tied to Hormuz‑related fuel costs, holding them to the 30‑day notice requirement since the filings didn’t meet the criteria for accelerated increases.

Using “Evermore,” Cindy captures the community’s sense that the “pain” of constant change might last forever—but the song’s ending points to eventual relief. She applies that to IEEPA refunds and the developing CAPE process:

What we know (high level)

CBP is building a CAPE‑based, automated, bulk refund system.

Refunds will go to the importer of record or the broker, and complexity may factor into prioritization, as suggested in CBP Executive Director Brandon Lord’s declaration.

What we don’t know (the bigger list)

When refunds actually start flowing.

What data declarations must include (entry number only, entry + IOR, more?).

How liquidation status will drive treatment:

Not liquidated.

Liquidated but within 90 days (CBP’s reliquidation window).

Between 90 and 180 days (inside protest window).

Beyond 180 days (finally liquidated).

Whether courts will effectively override the 180‑day finality to enable refunds on finally liquidated entries, and what administrative mechanism would exist to do so.

How CBP will handle prioritization, multiple brokers on the same importer’s entries, and any limits on bulk submissions.

Whether CBP will accelerate or use the normal ~314‑day liquidation cycle for unliquidated entries tied to IEEPA.

Given the sheer volume of open questions and the flood of webinars, articles, and press coverage, Cindy’s message to importers and brokers is to take a breath, recognize what is actually known, avoid over‑promising internally, and wait for clearer CAPE details rather than reacting to every rumor. Like the end of “Evermore,” she believes this phase of pain will not be forever.

Credits

• YouTube

Join the conversation with fellow trade professionals in the Trade Geeks Community:

Lalo Solorzano

Andy Shiles

Mollie Sitkowski – Partner at Faegre Drinker

March 26, 2026

~36 minutes

In this episode of Simply Trade [CRIMES], we dive into a real-world trade case that highlights what can go wrong when compliance breaks down.

Joined by trade attorney Mollie Sitkowski, Lalo and Andy unpack the details behind the case—what happened, where things went sideways, and what trade professionals can learn from it.

From regulatory missteps to enforcement realities, this episode goes beyond theory and into the practical consequences companies face when trade compliance isn’t handled correctly.

If you’ve ever wondered how small decisions can escalate into major legal and financial exposure—this episode is for you.

How real trade violations unfold in practice—not just in theory

The role of intent vs. negligence in enforcement actions

Common compliance gaps that can lead to significant penalties

How customs authorities evaluate and pursue cases

What companies should be doing to mitigate risk before issues arise

Trade compliance failures often start with small oversights that compound over time

Documentation, classification, and internal controls are critical risk areas

Enforcement is not just about penalties—it’s about accountability and precedent

Having the right expertise (legal + compliance) can change the outcome significantly

Learning from real cases is one of the most effective ways to strengthen your program

Overview of the case and key facts

What triggered enforcement attention

Where the compliance breakdown occurred

Legal arguments and outcomes

Broader implications for the trade community

U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT)

Relevant customs regulations and enforcement frameworks

Hosts: Lalo Solorzano & Andy Shiles

Guest: Mollie Sitkowski

Produced by Global Training Center

🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/09m199JO6fuNumbcrHTkGq?utm_source=SimplyTradePodcast

🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/simply-trade/id1640329690?utm_source=SimplyTradePodcast

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Trade Geeks Community: https://globaltrainingcenter.com/portal/?utm_source=SimplyTradePodcast

Have a case, insight, or experience worth sharing?

Renee Chiuchiarelli & Julie Parks

March 25, 2026

~10 minutes

Global Training Center

In this final episode of the Org Structures series, Renee and Julie bring everything together with real-world “what would you do?” scenarios that highlight how trade compliance structures actually perform under pressure.

From centralized bottlenecks to decentralized chaos, they walk through common organizational models and—more importantly—how to fix the gaps using practical tools like RASCI frameworks, operational controls, and accountability mapping.

The key message?

Trade compliance structure directly impacts:

Clearance speed

Audit exposure

Broker performance

Internal escalation

If roles aren’t clearly defined, risk increases. If they are, compliance becomes operational and defensible.

A RASCI model helps define:

R (Responsible): Executes the task

A (Accountable): Owns the outcome

S (Support): Assists execution

C (Consulted): Provides input

I (Informed): Kept in the loop

Without this clarity, work gets duplicated—or worse, dropped entirely.

Every model has strengths and gaps:

Centralized: Strong control, slow execution

Decentralized: Fast locally, inconsistent globally

Matrix: Flexible, but can create decision confusion

👉 The solution isn’t choosing the “right” model—

Policies alone don’t work.

You need operational controls, such as:

Required data fields in systems

Dual classification reviews

Approval workflows for high-risk shipments

Embedded export screening checkpoints

Standardized broker instructions

These turn compliance from theory into execution.

When compliance is spread across teams with no clear owner:

Tasks fall through the cracks

Accountability disappears

Risk increases

The fix:

In complex orgs, success comes from:

Cross-functional collaboration

Clear escalation frameworks

Defined decision boundaries

As Renee and Julie highlight:

If you’re working in a matrix or hybrid structure:

👉 Stop trying to own everything.

Instead:

Map a simple RASCI for one process (start small)

Example: classification reviews or CF-28 responses

Define:

Who executes

Who owns the outcome

Who must be consulted

Identify gaps in accountability

🎯 The goal:

How is your trade compliance function structured today?

Centralized?

Decentralized?

Matrix?

Something in between?

👉 Head over to the Trade Geeks community and share:

Your structure

Your biggest challenge

How you’re applying this week’s FIO

Hosts:

Producer:

New TIPS episodes every Tuesday.

Presented by:

Simply Trade Podcast on LinkedIn

Global Training Center on LinkedIn

YouTube

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

Trade Geeks Community

💬 Don’t forget to rate, review & share with your fellow trade geeks!

📧 [email protected]