Simply Trade

Host: Pete Mento and Cindy Allen
Guest(s): N/A
Published: October 16, 2026
Length: ~43 min.
Presented by: Global Training Center

Summary
Recorded live at VMA26 in Norfolk, Pete Mento and Cindy Allen bring the Pete and Cindy Show to the conference stage for a candid, no-spin conversation about tariffs, refunds, enforcement, and what importers should do next. They unpack Sections 301, 232, 122, and 338 as tools of leverage, revenue, national security, and industrial policy—and question whether the current tariff strategy is producing the promised reshoring results. VMA26 brought shipping, port, logistics, and trade leaders together under the theme “Anchored: Grounded in Strategy. Ready for What’s Next.” Va Maritime

The discussion turns practical as Pete and Cindy examine IEEPA refunds following the Supreme Court’s 2026 ruling, ACH setup, liquidation risk, and the need to involve trade counsel before money is left on the table. Then comes the warning: CBP, DOJ, BIS, and other agencies are using better data, deeper supply-chain visibility, and faster analytics in an increasingly enforcement-first environment. Supreme Court

They also explore CBP’s advanced-data proposals, including foreign export documentation and supplier information that could reshape procurement, contracts, forwarding, and entry processes. Their advice is direct: engage suppliers now, strengthen cooperation clauses, evaluate service providers for compliance—not just price—and invest in people, systems, and lawful duty-mitigation tools. The line that captures the entire session: hope is not a strategy. Federal Register

This Week in Trade
• The IEEPA tariff ruling and the ongoing duty-refund process
• Sections 301, 232, 122, and 338 as tools of leverage, revenue, and national security
• CBP’s proposed heightened import disclosures and foreign export-document requirements
• Expanding compliance expectations for importers, brokers, forwarders, and carriers

Main Topic / Discussion
This live discussion connects tariff policy directly to operational execution. Pete and Cindy argue that tariffs, refunds, data collection, supply-chain relationships, and enforcement can no longer be managed as separate issues.

Tariffs as leverage

The hosts examine how different tariff authorities are being used to influence negotiations, protect strategic industries, raise revenue, encourage domestic production, and reshape trade relationships with China, Canada, Mexico, and other partners.

Refunds and lawful mitigation

Pete and Cindy discuss the IEEPA refund process and the importance of reviewing affected entries, ACH information, liquidation status, and available legal options. They also highlight drawback, first sale, reconciliation, and foreign-trade zones as strategies companies should evaluate with qualified advisers.

Enforcement powered by data

The conversation explores how ACE data, supply-chain mapping, anomaly detection, and interagency coordination are increasing the government’s ability to identify discrepancies. The hosts warn that companies should expect faster, more targeted enforcement across both imports and exports.

Advanced data and shared responsibility

CBP’s ANPRM raises questions about foreign export declarations, invoices, classifications, values, certificates of origin, business identifiers, and earlier filing. Pete and Cindy explain why these proposals could affect procurement, supplier contracts, freight forwarding, carrier operations, and customs entry processes—not only the trade compliance department. The public comment period ends December 1, 2026. Federal Register

Key Takeaways
• Hope is not a strategy. Importers should model tariff exposure, prepare for continued enforcement, and build plans that do not depend on duties simply disappearing.

• Review potentially eligible IEEPA entries, confirm ACH refund information, monitor liquidation status, and involve trade counsel when administrative or judicial action may be necessary.

• Begin supplier outreach now. Determine who holds foreign export records, add government-cooperation and data-sharing language to contracts, and consider commenting on CBP’s ANPRM before December 1, 2026.

• Evaluate brokers, forwarders, and carriers for their compliance programs, escalation procedures, recordkeeping, and willingness to challenge questionable instructions—not solely their rates and service levels. The importer of record remains ultimately responsible.

Resources & Mentions
• Global Training Center
• VMA26 International Trade Symposium
• Supreme Court Opinion — Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump
• CBP — IEEPA Duty Refunds
• Federal Register — Heightened Import Disclosures for Supply Chain Visibility
• White House — Strengthening Customs Enforcement Fact Sheet

Credits
Host:
Pete Mento
Cindy Allen

Guest(s):
N/A

Producer:
Lalo Solorzano

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

🎧 Listen on:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

💬 Connect with us:

• Simply Trade
• Global Training Center
• Trade Geeks Community

Don't forget to rate, review, and share with your fellow trade geeks!

Want to be on the show or have topic suggestions?
SimplyTrade@GlobalTrainingCenter.com

Host: Andy Shiles
Guest(s): Grant Sernick, Third Wave
Published: October 15, 2026
Length: Approximately 37 minutes
Presented by: Global Training Center

Summary
Trade compliance cannot stay in the back office when the risks reach the boardroom. In this episode of Simply Trade, Andy Shiles welcomes back Grant Sernick of Third Wave for a candid conversation about customs enforcement, increasingly complex entries, and the disconnect between compliance teams and senior leadership.

Drawing on his experience and industry discussions, Grant shares why he believes importers need to rethink how they manage trade risk. Together, he and Andy explore the limits of manual entry reviews, the challenges of Chapter 99 tariff provisions, and why knowing the finished product may not be enough to understand the compliance risks across its supply chain.

But this is not just a conversation about what can go wrong. The discussion turns to what companies can do: communicate risk clearly to executives, strengthen the data behind their filings, and use automated verification to help specialists focus on discrepancies that need their judgment. Grant also explains Third Wave’s approach to comparing expected entries with broker-filed data.

For importers, trade professionals, and business leaders, this episode offers a practical starting point for a bigger question: does your company’s approach to trade compliance reflect the business risk you are actually managing?

Main Topic / Discussion
Andy and Grant examine why trade compliance deserves attention beyond the department responsible for customs paperwork. Grant describes an enforcement environment that he believes demands stronger oversight—not only of individual entries, but also of the materials, suppliers, and production processes behind imported goods.

The conversation connects those concerns to executive decision-making, financial controls, and staffing. Andy challenges leaders to ask where their companies are vulnerable, while Grant explains how automated entry verification can help identify discrepancies between expected entries and broker submissions. Their emphasis is on using technology to direct professional expertise where it is needed, rather than relying on manual review alone.

Key Takeaways
• Make trade risk an executive conversation. Andy and Grant emphasize that leadership needs to understand the exposure before it can make informed decisions about resources, controls, and strategy.

• Look beyond the finished product. The discussion highlights the importance of understanding raw materials, components, suppliers, and the parties involved throughout the supply chain.

• Verify filings rather than assuming they are correct. Grant explains why comparing expected entries against broker-filed data can help identify both duty overpayments and underpayments.

• Use automation to support expert judgment. The goal discussed is broader entry coverage and earlier discrepancy detection, allowing compliance professionals to focus on the issues that require their attention.

Resources & Mentions
• Global Training Center

• Grant Sernick on LinkedIn — Connect with Grant and follow his trade commentary.

• Third Wave / 3rdwave — The company discussed in the episode.

• 3rdwave Entry Verification — Product information for the entry-verification capability discussed by Grant. 3rdwave.co

Credits
Host:
Andy Shiles

Guest(s):
Grant Sernick - LinkedIn

Producer:
Lalo Solorzano

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

🎧 Listen on:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

💬 Connect with us:

• Simply Trade
• Global Training Center
• Trade Geeks Community

Don't forget to rate, review, and share with your fellow trade geeks!

Want to be on the show or have topic suggestions?
SimplyTrade@GlobalTrainingCenter.com

Host: Lalo Solorzano
Guest(s): Federico “Kiko” Zuniga
Published: October13, 2026
Length: Approximately 22 minutes
Presented by: Global Training Center

Summary
Your triennial report is due in February—but that does not mean you have until February to finish your continuing education.

In Episode 2 of 90 Days Until 2027, Lalo Solorzano welcomes Federico “Kiko” Zuniga for a practical conversation about customs broker continuing education and the preparations that should already be underway. Kiko raises an important concern: some licensed brokers still do not realize this requirement affects them, particularly those working outside a traditional brokerage operation.

The conversation goes beyond counting hours. Lalo and Kiko discuss finding qualifying education, using free and on-demand training, checking completion codes, and keeping the documentation behind the certification you make in your triennial report. They also explore why waiting until the last minute can turn a manageable task into an unnecessary scramble.

For license holders who are no longer active in the industry, Kiko introduces voluntary suspension as an option worth understanding rather than simply letting requirements go unaddressed.

This episode brings the series’ central idea into focus: do the work now so you are not starting the new year already behind. Review your credits, organize your records, and make sure two broker friends know what is coming, too.

Main Topic / Discussion
Completing continuing education and filing the triennial status report are two separate tasks—with different deadlines.

Lalo and Kiko discuss the first continuing-education reporting cycle, the documentation needed to support completed training, and how to identify credit-eligible activities. They also address the misconception that the requirement concerns only brokers who actively file entries, highlighting licensed professionals working in importer and exporter compliance departments.

Kiko’s practical advice is to start early, maintain organized records, and verify that training provides the appropriate completion information. The conversation also covers voluntary license suspension and closes with a community challenge: contact two broker friends and make sure continuing education is on their radar.

Key Takeaways
• January is the education deadline—not February. Required continuing education for the current cycle must be completed by January 31, 2027. The triennial status report is due February 28, 2027. Do not treat the reporting deadline as extra time to earn credits. GovDelivery

• Plan your qualifying hours before the year-end rush. Kiko discusses the current cycle’s 20-hour requirement and the 36-hour standard for later full cycles. He points to free government webinars and qualifying on-demand training as ways to make progress without traveling to a conference.

• Keep the evidence behind the checkbox. Save course details, completion codes, certificates when provided, and supporting records. Kiko also discusses transcript tracking for NEI designees. Completing training and being able to document it are both important.

• Do not assume your job title makes you exempt. Kiko emphasizes that licensed brokers working in importer or exporter compliance should not dismiss the requirement simply because they are not filing entries. Review your license status and applicable requirements—and encourage colleagues to do the same.

Resources & Mentions
• Global Training Center

• Federico “Kiko” Zuniga — LinkedIn

• NCBFAA — Customs Broker Continuing Education & Triennial Requirements

• NEI — Credit Tracking, Transcripts & Member Resources

• CBP — Continuing Education Deadline & Triennial Reporting Reminder

The 90 Days Until 2027 companion playbook is in development, with practical resources planned to grow alongside the series. Follow Simply Trade for release updates.

Credits
Host:
Lalo Solorzano

Guest(s):
Federico “Kiko” Zuniga - LinkedIn

Producer:
Lalo Solorzano

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

🎧 Listen on:

• Apple Podcasts

• Spotify

• YouTube

💬 Connect with us:

• Simply Trade

• Global Training Center

• Trade Geeks Community

Don't forget to rate, review, and share with your fellow trade geeks!

Want to be on the show or have topic suggestions?
SimplyTrade@GlobalTrainingCenter.com

Host: Victoria Schneider
Guest(s): Brenda Cordova and Alyson Hachey
Published: October 12, 2026
Length: 8 min.
Presented by: Global Training Center

Summary
Keeping up with trade compliance takes more than knowing the rules. It also helps to know people who understand the challenges.

In this special Simply Trade–ICPA collaboration, host Victoria Schneider welcomes Brenda Cordova and Alyson Hachey for a preview of the first-ever ICPA Mexico Conference. They share how conversations at MIC’s previous Mexico event helped spark the collaboration, with MIC becoming a founding partner, and what they hope this new gathering will mean for the trade compliance community.

With English- and Spanish-language tracks and options to attend in person or virtually, the conference opens more ways to participate. Victoria highlights the USMCA joint review as one of the planned topics, while Brenda and Alyson emphasize the value of learning from professionals with different perspectives and experiences.

But education is only part of the story. The guests also reflect on the friendships, shared experiences, and sense of belonging that keep them connected to ICPA. From professional learning to the excitement of experiencing Mexico City after Día de los Muertos, this episode offers a welcoming look at an event built around knowledge and connection—and a reminder that navigating trade does not have to be a solo effort.

Main Topic / Discussion
Victoria, Brenda, and Alyson preview the inaugural ICPA Mexico Conference, scheduled for November 3–5, 2026, at the Marquis Reforma Hotel in Mexico City. ICPA

The discussion covers the collaboration behind the event, its focus on customs and trade education, and the opportunity to participate in English or Spanish, in person or virtually. The USMCA joint review is highlighted as a conference topic, while the conversation’s central message is about bringing professionals together to learn, exchange experiences, and build relationships that extend beyond the conference.

Key Takeaways
• A conversation can grow into something bigger. The conference collaboration began with discussions at MIC’s previous Mexico event about supporting the trade compliance community.

• Different perspectives strengthen professional learning. The guests emphasize hearing from customs and trade experts who bring practical experience to the challenges facing importers, exporters, and other professionals.

• There is more than one way to participate. Victoria highlights English and Spanish tracks, along with in-person and virtual attendance options.

• The connections matter beyond the agenda. Peer relationships can become sources of support, shared knowledge, and lasting friendship, whether someone is new to trade compliance or a longtime practitioner.

Resources & Mentions
• Global Training Center
• ICPA Mexico Conference — Event Details and Registration
• International Compliance Professionals Association (ICPA)

Credits
Host:
Victoria Schneider

Guest(s):
Brenda Cordova - LinkedIn
Alyson Hachey - LinkedIn

Producer:
Lalo Solorzano

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

🎧 Listen on:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

💬 Connect with us:

• Simply Trade
• Global Training Center
• Trade Geeks Community

Don't forget to rate, review, and share with your fellow trade geeks!

Want to be on the show or have topic suggestions?
SimplyTrade@GlobalTrainingCenter.com

Host: Cindy Allen
Guest(s): N/A
Published: October 9, 2026
Length: ~19 min.
Presented by: Global Training Center

Summary
At a customs compliance conference, Cindy Allen heard a trade-fraud task force speaker describe a move toward a “zero-trust” enforcement environment. In this episode, she unpacks what that message could mean for importers: more data-driven scrutiny, more detailed questions, and a greater need to substantiate what appears on an entry.

Using Taylor Swift’s “No Body, No Crime” as this week’s theme, Cindy explores the role of ACE data, AI-assisted supply-chain mapping, and interagency collaboration in the enforcement approach described by the speaker. Her central question is practical: can your business support its country-of-origin determinations, classifications, and manufacturing claims when customs asks for evidence?

She also walks through the week’s tariff-refund developments, including CAPE 3 questions and a reported class-action designation, before turning to country-of-origin scrutiny and proposed changes for informal mail entries. Additional updates touch on global overcapacity, USMCA uncertainty, and the relationship between tariffs and consumer-goods inflation.

For importers, brokers, and compliance teams, the episode connects policy headlines to the daily work of maintaining records, understanding suppliers, and responding thoughtfully to government requests. Cindy’s message: being confident in your compliance is not the same as being prepared to demonstrate it.

This Week in Trade
• Tariff refunds and litigation: Cindy discusses CAPE 3 filing questions, protest-related guidance, and a reported class-action designation. She highlights unresolved participation details, potential benefits for smaller importers, and the possibility of a government appeal.

• Country of origin and overcapacity: Cindy reviews U.S. Trade Representative comments on manufacturing and origin determinations, increasingly detailed customs questionnaires, and G20 efforts to address overcapacity.

• Proposed informal mail-entry changes: The Entry Type 13 discussion covers broker appointments, tighter data deadlines, proposed changes to the $250 trade-remedy threshold for informal entries, and final deliver-to-party information.

• USMCA and tariff impacts: Cindy flags questions about USMCA’s future and discusses a report linking tariffs to consumer-goods inflation.

Main Topic / Discussion
Cindy’s main discussion centers on the “zero-trust” enforcement environment described by a trade-fraud task force speaker at an ACI customs compliance and trade-enforcement conference. She examines how ACE data, AI-assisted mapping, and cooperation across agencies can connect parties, products, and filing patterns.

Her example: two importers use the same supplier for the same product but declare different tariff numbers. Cindy explains why that difference can attract scrutiny and how detailed CBP Forms 28 and 29 may help officials build a fuller picture of the goods, manufacturing processes, and parties involved.

The practical question running through the discussion is whether a company can produce the evidence behind its trade decisions—not simply state that it is compliant.

Key Takeaways
• Be prepared to substantiate your declarations. Cindy challenges importers to consider whether their records support the classifications, origin determinations, and manufacturing information on which they rely.

• Understand both the entities and the goods. Cindy distinguishes the supply chain—the entities moving goods—from the value chain—the goods moving among those entities.

• Take detailed customs communications seriously. Cindy urges importers receiving extensive Forms 28 and 29 to seek experienced assistance and consult customs counsel when preparing responses.

• Separate developments from final outcomes. Refund procedures, possible appeals, and proposed mail-entry changes involve unresolved questions. Cindy emphasizes understanding the details before deciding what a development means for your business.

Resources & Mentions
• Global Training Center

• Cindy Allen on LinkedIn

• Trade Force Multiplier: Cindy’s trade consultancy, introduced in the episode.

• Song reference: Taylor Swift, “No Body, No Crime,” from evermore.

• Referenced processes and tools: CAPE 3, the Court of International Trade, ACE data, CBP Forms 28 and 29, and proposed Entry Type 13 mail procedures.

Credits
Host:
Cindy Allen

Guest(s):
N/A

Producer:
Lalo Solorzano

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

🎧 Listen on:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

💬 Connect with us:

• Simply Trade
• Global Training Center
• Trade Geeks Community

Don't forget to rate, review, and share with your fellow trade geeks!

Want to be on the show or have topic suggestions?
SimplyTrade@GlobalTrainingCenter.com