Simply Trade

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For license holders who are no longer active in the industry, Kiko introduces voluntary suspension as an option worth understanding rather than simply letting requirements go unaddressed.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

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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

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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

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Host: Lalo Solorzano
Guest(s): Penny Chen
Published: October 8, 2026
Length: Approximately 37 minutes; transcript ends at 37:16
Presented by: Global Training Center

Summary
AI can help trade professionals work differently—but what separates a useful tool from a solution that actually delivers? In this episode of Simply Trade, Lalo Solorzano sits down with Penny Chen to explore her founder journey and what it has taught her about customers, compliance, and the limits of general-purpose AI.

Penny shares how her background in AI algorithm design and experience at Flexport led her into trade, then takes listeners inside the early startup days: a small apartment, a modest IKEA shopping list, and two technical founders learning to build and sell at the same time. She also explains why the business shifted from selling duty drawback software to providing a full service focused on customer outcomes.

From there, the conversation turns to a question many trade teams are asking: where should AI fit into their work? Lalo and Penny discuss getting started with general-purpose tools, recognizing when specialized solutions are needed, and bringing scattered information together so professionals can focus on judgment rather than coordination.

For trade practitioners and technology-minded leaders, this episode offers an approachable look at why learning the tools matters—and why domain knowledge still belongs at the center of the conversation.

Main Topic / Discussion
The central question is not simply whether AI can produce an answer, but whether it can support the work a trade team actually needs to get done.

Penny connects her company’s move into full-service duty drawback with the importance of delivering customer outcomes. She and Lalo then explore the limits of general-purpose AI, the challenge of fragmented data, and the role of specialized tools. Looking ahead, Penny shares her vision of more connected workflows that leave professionals with more time for research, judgment, and business decisions.

Throughout the discussion, one point keeps coming back: understanding the technology does not replace understanding the trade problem.

Key Takeaways
• Start with curiosity and hands-on practice. Penny encourages trade professionals to experiment with general-purpose AI while learning the fundamentals of how it works.

• Recognize when a general-purpose tool is not enough. Complex trade workflows can require specialized systems, industry context, and information that a standalone conversation does not bring together.

• Focus on outcomes, not software alone. Penny explains how customer needs drove the shift from selling duty drawback software to delivering a full-service offering.

• Keep trade expertise at the center. Lalo and Penny’s experiences building software illustrate why subject-matter knowledge remains essential when using AI to develop and evaluate solutions.

Resources & Mentions
• Global Training Center

• Connect with Penny Chen on LinkedIn — reach out about AI, trade compliance, and the educational sessions discussed in the episode.

Credits
Host:
Lalo Solorzano

Guest(s):
Penny Chen - LinkedIn

Producer:
Lalo Solorzano

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Host: Warrington Ellacott
Guest(s): Laura Dawson
Published: October 7, 2026
Length: Approximately 21 minutes
Presented by: Global Training Center

Summary
What happens when the political conversation about trade leaves the businesses doing the trading on the sidelines? In this special Canada edition of Simply Trade, host Warrington Ellacott welcomes Laura Dawson, Executive Director of the Future Borders Coalition, for a discussion about what Canada–U.S. trade uncertainty looks like beyond Ottawa and Washington. Future Borders Coalition

Drawing on conversations with manufacturers, importers, and exporters, Laura explains why frustration extends well beyond tariffs. Shifting compliance requirements, rules of origin, classification questions, and delays in getting answers can make familiar business relationships harder to maintain. Warrington adds the Canadian importing perspective, including the challenges of navigating tariff remission processes.

The conversation also explores a difficult balance: how Canada can build new trading opportunities without weakening the commercial relationships businesses already rely on. Rather than waiting for one political meeting or policy decision to solve everything, Laura makes the case for competitiveness, stronger infrastructure, and giving businesses room to operate.

For trade professionals trying to keep goods moving while the policy landscape shifts, this episode offers perspective on protecting relationships, improving supply chain visibility, and finding reasons for cautious optimism.

Main Topic / Discussion
Warrington and Laura examine how political friction becomes operational friction for companies moving goods between Canada and the United States. Their discussion connects tariff uncertainty, compliance demands, and remission challenges with bigger questions about USMCA/CUSMA, diversification, and competitiveness.

At the center is a practical question: How can governments strengthen businesses’ ability to compete without making established cross-border relationships harder to maintain? Laura argues for expanding commercial options, lowering the political temperature, and giving businesses breathing room—not expecting a single negotiation or international meeting to solve everything.

Key Takeaways
• Tariffs are only part of the burden. Laura highlights how changing compliance requirements, origin questions, classification issues, and slow answers compound uncertainty for businesses.

• Diversification should expand options, not sacrifice existing relationships. The discussion emphasizes competitiveness and commercially viable opportunities while preserving valuable Canada–U.S. connections.

• Cooperation still matters beyond national capitals. Warrington encourages continued engagement with provincial and state officials who understand the businesses and communities affected.

• Resilience can build long-term capability. Greater supply chain visibility, adaptability, and investments in infrastructure give Laura reasons for cautious optimism—even without a quick return to the previous trading environment.

Resources & Mentions
• Global Training Center

• Laura Dawson’s op-ed: “Cross-Border Traders Are Tired of Being an Afterthought” — The article discussed in this episode, examining business frustration with the costs and uncertainty surrounding Canada–U.S. trade. LinkedIn

• Future Borders Coalition

• IE Canada — Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters

• IE Canada International Trade Summit — Event Details & Registration — Ottawa, November 17–19, 2026. I.E. Canada
Simply Trade listener offer: Non-members receive a $150 discount with code SIMPLYTRADE, available beginning October 1, 2026.

Credits
Host:
Warrington Ellacott

Guest(s):
Laura Dawson — 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