Trump's tariffs are stressing the 'trade nerds' out

Business Insider

09-05-2025

Derek Lossing, a global supply chain and transportation advisor, was recently invited to speak at an investor conference for a large bank.
The invitation came at somewhat short notice: He agreed to the engagement on a Friday, and it took place virtually the following Tuesday.
But despite the bank only having the weekend to promote it, about 300 analysts showed up to hear him speak, a far cry from the usual dozen or so investors who typically show up to this kind of event, Lossing told Business Insider.
They were eager to gain any insight they could into how the latest executive orders on trade issues, such as tariffs and the end of de minimis, could impact businesses and the economy at large.
"I think people are just lacking information," he said. "Things are so fluid right now."
All of the uncertainty is making global trade experts very busy — and maybe a little stressed.
Cindy Allen is the CEO of consulting firm Trade Force Multiplier, which advises companies on global trade issues like tariffs and the end of de minimis. She has 35 years of experience in trade, mostly as a customs broker and freight forwarder. She also held leadership roles in data automation at US Customs and Border Protection and in compliance at FedEx Logistics.
Allen described the current trade environment as "unprecedented." The closest comparison she could think of was the COVID pandemic, but she said that was more a transportation and availability issue, while the problems created by tariffs are more financial in nature.
Working in this industry means having in-depth knowledge of complex regulations. Becoming a certified customs broker, for example, requires passing an extremely complicated test that most people fail.
"It was complicated already assessing duties, determining what regulations apply to products," Allen said. "But now with all of the additional tariffs, it has become extremely complex."
A support group for 'trade nerds'
Paul Diedrich is a director of customs brokerage and trade services at freight forwarder Ardent Global Logistics. As a trade compliance professional, his job is to help Ardent's customers navigate the latest customs regulations and ensure they are importing in a compliant manner.
He said that he worked 12-hour days, plus weekends, in the weeks following " Liberation Day," providing guidance and answering questions for small and medium-sized business owners who were worried about the impact the tariffs would have on their bottom line.
"It really wasn't the physical act of importing a shipment on behalf of one of my customers," Diedrich said. "It was just talking them down off ledges, in some cases."
"When you had a container that yesterday, or prior to all of these tariffs, would've been $3,000 to $5,000 in duty, and now it's $54,000 in duty — for a small company, that's a big hit, and not many companies can take that kind of a cash hit all at once," he said.
Diedrich decided to start a "Tariff Turmoil Support Group" for "trade nerds" navigating the uncertainty. He hosted the first meeting at the end of March and a second in April.
"More chaos yesterday with a softening of the language around the China tariffs putting more pressure on myself and my fellow brokers. I hope everyone repolished those crystal balls," Diedrich said in a LinkedIn post promoting the first meeting of the group. "We are judgement free, politics free, and open to any broker, importer or compliance professional beaten up over these last few weeks."
One area of frustration for people joining Diedrich's support group is how difficult it has become to interpret executive orders that often lack the specific details they need to do their jobs effectively.
"It's leading folks in my industry to come up with contradictory opinions" on things like what a duty on a particular import might be, and whether an exemption might be available, Diedrich said. "Honestly, you can look at both opinions and look at the order and say, 'Okay, I can see where you're coming from.'"
'I'm usually there with a glass of wine, waiting'
Keeping up with the latest executive orders and interpreting them for clients is a time-consuming part of the job.
"The first place you've got to check is the White House website for executive orders," Allen said. "5 p.m. on Friday seems to be the preferred time to drop major trade issues, so I'm usually there with a glass of wine, waiting."
She added that trade publications and associations, such as the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association, are invaluable sources of information.
But staying up to date also means monitoring social media, including Trump's posts — or "truths" — on Truth Social.
"The work to stay current right now is a very different type of work than what historically has made consulting firms good at what they do," Lossing said. "Historically, it was unbundling historical trade data, but now it's catching the luncheon interviews that the treasury secretary had in DC this afternoon and monitoring his comments."
That makes it difficult for trade experts to make firm recommendations as they have historically been able to. Lossing said he has instead presented his clients with data points and "scenario modeling" they can consider when making decisions.
"We could be 30 seconds away from the next 'truth,' and everything we thought to be true could be different with China," Lossing said. "Usually when you're helping clients with some sort of strategy, it doesn't change on a day-to-day basis."
However, being at the center of a national conversation could have some silver linings.
Allen said that for most of her 35-year career, most people, including her family, didn't really understand what she did for work. Trump's tariffs changed that.
"There's a greater appreciation for compliance professionals. The CEO now has their phone number and knows their name," Allen said. "Our industry has become much more valuable in the boardroom."
She said she hopes the attention will get more people interested in the field.
"Trade is only getting more complicated, and we need younger, newer people to come in with great ideas to help us modernize the process," she said.