A Tool Is Only as Good as the Problem It Solves
AI can help trade professionals work differently, but what actually separates a useful tool from a solution that delivers? In this episode of Simply Trade, host Lalo Solorzano sits down with Penny Chen to explore her founder journey and what it’s taught her about customers, compliance, and the real limits of general-purpose AI.
From Algorithm Design to a Duty Drawback Startup
Penny traces her path from AI algorithm design and a stint at Flexport into founding a trade compliance company. She shares some refreshingly grounded startup details, including 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 pivoted from selling duty drawback software to delivering a full service built around customer outcomes.
Where Should AI Actually Fit?
From there, the conversation turns to a question a lot of trade teams are wrestling with right now: where does AI genuinely belong in their workflow? Lalo and Penny talk through getting started with general-purpose tools, recognizing the point where specialized solutions become necessary, and pulling together the scattered information that otherwise eats up a professional’s time.
Technology Doesn’t Replace Understanding the Problem
Throughout the episode, one idea keeps resurfacing: knowing how to use the technology isn’t the same as understanding the trade problem it’s meant to solve. Penny’s vision of more connected workflows is less about replacing judgment and more about freeing up time for the research and decision-making that actually requires it.
Want to Keep the Conversation Going?
Connect with Penny Chen on LinkedIn to talk AI, trade compliance, or the educational sessions discussed in this episode.
Ready to Go Deeper?
Curious how AI fits into your own compliance workflow? Explore GTC’s course offerings on Importing Procedures and Trade Action Strategies to strengthen the domain expertise that makes any tool, AI included, actually useful.
Transcript
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