The seeds for a career in international trade were planted at a young age for Joshua Boileau. Watching his family’s steadfast work ethic as a young boy made international trade a natural extension of the values he was raised upon.
“I grew up in a household of blue-collar workers who instilled a sense of work excellence and dedication that inspired me to work in a career that amplified those skills. With international trade, I saw the connections with work ethic, dedication, and attention to detail.”
To him, work such as navigating regulations, supply chains, and cultural differences requires commitment, and for international businesses they are the glue that holds everything together.
Joshua saw parallels between how international trade operated and how his family negotiated contracts, maintained client trust, and ensured quality. These similarities cemented his choice to pursue trade as a career path.
Seeing the scale of world trade in action
Experiencing the scale of global trade, especially when it came to product management and marketing, was a favourite part of Joshua’s storied career. “I watched as live orders came in from international markets I’ve never been to. There was something deeply rewarding about knowing that a product team in Ottawa could be making an impact so far from home,” he says.
Working at Shopify marked another pivotal chapter in his path, one that taught him a powerful lesson about perseverance. After the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Shopify waived platform fees for Ukrainian merchants and Joshua saw firsthand the resilience of entrepreneurs in crisis while he helped Ukrainian merchants set up their online stores.
“It was inspiring to see fashion, food, health and wellness, and retail shops pop up. A resilience through war and the pandemic.” These experiences broadened his understanding of what trade can achieve, not just operationally, but on a deeply human level.
Pivoting small businesses in times of change
Joshua regards reacting to tariffs as one of the most interesting aspects of his career.
“Pivoting a business is incredibly difficult, especially in a small business environment. I feel the weight of change much more immensely than if I worked in a large company.”
But, by shifting focus to new markets, he has been able to help his employer open new and interesting paths. “Interacting with new international regulatory bodies, creating international market entry analyses, and creating international marketing plans has been stressful but rewarding,” he says.
Start with the basics
For anyone entering the field of international trade, Joshua has one piece of advice:
“You need to learn how to crawl before you can run.”
International trade, he believes, demands patience, commitment, and a desire to do things the right way, at the right times.
Learning from instructors filled with passion
Joshua completed the FITTskills program through Algonquin College, one of FITT’s educational partners. His favourite part of the FITTskills program was the people who taught it.
“The professors had so many years of experience, skills, and cultural awareness that it exuded out of them.”
He credits the courses with deepening his intercultural understanding, a critical skill in both e-commerce and global operations.
“I came to realize that the classic business etiquette you see in other fields was dwarfed by the intercultural relationships in international trade.”
His favourite course, International Sales & Marketing, was particularly influential. Inspired by a professor who “had a passion for business and marketing that helped us find our own pulse in international trade,” Joshua pursued an optional co-op placement in South Africa, where he experienced culture shock, global marketing dynamics, and the intricacies of international marketing firsthand.
These lessons would come into play later in his career at Shopify, where he saw “the power of international trade resilience, adapting to a new global norm in e-commerce.”
Why he pursued the CITP designation
For Joshua, the Certified International Trade Professional (CITP®|FIBP®) designation represents something essential in today’s world: credibility.
“There’s something to be said about credibility in a world that has shifted to creating policies and legislation backed by non-credibility. I want to have a credible voice, backed by a world-recognized professional organization, when dealing with international brands, brokers, reps, and supply chains.”
His comments highlight how, increasingly, designations like the CITP instill confidence in both the professionals who earn them and the partners who work with these professionals, creating a win-win scenario for both.
Earning the designation also felt meaningful and forward-looking for Joshua.
“I’m excited about where the CITP designation will lead me. I’m passionate about integrating international trade and my degree in sustainability.”
Looking ahead: a global vision for e-commerce
Now, as E-Commerce Manager for an online pharmacy retailer, Joshua sees enormous potential for international diversification and the CITP designation strengthens that vision.
“I see my CITP designation extending my current role in E-Commerce Management in online pharmacy retail. There is a lot of work to do in diversifying our international markets.”
With a blend of technical expertise, global awareness, and human-centred values, Joshua is poised to help shape the future of ethical, sustainable, and globally connected commerce.
LinkedIn: Joshua Boileau
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