For Samatha Richards, CITP her journey in international trade began with intention, determination, and a clear passion for global business. Her path started in the classroom at Nova Scotia Community College, where she completed an advanced associate degree in 2019—training that would form the foundation for her career in global logistics and trade.

“My career in international trade began with an academic journey at the Nova Scotia Community College,” she explains. “Following my studies, I was successful in securing a position with a company specializing in international trade in 2021 and have continued to work in the field since.”

From her first days in the industry, Samatha found herself drawn to the complexity of imports and exports—particularly the problem-solving mindset needed to navigate documentation, regulations, and risk.

“I’ve found that solving client issues and managing documentation, risk assessment, and management for imports and exports has been incredibly formative. These experiences have built a level of resilience and an ability to work under pressure that I couldn’t have gained in any other way.”

Thinking critically, solving problems, and shaping client success

Early in her career, Samatha learned how even small decisions in global logistics can create significant impacts for clients. “I recall meticulously analyzing global shipping routes and advising a key international client on a new, more efficient mode of transport,” she says. Her recommendation led to a significant reduction in transit time for her client’s goods, which directly impacted their market entry timeline and strengthened their relationship.

This combination of analytical thinking, operational insight, and client-focused service has become a defining feature of her approach.

She is particularly proud of how quickly she’s been able to take on responsibility and deliver meaningful impact. Within only a few years, she’s handled multiple clients and developed an “ability to help identify new lanes and opportunities that have been instrumental to my company’s growth and profitability.”

Learning to balance theory with thinking on your feet

International trade is a field often mistaken for being rule-based and predictable, but Samatha learned quickly that the reality is far more dynamic.

“When I began, I thought success was about memorizing every tariff code, trade agreement, and customs form,” she explains. “While that knowledge is essential, I quickly learned that the reality of international trade is far messier.”

She clarifies that every shipment is unique, and unexpected issues are inevitable, whether they’re port delays, documentation errors, or external circumstances.

Instead, she now sees adaptability, communication, and strong relationships as the critical components to success: “Being able to communicate clearly and calmly with clients, customs brokers, and freight forwarders to navigate a crisis is often more impactful than having every rule memorized.”

“Your clients will value your ability to solve their problems more than your encyclopedic knowledge of trade law.”

She credits skills like thinking on your feet, digging for answers, and being able to build strong relationships with everyone in the supply chain as real keys to success.

Her insight is one shared by experienced trade professionals around the world: clients remember the people who solve problems, not the ones who simply recite regulations.

Why she pursued the CITP designation

Samatha’s decision to become a CITP was driven by her commitment to professional excellence and a desire to let clients and employers know she’s met the highest professional standards in trade

“For a professional, this designation acts as a powerful signal to clients and employers, demonstrating that you have met a rigorous set of industry-validated standards.”

“It adds an immediate layer of trust and credibility, which is essential for building a successful career in a field where navigating complex risks and regulations is the core function.”

She also admires how it is a globally recognized credential, one that signifies a high level of expertise and commitment to ethical conduct. But earning it was more than just about what it signalled to others—it was also a significant milestone that validated her expertise and hard work.

“Achieving this credential felt like the culmination of my academic and professional journey in international trade,” she says, adding that the rigorous process required to earn the designation, from meeting the experience requirements to passing the comprehensive exam, made the achievement feel earned and meaningful. “It confirmed that my skills were not just valuable to my clients and employers but also met a global standard of excellence.”

A strong foundation for a global future

Looking ahead, Samatha sees the CITP as a defining asset in her career development.
“I foresee the CITP designation being a cornerstone of my future career in several key ways, serving as a platform for growth, specialization, and leadership.”

With a sharp analytical mind, dedication to client success, and advanced global trade credentials, Samatha is well-positioned to pursue leadership roles, expand into specialized areas of trade, or guide companies entering new markets.

Her story is a powerful example of how early ambition, continuous learning, and professional accreditation can combine to create meaningful career momentum.

The post CITP Spotlight: Samatha Richards – Key Account Manager, Trealmont Trade Lane Inc. appeared first on Trade Ready.

To set the stage for an emerging markets deal, there is a lot of work that has to be done:

Understanding the market by analyzing data, arranging for focus groups and surveys, or working with an expert who understands industry dynamics. Assessing the regulatory climate and macroeconomic conditions. Defining a clear value proposition as well as a viable pricing strategy.

Even if all of these details are well-thought out and meticulously planned, signing a deal with the wrong partner can lead to spectacular failure.

Working with a partner translates to a loss of control, as all decision-making power is not housed under the same corporate structure. Incentives, however carefully aligned, can diverge, leading to friction and loss of profitability.

These issues arise in all business, but are dramatically exacerbated in the emerging markets environment, which is often defined by a weaker rule of law.

While the contract is the first and last step in maintaining a partner relationship in a developed nation, in the emerging markets context, the contract is just one piece of the puzzle. In this context, contracts should not be used as the sole point of compliance leverage, and very careful relationship management needs to be active, ongoing, and taken seriously.

Signing the deal with the right partner can lead to spectacular profits. The emerging markets partner has a lot to offer, including on-the-ground intelligence on the constantly shifting market, regulatory, and macroeconomic landscape of an emerging market.

They can leverage their local resources and relationships on your behalf, allowing you to maintain a leaner, more efficient operation at home.

So how can you find the right partner and make sure that the relationship functions profitably and smoothly?

1. Identify potential partners

Consider how your domestic networks translate into foreign networks – college alumni groups, World Trade Centers, Rotary Clubs, and various U.S. government resources are great places to start. Also consider engaging outside expertise that can bring their networks to your table- one of the main benefits of working with SH International is the access that we give our clients to our emerging markets’ networks.

Meet as many people as possible. For a recent deal we put together for one of our clients, we arranged for two weeks of meetings with various foreign companies. We came to our last meeting extremely frustrated, as we had not yet identified the right partner for our client. We were not even going to share this particular deal with the gentleman we met that day, since he was from a different industry.

However, at the last minute, we did, and he referred us to some connections of his. We ultimately inked the deal with this party that was not even on our initial radar.

2. Understand that face-time is critical

It is critical in emerging markets to meet people in person. It is entirely normal to see absolutely no interest or progress in any commercial transaction or relationship except when you are in the emerging market country itself.

As shared in our last FITT article, make sure to visit people with whom you have key business relationships in person at least once a year, and preferably more frequently. When your international trading partners have not seen you, they may start making business decisions without taking you into account. They may simply forget about you, or, more insidiously, figure that you will never find out about some of their decisions.

3. Conduct upfront due diligence on the partner

There are various services that can help you ensure that you know who you are doing business with, from services provided by the U.S. Commercial Service to private investigators. You can also ask the partner for references from clients, suppliers, or other third parties.

Finally, do not underestimate the power of a solid internet search. This due diligence is critical – you do not want to find out that you ended up doing business with a known thief, money launderer, or terrorist.

Your company may not recover from the reputation damage or associated liability.

4. Make compliance natural

While investing in top-notch local legal counsel will help mitigate the risk of unenforceability, it is critical to, as much as possible, provide the distributor with natural incentives to maintain compliance with the contract.

A simple, yet powerful strategy that we use on behalf of our clients is to build relationships slowly over time, and to consistently bring new value to the relationship.

For instance, we have promised to help the foreign partner with their own growth objectives in other countries where we have relationships. This reminds them that keeping the deal running smoothly can have benefits outside of the currently contracted relationship.

5. Look for early warning signs of trouble

We have seen great partnerships fail because the foreign partner has problems in their other business dealings that cripple their ability to effectively fulfill their contractual responsibilities. Some of the strongest early warning signals can be related to the foreign partner’s financial solvency.

Be aware of and monitor any such indications, such as increasing demands for more lenient payment terms.

Signing a contract is only the first step of a successful emerging markets deal. To ensure a functioning and profitable partnership, it is necessary to be active, dynamic, flexible and creative.

Emerging markets are constantly changing, so if you want to profit from the rise in emerging markets’ spending power, it is necessary to stay on your toes.

What’s your next step in finding or building successful emerging market partnerships?

The post 5 effective strategies for building successful emerging market partnerships appeared first on Trade Ready.

1. Maybe tomorrow?

It is perfectly normal in Latin America to schedule a meeting 2 or 3 days in advance, if not less. Some companies and individuals might be more organised, but in general meetings scheduled a month or more in advance are very rare at all levels (unlike the UK). Meetings are changed and cancelled, just like anywhere else in the world, but in general, you will get some notice. I have been positively surprised since coming back to Latin America at the level of professionalism of those working in international trade – and punctuality has been a very nice surprise – although there still are some (exasperating) exceptions.

2. Confirm, confirm, confirm

The problem with my first point is that you will probably need to make travel arrangements and have a diary of visits more or less fixed in order to maximise the benefits of your trip. That’s ok.

Do feel free to schedule meetings in advance but, please, confirm them often and even the day before.

Emphasise just how important the meeting is to you and that you need to make sure that the person is available on time to see you. This is better done by someone local, who can probably suss out the likeliness of the meeting going ahead just by the tone of voice of the secretary/other person, and who can probably be firmer and stress the importance of the meeting. And phone is best.

3. Get the map out

When you schedule a meeting, make sure you know who you are meeting, where and when. Sounds basic? I’ve seen many a mistake due to not checking basic details. Try to get the other part to send you a map and directions or to explain the best way of getting there, rather than spending hours on Google maps and a transport map/timetable online that is probably inaccurate anyway. Remember that distances in large cities can be vast – it can easily take you an hour or two (or a lot more) to cross a city like Mexico DF, Sao Paulo or Buenos Aires.

4. Agenda

What a topic! After 13 years in the UK, I’ve learnt to love meeting agendas. But they rarely work here in Latin America. Sitting down at a meeting and taking out your agenda and going through what you want to cover might come across as rushed and rude. Take time to build relationships. Your business in Latin America will depend more on those relationships than on any agenda.

I personally go with one or two points in my head to a meeting that I want covered and I don’t tend to make them explicit.

Again, it depends on who you are meeting, but allow some flexibility and allow for personal conversation (you will be asked about your family, football team, etc, at some point – I personally tend to be asked my age, marital status and number of children within 5 minutes! Read my blog on women and business meetings.

5. What next?

“Closing a meeting” takes a long time in Latin America (involving hugs, pats on the back, kisses, laughter, jokes…) and, again, rushing to sum up all actions and resolutions might not be the right thing to do. If you leave too early, believe me, you’ll miss out. Wait and see what everyone else does… I tend to use the excuse of “not being from there” or “having been in the UK too long” to clarify these points – humour works! And don’t assume that the actions will be performed and everything said will be acted upon. Following up is key and perseverance is critical. I personally try to put some clear timescales because “mañana” (tomorrow), “ahora” (now) and “pronto” (soon) can mean very different things for different people in different countries.

If you’re planning a meeting, remember that Latin Americans are very sociable and face-to-face meetings are important to us – do value them beyond any agenda. The first meetings are likely to be more about learning about each other than about closing any deals. But you will move on from there and, as the relationships become stronger, you might get more quickly down-to-business. Mañana, maybe…

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