Hello

I graduated from school in England, shortly after my 16th birthday, and started my first job in a training program at the International Stock Exchange in London. I spent a year there, learning many aspects of how the exchange works, from the inside. An exhilarating experience that taught me how to deal with stress at a very young age, and really got me interested in international trade and macroeconomics. I was working there on July 20, 1990, when the IRA bombed the exchange. Two weeks later I was on a plane to Vancouver, it would be 8 years before I returned to England.

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I began my Canadian work experience at a shipping line and after a year there, I took my first job with a customs broker. I started (as most did back then) as a "runner", literally running documents back and forth to customers and to Canada Customs. It was the early 90s and, back then, a lot was still done manually. I even used to hand sign every B3 declaration, over a hundred a day (yup, that explains the signature).

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In the late 1990s, brokers were reeling from a loss of business to couriers, who had started acting as customs brokers clearing the small shipments they were carrying. Local brokerage companies had trouble competing with huge multinational corporations, and I found myself working for a large shipping line for 4 years. It was good experience, but I didn't really enjoy it as much as customs work.

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In 2002, I moved to Alberta and spent the next 22 years working for a few different customs brokers. Each had their own distinct culture and methodology to their processes. In 2024, several legislative changes came into effect that made it easier to become a customs broker, and CARM made things a nightmare for all customs brokers. After exploring several options, I decided that it was time to do things my way. Focus on the customer, service, technology and knowledge. It's not just about what people want; it's about anticipating their needs and being able to help them achieve their goals.