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Coffee with a Founder Podcast: Justin Sherlock of Caspian

On this episode of Coffee with a Founder, Beck Bamberger sits down with Justin Sherlock, co-founder and CEO of Caspian. After scaling Flexport’s financing arm past $1B, Justin saw how tariffs and red tape quietly choke capital for global brands. Caspian is his answer, turning months of customs paperwork into days and helping companies reclaim time and cash.

We talk about earning a Customs Broker License, building deep domain expertise, and what it takes to hire in San Francisco’s competitive startup scene.

If you’re into founder-led innovation tackling old-world infrastructure, don’t miss this one.

show notes:

00:44 - Caspian’s purpose in trade

02:51 - Tackling tariff complexity

04:24 - What is duty drawback?

08:06 - The customs broker exam

12:01 - One big thing for productivity

16:00 - Supply chain digitization

Read More About The Episode:

 

00:44 - Caspian’s purpose in trade

Beck Bamberger and Justin Sherlock discuss Caspian’s mission to simplify trade and tariff recovery for businesses, and why the market lacks tech-focused solutions.

02:51 - Tackling tariff complexity

The conversation highlights the challenges of managing global trade data, vendor documents, and customs reporting, underscoring the industry’s need for transparency and automation.

04:24 - What is duty drawback?

Justin defines “duty drawback,” the process for reclaiming import taxes, and discusses the intricate regulatory rules that make it difficult for many companies to navigate.

08:06 - The customs broker exam

Justin highlights the difficulty of becoming a licensed customs broker, compares it to other rigorous professional tests, and explains its value to Caspian’s credibility.

12:01 - One big thing for productivity

A look at Caspian’s daily team practice: everyone prioritizes one important, high-leverage activity to stay focused and effective as a startup grows.

16:00 - Supply chain digitization

The speakers discuss how recent advances in digital data have transformed supply chain management, allowing Caspian to use AI in a traditionally analog field.

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