Session 1:

Understanding Trading Basics - How International Trading Really Works


From Zero Knowledge to Trade Readiness

Session Overview


Session 1: Understanding Trading Basics is the starting point of Module 1 – Trading Foundations.

This session is designed for learners with little or no prior trading experience, and it builds the conceptual foundation needed to understand everything that follows in the Academy.


Before learning documents, payment methods, or Incoterms, you must first understand:


  • What trading actually means
  • How global trade really works
  • Who the players are
  • How deals start
  • Why most beginners misunderstand trading

This session removes confusion and replaces it with clear structure and professional logic.

What This Session Covers

In this session, you will learn:

  • What international trading is (and what it is not)
  • How global commodity trade functions in reality
  • The difference between buyers, sellers, traders, brokers, and mandates
  • How a trade starts from an inquiry
  • How offers are structured and evaluated
  • Why most “trading opportunities” fail
  • How professionals think differently from beginners



This session prepares you mentally and structurally for real trading.

Why Understanding the Basics Is Critical

Many people fail in trading because they:

  • Confuse brokers with traders
  • Think trading is just “buy low, sell high.”
  • Don’t understand who controls the price.
  • Don’t know how deals actually start.
  • Rely on WhatsApp messages instead of structure.
  • Chase fake buyers and fake sellers

Without a strong foundation, advanced knowledge becomes dangerous instead of useful.

This session ensures you start correctly.


Session Lessons Included

Session 1 includes the following lessons:


  • Lesson 1: Introduction to International Trading & How Global Trade Works
  • Lesson 2: Roles in Trading – Buyer, Seller, Trader, Broker, Mandate
  • Lesson 3: How Commodity Markets Function (Spot vs Contract Trading)
  • Lesson 4: ICPO (Irrevocable Corporate Purchase Order) Explained
  • Lesson 5: LOI (Letter of Intent) Explained
  • Lesson 6: CIS (Company Information Sheet) & Buyer Verification
  • Lesson 7: SCO (Soft Corporate Offer) & Offer Validity

Each lesson builds logically on the previous one.

Key Concepts You Will Master

By the end of this session, you will clearly understand:

  • How a real trading deal begins
  • What documents initiate a trade (ICPO, LOI, CIS)
  • How offers are presented and evaluated
  • Why verification matters before pricing
  • How professional traders filter serious buyers
  • Why structure matters more than enthusiasm
  • How to avoid fake or time-wasting deals

These concepts are essential knowledge for anyone entering the trading world.

Practical Outcomes of This Session

After completing Session 1, you will be able to:

  • Identify whether a trading opportunity is real or fake
  • Understand who you are dealing with and in what role.
  • Know what information is required before pricing.
  • Communicate professionally with buyers and sellers.
  • Read offers and requests with critical thinking.
  • Avoid beginner mistakes that waste time and damage credibility.



This session gives you trade awareness, not just information.

How This Session Fits Into Module 1

Session 1 is the foundation layer of Module 1.

It prepares you for:



  • Session 2: Trade Documentation
  • Session 3: Payment Methods
  • Session 4: Incoterms Deep Training
  • Session 5: Practical Trade Execution
  • Session 6: Advanced Trading

Without Session 1, the rest of the module cannot be understood correctly.

Who Should Pay Special Attention to This Session

This session is essential for:

  • Beginners entering trading
  • Brokers who want to become traders
  • Entrepreneurs starting import/export
  • Company staff new to trade execution
  • Anyone overwhelmed by “trading jargon.”
  • Anyone stuck chasing deals that never close.



If you understand this session deeply, everything else becomes easier.

Learning Approach

This session is taught using:

  • Clear, non-academic language
  • Real trading logic (not theory)
  • Industry-used terminology
  • Practical examples
  • Common mistakes are explained openly.

The goal is clarity, not memorization.

Session Outcome

By completing Session 1: Understanding Trading Basics, you will have:



  • A clear mental model of international trading
  • Confidence to move into technical topics
  • The ability to think like a professional trader
  • A strong foundation for the rest of the Academy

Continue to the Next Session

Once you complete this session, you are ready to move to:


Module 1 – Session 2: Trade Documentation

Where you will learn how real trade documents work, how they flow, and why documents—not words—control international trade.