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July 13, 2010

Written by Bob Meyer, Editor of BarterNews

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From the desk of Bob Meyer... 07/13/2010

Barbados Government Barters For 20% Ownership Stake In Four Seasons Hotel

The Four Seasons Barbados is restarting construction (in September) after the Barbados government agreed to guarantee a Caribbean bank $60 million construction loan for the 110-room hotel with 35 for-sale villas. In return for the loan guarantee the government received a 20% ownership stake.

TeleTrade International Announces Trading Volume

According to 39-year barter veteran Gary Lasater, CEO of TeleTrade International, his worldwide platform did a second-quarter trading volume of $33,368,716.

For more information click here.

Banks Selling Gold To Take Advantage Of High Prices

Banks are selling gold at a record rate, according to a 216-page report released last week by the BIS (Bank for International Settlements � the central bank for central banks). The international agency has purchased 349 metric tons of gold since December, allowing banks to raise a record $14 billion.

Facebook Creates Virtual Currency

Facebook is working with MOL Global, a Malaysian online-payment company, to sell �Facebook Credits� through prepaid cards. In essence the partnership makes the purchasing of Facebook Credits a virtual currency. The credits will be used to buy online games and applications on the social-networking site.

These credits will be able to be acquired through MOL�s network of more than 500,000 outlets, such as 7-Eleven stores and cyber cafes. As the virtual currency effort expands it will add value to the Facebook brand�s valuation.

Americans Catching Up On Bills

Good news � the number of consumers behind in their credit card payments fell to an eight-year low in the first quarter of 2010, according to the American Bankers Association. They report that a mere 3% are delinquent on their payments.

All back issues of "From the Desk...� can be accessed by clicking here.

(Please feel free to forward our newsletter to your friends and colleagues. We have a �box� at the end of the newsletter for your convenience. See you next week. . .)


Groenwald Enjoying Business Success Once Again

By Bob Meyer

From time to time I write about people who have left the commercial barter industry, but were very instrumental in its development. One person who gave untiringly, year after year for over two decades, to our industry was Susan Groenwald. Here�s an update:

On a recent Sunday evening, Marcia and I met with Keith and Sue Groenwald for a 3-hour sunset dinner overlooking the beautiful Dana Point Marina in Southern California. Inasmuch as we hadn�t seen one another for eight years we had a lot of catching up to do.

The Groenwald�s came into the barter industry in 1980 and they jumped in with both feet by hosting national conventions, pioneering new ways of doing business, and becoming very active and supportive of the industry�s only trade association � the International Reciprocal Trade Association.

The Groenwald�s had the Chicago franchise for Barter Systems International, and later went independent creating Chicago Barter Corp. Keith left the industry several years later and Sue carried on as Chicago Barter Corp�s leader. (Her leadership capabilities were recognized when named as the National Businesswoman of the Year by the National Association of Women Business Owners in 1999.) The company grew to 80 employees in four locations, prior to selling out to a venture capital firm in the 2000 dot.com era.

After being out of the barter business for several years Sue joined DeVry Inc. in January 2006, focusing on the transition and development of the company�s subsidiary, the Chamberlain College of Nursing. (Many in the barter industry didn�t know of Sue�s occupation prior to barter, which was nursing. In addition to having an RN and Master�s degree she edited five textbooks on cancer nursing, one of which won the American Journal of Nursing Book Award.)

It was Sue�s job to expand the nursing college ... and what a job she�s done. When she took over, just three years ago, they were limping along with a couple of campuses. Under her management today they have locations in St. Louis (MO), Columbus (OH), Jacksonville (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Arlington (VA), and four in suburban Chicago.

They presently have over 4000 students distributed throughout their seven campuses, plus some students enrolled online in either the RN to BSN completion program or the masters degree in nursing program.

According to Groenwald, �I can tell you that opening a campus is much harder than opening a barter company! The education industry is highly regulated, especially healthcare, so we have to write applications, submit to site inspections, and gain approval from boards of nursing, boards of higher education, as well as three different accreditors. It�s quite a lengthy and cumbersome process, but well worth the effort.

�I like that the college is part of a larger company (DeVry is a NYSE traded company) that has a great reputation for quality and integrity, as well as rich resources, but that my job is very entrepreneurial � growing a business from almost the ground up. And we are solving a national healthcare problem by helping reduce the nursing shortage.�

Keith imports specialized high-end plywood from Russia and Canada, among other places, that is distributed to companies making dies for the packaging industry (for boxes). He is general manager of the company and has been there about two years. He, as well as Sue, loves his work.

It was terrific seeing them both again, happy, healthy and so successful in their transition from the barter industry.


Is Your Trade Exchange Missing Out On Valuable New Business?

If your barter company�s listing on BarterNews.com isn�t current, you are definitely missing out on new business. The web site BarterNews.com receives heavy traffic � with over 150,000 page-views every month. Entrepreneurs and corporate executives check the thousands of articles, the weekly �Tuesday Report,� and the �Contacts Section� of our site. They use the latter to find barter companies with which to do business.

Is your barter company�s listing up-to-date?

To keep your listing current is very easy. See the links below to (A) update any changes to your company�s listing, such as new location, phone number, web site or other information, and (B) if your company has not been listed.

Here�s how to get on board:

To make changes to your listing click here.

For new listings click here.


Over 43 Million Americans Are Poor Credit Risks

Recessions are ended by consumers spending again, but with the following figures announced and tens of millions out of work, one has to wonder about a recovering economy.

According to figures provided by FICO, 1/4 or 25.5% of all consumers (43.4 million people) now have credit scores of 599 or lower. This means they are highly unlikely to get credit cards, auto loans or mortgages, under the tighter lending standards most banks are now using.


* * ANNOUNCEMENT * *

25 Years Of BarterNews Issues Now In Digital Format

Welcome to the largest repository of barter contacts, strategies, and barter techniques in the world. All 64 issues of BarterNews now available in digital format at http://www.barternews-ezine.com.


         International visitors look for BARTER CONTACTS in our Global Barter Section. If YOUR exchange isn�t listed see the forms on the lower left of the page. (Click here.)

         Attention trade exchange owners...thousands of visitors every month visit our BARTER CONTACTS section on our web site where we have names & addresses of barter companies in the USA. If YOUR exchange isn�t listed, or the information is incorrect, you can correct the situation by using the forms to the lower left of the USA map. (Click here.) 

Click here www.barternewsblog.com.


From our BarterNews files of 1999:

Staggering Barter Agreement Jump-Starts New Business

Talk about an agreement that helped both parties ... Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) decided to give their business to new computer services start-up Perot Systems in 1996. They did so because, in addition to a good price and a promise of extra-special service, they were given an option to buy 7 million shares of Perot Systems stock at $3.65 a share, when the company went public.

Perot Systems made such an agreement because they needed a substantial contract, and had to �outbid� their bigger rivals IBM and EDS.

The UBS contract accounted for 25% of Perot�s revenue. On the second day of trading after going public in February 1999, less than three years after the contract and barter agreement was signed, Perot Systems� stock was selling at about $61 a share. And UBS was holding a $400 million windfall!

How did founder Ross Perot fare on this barter deal with UBS, an agreement that admittedly jump-started his new company? His 38% stake in the company was valued at $1.4 billion. (Additionally, it was the substantial UBS contract that enabled Perot Systems to go public as quickly as it did.)

The barter technique (and perspective) used by Ross Perot isn�t limited to super huge deals. You can, and should, use the concept � regardless of your company�s size. What�s required is an awareness by you that a barter component can be the determining factor in a new business contract.

What should you offer? That depends on the situation, which a little research will reveal. However, an exceptionally versatile commodity you�ll always want to consider is trade credits. They�re valuable and can be used in a variety of different ways by the other party.


Money-Making Reports Available From BarterNews

The Hunt For Capital Is Easier Through Your Trade Exchange

Depending upon your company�s ability to earn trade dollars, when it comes time to search out additional capital for financing your company�s growth, the fastest and easiest way to proceed is a visit to your member trade exchange.

That�s because the entrepreneurial owner of the exchange knows how easy (or difficult) it will be for your business to earn back trade dollars � to pay back the loan from the exchange.

It�s a given that every situation is different, and your desire for capital may be even greater than what the exchange can provide you. But, remember this, contacting them first is always a smart move. And the time and effort saved will impress you!


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The Growth and Use of Secondary Capital (New Money) Creates Unprecedented Wealth In Today�s New Age Of Possibility

There are many forms of secondary capital�which can be defined as any financial instrument that measures and communicates value in a common language. Would you like to see and learn more about the many forms of secondary capital?

 We have 70 free, informative and inspiring, articles for you in our �Secondary Capital Section.�

Check it out... www.barternews.com/secondary_capital.htm.


Get New Money-Making Ideas And Valuable Contacts!

You can obtain useful, informative ideas and contacts in every available back-issue of BarterNews.


Every barter company in the world is listed on our web site, click through to our Global List of Barter Companies.


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