Welcome to, "The Trading Post": Barter Business Insights, the podcast where we dive into the fascinating world of B2B trading and networking. This podcast is organized by seasons. Season 1: Trade Education & Member Spotlights Season 2: Networking that nets business Season 3: Using A Podcast For Marketing (my experience with it) Disclaimer: The thoughts and views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and do not reflect the official policy or position of Metro Trading Associat ...
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Lower Overhead Podcasts
Hire Workforce is redefining how businesses manage labor costs by integrating advanced AI solutions into their workforce management strategies. With a focus on automation, predictive analytics, and intelligent resource allocation, Hire Workforce helps organizations significantly reduce labor overhead while maintaining productivity and output quality. By using AI to forecast demand, optimize schedules, and streamline repetitive tasks, the platform enables businesses to minimize overtime, redu ...
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1
Indoor Billboard Advertising: The Future of Local Marketing
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We unlock the secrets of business-to-business trade through powerful networking strategies and explore using podcasts as a marketing tool instead of relying solely on SEO. • Working from home while dealing with family health challenges demonstrates today's business flexibility • Renaissance Festival sponsorship provides free tickets in exchange for…
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Microphone in Hand: Real Chamber Members Share Their Business Pitches
31:55
31:55
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Behind the scenes of a local Chamber of Commerce networking event called "Coffee Talk," sharing real elevator pitches from business professionals across diverse industries. • Speed networking events allow participants to give 2-minute elevator pitches to multiple tables • Using notes is perfectly acceptable and helps ensure you cover all important …
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Trading Lessons from Renaissance Merchants
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24:48
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We unlock the secrets of Renaissance-era business strategies and discover how 16th-century merchants mastered networking, marketing, and creative value exchange long before modern B2B concepts existed. • Medieval merchants created powerful visual branding with storefront symbols that became the precursors to modern logos • Professional "criers" ser…
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Chicken Wings for Plumbing? No, It's Smarter Than That
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25:08
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Trader Stu explores why restaurants should join barter groups as a strategic business move in today's challenging economic climate. • Restaurants face rising costs, cautious consumer spending, and fierce competition for loyal customers • Barter offers a creative way to overcome these challenges while preserving cash flow • Trade unused inventory an…
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From Influencer Trends to Affiliate Programs: The Future of Business Marketing
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Affiliate and influencer marketing are no longer just for consumer brands—they're transforming B2B marketing with performance-based models that prioritize trust and authenticity over mass reach. Traditional marketing approaches are converging with new digital strategies as B2B companies recognize the power of micro-influencers and genuine content p…
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Unlocking New Revenue: How Blending Trade and Cash Transforms Business
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Trader Stu shares strategic approaches for blending trade and cash to maximize business revenue and expand customer reach with real-world examples from new members. • Combining trade with cash transactions creates a powerful marketing strategy that preserves cash while driving new business • Birch Run Speedway uses trade for ticket sales while keep…
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The Pocket Swap: From Chamber of Commerce Mixers to Chamber of Secrets
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24:18
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The Trading Post podcast unlocks the secret formula to transforming business cards into profitable relationships using a simple, measurable strategy that works at any networking event. • Approach networking events with the "40 card challenge" - emptying your left pocket of business cards while filling your right pocket with prospects • Most people …
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What Failed Tsunami Predictions Teach Us About Business Forecasting
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We dive into the reality of using LinkedIn for lead generation and why audio content might be making a surprising comeback while video content becomes less effective for busy professionals. • LinkedIn claims 80% of B2B leads originate there, but regional businesses may find better results on local platforms like Alignable • AI-powered prospecting s…
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Fake Internet Fame vs. Real Growth: A Trader's Take
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We reflect on the journey of podcasting and content creation, comparing it to gardening where growth happens invisibly at first but eventually blossoms with patience and persistence. • Recently reached milestone of 25 podcast episodes • Importance of properly crediting sources in podcast content • Growth in podcasting takes time, just like plants n…
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Summer Podcasting: Staying Productive with Kids Underfoot
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24:38
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Staying consistent with podcasting becomes especially challenging during summer months when family obligations, home repairs, and world events compete for attention and energy. • Summer creates unique challenges for content creators with disrupted routines and family priorities • Home repairs and family health issues can quickly derail a podcast sc…
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10 Ways To Keep Your Podcast Listeners Engaged
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25:57
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We explore the top 10 ways to engage podcast listeners while sharing insights from personal experience in the podcasting world. The discussion reveals why authenticity trumps production quality and how building community can transform your podcast marketing strategy. • Ask for feedback and reviews once you've built an audience beyond family and fri…
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Michigan's AI Calling Laws: What Businesses Need to Know
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Michigan's new regulations prohibit using AI voices for B2B appointment setting beginning January 2025, with violations resulting in fines up to $1,500 per occurrence. Learn how AI is transforming podcasting while creating legal challenges for marketers and existential questions for content creators. • Michigan businesses cannot use AI voices for B…
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How Hire Workforce Uses AI to Cut Labor Overhead and Maximize Operational Efficiency
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1:26
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Hire Workforce is redefining how businesses manage labor costs by integrating advanced AI solutions into their workforce management strategies. With a focus on automation, predictive analytics, and intelligent resource allocation, Hire Workforce helps organizations significantly reduce labor overhead while maintaining productivity and output qualit…
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Podcasting offers a distinctive advantage in today's AI-saturated digital landscape, creating an authentic connection between businesses and their audience that algorithms can't replicate. We explore how this medium transforms cold outreach into warm leads while establishing you as an authority in your field. • Building trust and authority by consi…
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The Quest to Clone Yourself Through Technology
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26:39
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I share my journey exploring AI tools to automate cold calling and appointment setting for business development while maintaining personal connection with clients. The quest to multiply my sales efforts across multiple counties without hiring additional staff has led to testing innovative solutions that could revolutionize how small businesses appr…
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The Truth About Starting a Business After Being Laid Off
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Trader Stu explores the challenges of post-layoff entrepreneurship and shares exciting news about being featured in an upcoming apocalyptic survival video game called "Get Prepped." • Being featured as a trader character in "Get Prepped," an apocalyptic survival video game releasing this winter • Average gamer today is in their 30s with disposable …
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From Debt to Harvest: Rethinking Property and Side Income
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We explore how to transform your yard from a money drain into an income-generating asset through innovative gardening approaches and direct sales to restaurant chefs. • Modern properties now cost money rather than generate income, from expensive driveways to high-maintenance lawns • Microgreens business proved unprofitable at farmers markets due to…
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How I Landed My First Podcast Sponsor (And What Comes Next)
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I've landed my first podcast sponsorship with the Michigan Renaissance Festival and will be recording commercials for them through September. This milestone comes while I'm still recording from my car and figuring out audio settings. • Received VIP/media passes for August 13th networking event before the festival opens • Might conduct my first podc…
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The Unexpected Journey: When Your Podcast Gets Sponsored
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A decade-long dream finally materializes! After years of creating content and navigating the ups and downs of podcasting, the Trading Post podcast has secured its first official sponsorship deal. This unexpected milestone arrived suddenly, catching me off guard despite having uploaded only 11-12 episodes total with sometimes months between releases…
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How I'm using AI to dominate my follow-up game when nobody else is
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The Trading Post podcast explores how to leverage AI tools like Perplexity to transform business networking follow-ups and stand out from competitors who rarely capitalize on their business card collections. We demonstrate a systematic approach to turn networking connections into meaningful business relationships through strategic AI utilization. •…
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What Nobody Tells You About Starting a Podcast for Business
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25:52
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The podcast downloads quadrupled after experimenting with posting twice weekly, proving that consistency is key to building an audience. Finding the right recording environment is crucial for maintaining authenticity and quality. • Car recording provides surprisingly good acoustics with all the soft surfaces absorbing sound • Holding off on podcast…
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https://linktr.ee/traderstu Networking remains vital for small businesses even in the digital age, with many entrepreneurs overlooking the power of face-to-face connections that lead to genuine business relationships. Trader Stu shares his comprehensive checklist of networking opportunities that business owners should consider, from traditional org…
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The Long Game: Why Your Podcast Is Just Like Jeff Bezos' Early Days
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The Trading Post podcast explores how Jeff Bezos's Amazon business principles can be applied to successful podcasting strategies. Drawing parallels between Bezos's customer obsession approach and podcast audience engagement, this episode reveals how consistency, patience, and innovation drive growth in both realms. • Comparing the evolution of SEO …
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What Success Really Means in the World of Podcast Analytics
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Podcasting success isn't measured in downloads alone but in consistency, authenticity, and passion for your subject matter. The journey of building an audience requires patience and realistic expectations about growth. • Don't get discouraged by low download numbers when starting out • Comparing yourself to established podcasters like Joe Rogan is …
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Networking with Kids: A New Approach for Parent Entrepreneurs
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I accidentally created a solution for parent entrepreneurs struggling to balance networking events with family responsibilities by launching a family-friendly business networking group. The experience revealed how many business owners need ways to grow professionally without sacrificing precious time with their children. • Found that traditional ne…
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Trader Stu introduces an innovative advertising opportunity through PressXToPlayGames, a company developing a survival video game called "Get Prepped" that sells ad space within the virtual environment. The gaming industry represents a massive untapped advertising market three times larger than movies and music combined, with the average gamer bein…
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From Online to In-Person: Networking in the 21st Century
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16:03
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Networking goes beyond mere exchanges of business cards; authentic connections can make all the difference. This episode discusses the value of in-person networking and contrasts it with online platforms. • Importance of real-life interactions over online connections • A unique roundtable format at networking events enhances engagement • Alignable,…
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Season 3 Episode 1 dives into the transformative journey of podcasting, emphasizing the importance of overcoming fear, establishing consistency, and engaging with an audience through storytelling. Listeners learn about structuring podcasts into seasons, leveraging personal experiences for business growth, and the unexpected benefits of sharing thei…
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This episode examines the evolution of bartering and its relevance in today's digital landscape. We explore how technology enhances bartering experiences, promotes community, and provides economic resilience amidst uncertainty. • Introduction to the revival of bartering in the digital age • Overview of modern digital trading platforms and apps • Im…
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Drones and Trade: A Journey Through Skies and Barter Systems
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17:33
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Imagine navigating the skies with drones and trading goods without a single coin exchanging hands. That’s the adventure we take you on with trader Stu as he shares his fascinating journey from the bustling world of commercial drone flying to the intricate webs of barter systems. With his extensive background in aviation, Stu uncovers the challenges…
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Bartering, For The Old Biz And The New...
24:38
24:38
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Ever thought about trading your way to business success? Tune in as I, Trader Stu, share my journey into the world of bartering and the creation of the Trading Post podcast. This episode sheds light on the essence of bartering in business and unravels why some entrepreneurs embrace or resist this ancient practice. Bartering isn't just trading goods…
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Recession-Proof Your Business: Leveraging Trade Groups for Stability and Growth
19:24
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What if improving your podcasting skills could double your marketing impact? Join me, Trader Stu, as I share my personal journey of navigating the ups and downs of podcast production. From battling audio glitches to realizing the balance between comfort and sound quality, my story is filled with lessons learned and practical tips to help you avoid …
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What if you could transform a hobby into a thriving business during an economic downturn? This episode promises a fascinating journey through the world of career transitions and entrepreneurship. We start by exploring a compelling shift from YouTube to podcasting, driven by the challenges of unpaid work and the chance to dive into the unique niche …
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Unlock the secret to boosting your business with the power of barter! Ever wondered how you can conserve cash while still acquiring essential goods and services? Tune in to Episode 0, "The Pitch," where I, Trader Stu, sales manager of Metro Trading Association (MTA), introduce you to a revolutionary way of doing business. Learn how MTA helps busine…
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