After researching for a year and half, my team and I have settled on a very exciting model to improve Portland, Oregon’s economy: a business to business trade exchange. It was not easy work. It took several meetings, many conference calls (many over Skype), email exchanges, book tours, coaching sessions, etc. Now the path is clear, and Xchange Stewards is in implementation mode.

So, what is a trade exchange? You could call it the world’s best kept secret, but for the past forty years, trade exchanges have provided member businesses a low cost line of credit that greatly increases their efficiency.

The line of credit is known as mutual credit clearing, which is essentially double entry bookkeeping. Mutual credit clearing accounts for the trades that happen amongst the business members.

Trade exchanges are the commercial enterprises that manage these systems.  Today, there are over 500 exchanges nationwide helping business members increase sales, conserve cash, turn unproductive assets into valuable products and services and reduce costs.  As a result, trade exchanges now partake in an international, $650 Billion dollar industry.

At Xchange Stewards, LLC, we are brokers. Our favorite question to ask your business is “what do you need?” That’s right, “what do you need?” “Well,” you say, “I need my copier repaired.” “OK,” we say. “If you agree to purchase that repair with Xchange Stewards trade credit, we’ll find a business that can service your needs.” Haven’t you ever thought that it would be nice to have that kind of help? First off, you don’t need to spend the time flipping through the yellow pages to find a copy machine repair-person. Secondly, you don’t need to spend your hard earned cash for the repair job. Your copy machine is running as good as new and you still have your money. Sound to good to be true? Keep in mind that nearly 400,000 businesses in North America have taken advantage of trade exchanges. So, shouldn’t your business do the same?

Here are some examples of how companies have participated in trade exchanges:

• In 2002, BarterOne trade exchange of Charleston, SC signed an agreement with Amtrak to handle the distribution of tickets on a space available basis for all trains and classes of service.
• Hi-tec, a division of a UK-based athletic shoe manufacturer, not only paid 35% of the room bill with trade credit at a Fort Lauderdale, FL resort for their yearly sales meeting, they also paid 25% of its food and beverage costs with trade credit.
• Shandong Penglai Electric Ability Equipment Manufacturing Co. of China arranged a trade deal with Pasadena, CA based ESolar, Inc. to build a 2,000 megawatt solar power station in China.

The possibilities are endless with a trade exchange and it is time Portland, Oregon finally have a one dedicated to the advancement of the local economy.

There are 61,000 businesses in Portland with 10 or fewer employees. Many of them have goods and services that would be useful to your business. So, if you don’t mind Xchange Stewards asking, “What do you need?”