To Barter, Or Not To Barter...

Anthony Donnelly — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:28:15 -0500

Elsewhere in the world, bartering is as commonplace as accepting credit cards, and an integral element to almost every business model. Here in the US, predominantly due to the fact we have been the strongest and most affluent global economy for so long, barter was never a necessity. Until now, that is. With the current collapse of the monetary infrastructure here in America and around the world, increasing numbers of people are flocking to the age-old system of bartering.

Cost-saving Start-up Tips From our Caveman Ancestors

Anthony Donnelly — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:08:09 -0500

There are many costs involved with starting any business, whether it's a franchise or an independent venture. Chiropractors, massage therapists, and many other service industries are actually taught to leverage the power of bartering during their start-up phase, but why should they be the only ones to benefit?
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Beyond the major expenses of premises and equipment, a start-up business that has an abundance of enthusiasm, but a shortage of new clients, and is often undercapitalized, is smart to barter.

MBE-Barter: Serious CPR For An Economic Meltdown

Anthony Donnelly — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:13:26 -0400

As the American economy teeters on the brink of the biggest financial meltdown in history, and the proposed $700bn bail-out plan looks set to go down as well as David Blaine's stunt, there is still a small glimmer of hope.

MBE-Barter: Serious CPR For An Economic Meltdown

Anthony Donnelly — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:12:26 -0400

Depressing Recession...?

Anthony Donnelly — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:06:10 -0400

Finally, as the theatrical smokescreen of the Presidential race is clearing, folks are starting to talk about the real issue at hand: the economy.

We've been in a recession for a while now and, like a bad repair job, people have optimistically tried to patch it up. When David Walker, the comptroller for the US (the chief bean-counter, if you like), walked out after 10 years earlier in 2008, the 'you-know-what' should have hit the fan, but it didn't.

Fast Talk Response -

Anthony Donnelly — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:05:48 -0400

I doubt that Bill's departure will have any impact upon how Microsoft is run. It isn't as though he's leaving and starting a rival company, he's focussing on his charitable side, which in turn will positively effect the company as a whole.

As synonymous as Bill Gates is with the Microsoft brand, his personal and direct involvement on a day to day basis is not what drives the company forward.

Reduce Stress: Punctuate Your Day

Anthony Donnelly — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:00:37 -0400

Life can be very stressful, especially if we become part of that stress. Here's an exercise that I have found useful.

Punctuate your day. Imagine reading a book without any punctuation. It would most likely be rather stressful and probably would not make much sense. How many of us go from awakening to sleeping without fully punctuating our day?

Comment on Node ant

Anthony Donnelly — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 16:55:05 -0400

Great piece. I totally agree with your conclusion that both are effective tools, but for optimum performance it behooves people to utilize the benefits of both. Personally I find them both very effective mediums for my purposes.

Introduction

Anthony Donnelly — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:03:40 -0400

I'm new to Fast Company and fairly new to blogging, so I thought I'd begin with a short blog-burst to give a flavour of what I intend to write.

My current business and most recent background is barter, the oldest and most effective form of commerce ever invented (especially the way Merchants Barter Exchange has streamlined it), however there is only so much one can write and still make interesting and entertaining about barter. For this reason much of my blog content will NOT be about barter and my company.