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Mission Statement
Velocity Trade Exchange specializes in providing small and growing businesses
with a unique opportunity to expand both their market share and their buying
power. We bring our members a modern twist to the classical bartering system,
allowing them to use the products and services they already have to pay for what
they need through the use of “trade dollars.” Our core objectives are to provide
members with:
• Customized business development and
purchasing options to help them
maximize their growth potential.
• Easy to use transaction processing
options and accurate recordkeeping.
• Added value through stellar customer
service, including marketplace
observations and small business growth advice as needed.
• Carefully maintained group integrity
by:
1. Using the “greater good”
principle when evaluating prospective members.
2. Holding members accountable
to operating within VTE’s code of ethics.
A Message from the President
President Cathi Vogel has enjoyed a unique career path – from Special
Education teacher and part time waitress – to Office Manager of a high end
specialty plumbing company – to Director of Operations of an executive search
firm – to Entrepreneur.
As I look back at my career, I’m amazed at how each position I’ve held and every
professional relationship I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing has brought me
to
this very point.
My teaching experience taught me many things which have been tremendously
helpful to me in the business world. Working as the Office Manager for the
plumbing company taught me about what it takes to run and grow a relatively
young small business during volatile economic times. Acting as the Director of
Operations for an Executive Search firm taught me a great deal about people,
sales, recruiting, as well as what it takes to run and grow a more mature
business.
Each of these experiences has provided me with significant insight and
experience that has paved the way for me to do what I love while running a
thriving, dynamic business.
One of the most common questions I get when I talk to people about Velocity
Trade Exchange is, “What a neat concept… Where in the world did you come up
with that idea?!” The beginnings of VTE was very much what Oprah describes
as an “Aha” moment.
While visiting my sister in Janesville, WI, I was chatting with my
brother-in-law,
Brian, who owns a co-op direct mail business by the name of Greenback
Marketing Systems. Brian had joined a local trade exchange a few months before
and he shared how much of a difference it was making for his business, as well
as the family’s lifestyle.
Joining the exchange allowed Brian to sell previously unsold advertising space
to
trade exchange members. The additional trade revenue increased his profitability
on each publication; since his printing costs remained the same regardless of
how many advertising spaces were filled, the more he sold, the more he made
per ad.
In addition, prior to joining the exchange, Brian was frequently having to pay
his
printer for the next book before recouping all of the money from the previous
issue, creating a tight cash flow. After joining the exchange, the additional
trade
revenue, paid immediately through the exchange, allowed him the freedom to buy
products and services on trade that he’d previously had to do without, both for
the
business and the family.
“The trick is,” he shared, “that whenever I need something, I first look to see
if it’s
available to buy through the trade exchange. I buy everything I can on trade,
which
saves my cash for the things that I can’t pay for with trade dollars.”
Intrigued, I peppered him with questions for the rest of the weekend and upon
returning home, began doing research online. To my amazement, there was a
whole society of similar exchanges all over the world, including over 500 trade
exchanges nationwide.
Reading local publications, and even just driving through town, I began to
realize
how much the Triad’s economy depended on the success of our small
businesses. It became apparent to me that the Triad needed a similar
organization to help foster small business growth. It was like one of those
moments in the movies where the clouds part, the light comes down and you can
hear the angels’ singing… that was the birth of Velocity Trade Exchange.
Final Thoughts
As I built the business plan for VTE, I attended as many courses through the
GTTC small business center as I could, in hopes of expanding my knowledge
beyond running a business to starting a business from scratch.
In one of those classes, Marketing 101, taught by small business marketing guru,
Renea Myers,
we were asked, “What do you want to be famous for?” What a
lovely question. It made me realize how easy it is for small business owners to
get so focused on the products and services we offer that we forget to give our
attention to that little extra “something” that makes us special. I’ve used that
question as a filter for nearly every business decision I’ve made: is that
really
what I want to be famous for?
What do I want to be famous for? I want to be famous for helping small
businesses grow and succeed beyond their wildest dreams. I believe that
growing a small business, is much like raising children: given the right
environment, the right mentors and the right tools there’s almost no limit to
what
they can accomplish. It has always been a passion of mine to network and foster
connections between people who can help each other succeed. Now, I’ve made
it my business to provide even more support through the resources and tools
offered by Velocity Trade Exchange. If I had all of the money in the world, this
is
exactly what I’d be doing. Life is good.
Professional Affiliations
Velocity Trade Exchange, LLC enjoys the benefits of membership in the following
organizations:
•
Greensboro Chamber of Commerce
•
Greensboro Merchant’s Association
•
National Association of Trade Exchanges (NATE)
•
The Banc (National Reciprocal Trade Exchange organization)
Copyright © 2007 Velocity Trade Exchange, LLC All rights reserved. |
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