I remember when I first started my business way back in 2001 and I felt overwhelmed.

Feeling insecure and not sure of all the information I needed to move forward I decided to turn to the people I had become connected with online because I felt they were trusted connections. My instincts were proved correct!

Most of the people I connected to then were in the same position as me, brand new business owners, but we all had different skills sets. That’s when I knew for sure I did not have to struggle on alone.

We devised a plan of action in the sense that one person was very adept at book-keeping, another at graphic design, and my communication skills were an asset. Knowing that at this stage in our business we had very little budget to spend, by working with the barter system we could achieve more and plan ahead for our future success. The barter system simply means that we would do the work for each other but not pay each other, and because this system has been operating for many years we knew it was a trusted way to help each other. People exchanged services and goods for other services and goods in return.

If you are having challenges in your early years of being in business why not try the barter system out with your trusted connections? This is a short term solution, it can’t go on indefinitely, so work on a strategy that includes a sensible time frame when the barter system comes to an end.

I was very happy to use this as a great way to get me started and because of the trust between everyone we became each others clients, and referred each other to other people.

Why not share your experiences in your first years of being in business and what ideas you came up with to help you more forward?