If you are going to barter or trade with someone- set up guidelines, boundaries, and a contract that spells out what both parties will be providing, when, and for how long. When things start to feel awkward, it will be much easier to point back to that agreement than to try and muddle your way through a conversation about things that aren’t meeting your expectations.

I absolutely love bartering. It gives me, and others a chance to have a product, service, or experience that we might not otherwise be ready or able to invest in. This is especially true for ladies that are still in the early stages of their business without a lot of profit or funds to continue investing in the multitude of things out there that everyone “must have” (or so they say..).

I had a long conversation about bartering recently, because while sometimes it goes absolutely perfect, and everything runs smoothly and it’s a great experience for everyone involved – that is not always the case. Feelings, friendships, and the fear of coming across wrong make it that much harder to try to resolve things and get back on the right track.

But, should I let a few negative experiences stop me from moving forward with what could potentially be amazing experiences in the future? Nope. What I will do, though, is create firm boundaries and guidelines. A client who you have traded or bartered with should not be treated any differently than a client who paid you cash. Look at it this way, they paid you for your services and then you turned around and paid them for their services- so it’s a wash – but you ARE paid for the service you provide to them and should give them your best. Anything less is bullshit.