Categories: Starting a Business

Business Highlight: Skills2Barter

Skills2Barter.com launched on December 25, 2009 and is a skills marketplace for anyone who would like to trade (barter) their skills for someone else’s. The idea is simple, they are providing a place where people all over the U.S. can register and search for skills they have and need based on zip code. Everyone has multiple skills or talents and maybe it’s time you started using all of yours to get what you need! You have a knack for decorating… maybe you can stage someone’s house to sell in exchange for a having a new deck built…
Skills2Barter started with a vision and two enthusiastic people who just happened to know how to build a website. They believe and history has proven that the American people will connect (that’s where the site comes into play) and will work together to continue to get things done and succeed in any way possible during challenging times. “Strength isn’t necessarily in our present economy or how much the dollar is worth. It’s in our people – their skills and experience. So when your insurance doesn’t pay for crowns or acupuncture or physical therapy or in-home nursing… somewhere out there, probably in your area, is a dentist that needs a website, a acupuncturist that needs her car worked on, a PT that needs someone to set up his books, and sure enough there is a nurse out of work that needs a music teacher for her daughter or a place to live,” says Julie Katzer, co-founder. Skills3Barter would like to bring people together so that we can all continue to live and get things done – the barter way.

Biggest Challenge: Skills2Barter is just getting started and right now their biggest challenge is getting the word out and getting people to register on the site so they can increase the community.

Words of advice to new businesses: “Believe in your dreams and aspire to greatness!

Deborah Sweeney

Deborah Sweeney is an advocate for protecting personal and business assets for business owners and entrepreneurs. With extensive experience in the field of corporate and intellectual property law, Deborah provides insightful commentary on the benefits of incorporation and trademark registration.

Education: Deborah received her Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration degrees from Pepperdine University, and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of West Los Angeles and San Fernando School of Law in corporate and intellectual property law.

Experience: After becoming a partner at LA-based law firm, Michel & Robinson, she became an in-house attorney for MyCorporation, formerly a division in Intuit. She took the company private in 2009 and after 10 years of entrepreneurship sold the company to Deluxe Corporation. Deborah is also well-recognized for her written work online as a contributing writer with some of the top business and entrepreneurial blogging sites including Forbes, Business Insider, SCORE, and Fox Business, among others.

Fun facts/Other pursuits: Originally from Southern California, Deborah enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, Benjamin and Christopher, and practicing Pilates. Deborah believes in the importance of family and credits the entrepreneurial business model for giving her the flexibility to enjoy both a career and motherhood. Deborah, and MyCorporation, have previously been honored by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal’s List of the Valley’s Largest Women-Owned Businesses in 2012. MyCorporation received the Stevie Award for Best Women-Owned Business in 2011.