The Trading Post
Welcome to, "The Trading Post": Barter Business Insights, the podcast where we dive into the fascinating world of B2B trading and networking.
This podcast is organized by seasons.
Season 1: Trade Education & Member Spotlights
Season 2: Networking that nets business
Season 3: Using A Podcast For Marketing (my experience with it)
Disclaimer:
The thoughts and views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and do not reflect the official policy or position of Metro Trading Association. Although the host is an employee of Metro Trading, this podcast is intended to educate entrepreneurs on the benefits of professional trading, regardless of their location. Additionally, the host reviews various pieces of camping gear due to the association of trade, barter, and prepping.
“Whistles In The West” was written, recorded, and produced by Durracell, exclusively for use with Trader Stu’s platform.
This original jingle is a Western/Cowboy-inspired piece, reflecting Trader Stu’s signature style—always rocking the cowboy hat. Set in the key of D minor, the track blends rodeo whistles with a country-like guitar riff.
The track is protected under U.S. Copyright (filed and registered), and rights to use have been granted specifically to Trader Stu for content and promotional use related to his brand and media presence.
For additional licensing, custom audio, or to inquire about future collaborations and performances, contact:
📧 durracellmusic@gmail.com
🌐 www.durracell.com
Episodes
38 episodes
When Hustle Isn’t Sustainable, Systems Are
We share what worked and what didn’t while prepping and hosting a trade show, plus why we shipped a flawed audio episode to keep momentum. We dig into pay-per-appointment cold calling, LinkedIn access risks, and how to scale outreach without bu...
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Season 3
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Episode 12
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12:30
How Small Businesses Grow by Sponsoring Niche Podcasters and YouTubers
We explain why sponsoring niche podcasters and YouTubers beats mass ads for small businesses and local services. We share pricing ranges, performance tactics like affiliate links, and how authenticity drives trust and conversion.• house...
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Season 2
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Episode 18
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13:19
Pivoting During Uncertainty: Career Shifts and Cottage Food Law Ventures
After a brief hiatus due to illness, I return to discuss my career pivot and new entrepreneurial plans. I'm scaling back my work at Metro Trading Association to pursue substitute teaching and explore starting a cottage food business.• T...
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Season 2
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Episode 17
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12:06
Old Grill, New Tricks: Sustainable Thinking for Entrepreneurs
Sustainability means more than recycling—sometimes it's about getting creative and maximizing what you already have, whether it's grilling equipment or business resources.• The dilemma of repairing versus replacing a Weber kettle with r...
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Season 2
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Episode 16
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13:52
From Exploding Tents to Digital Billboards: A Trader's Journey
Trader Stu reveals how business barter creates opportunities for new customers and partnerships while sharing his journey using podcasting instead of SEO to market his business. He discusses innovative marketing strategies and shares exciting l...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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13:26
Indoor Billboard Advertising: The Future of Local Marketing
We unlock the secrets of business-to-business trade through powerful networking strategies and explore using podcasts as a marketing tool instead of relying solely on SEO.• Working from home while dealing with family health challenges d...
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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15:30
Microphone in Hand: Real Chamber Members Share Their Business Pitches
Behind the scenes of a local Chamber of Commerce networking event called "Coffee Talk," sharing real elevator pitches from business professionals across diverse industries.• Speed networking events allow participants to give 2-minute el...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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30:49
Trading Lessons from Renaissance Merchants
We unlock the secrets of Renaissance-era business strategies and discover how 16th-century merchants mastered networking, marketing, and creative value exchange long before modern B2B concepts existed.• Medieval merchants created powerf...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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23:42
Chicken Wings for Plumbing? No, It's Smarter Than That
Trader Stu explores why restaurants should join barter groups as a strategic business move in today's challenging economic climate.• Restaurants face rising costs, cautious consumer spending, and fierce competition for loyal customers
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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24:02
From Influencer Trends to Affiliate Programs: The Future of Business Marketing
Affiliate and influencer marketing are no longer just for consumer brands—they're transforming B2B marketing with performance-based models that prioritize trust and authenticity over mass reach. Traditional marketing approaches are converging w...
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Season 2
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Episode 22
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22:22
Unlocking New Revenue: How Blending Trade and Cash Transforms Business
Trader Stu shares strategic approaches for blending trade and cash to maximize business revenue and expand customer reach with real-world examples from new members. • Combining trade with cash transactions creates a powerful market...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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23:18
The Pocket Swap: From Chamber of Commerce Mixers to Chamber of Secrets
The Trading Post podcast unlocks the secret formula to transforming business cards into profitable relationships using a simple, measurable strategy that works at any networking event.• Approach networking events with the "40 card chall...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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23:12
What Failed Tsunami Predictions Teach Us About Business Forecasting
We dive into the reality of using LinkedIn for lead generation and why audio content might be making a surprising comeback while video content becomes less effective for busy professionals.• LinkedIn claims 80% of B2B leads originate th...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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25:36
Fake Internet Fame vs. Real Growth: A Trader's Take
We reflect on the journey of podcasting and content creation, comparing it to gardening where growth happens invisibly at first but eventually blossoms with patience and persistence.• Recently reached milestone of 25 podcast episodes
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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15:49
Summer Podcasting: Staying Productive with Kids Underfoot
Staying consistent with podcasting becomes especially challenging during summer months when family obligations, home repairs, and world events compete for attention and energy. • Summer creates unique challenges for content creator...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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23:32
10 Ways To Keep Your Podcast Listeners Engaged
We explore the top 10 ways to engage podcast listeners while sharing insights from personal experience in the podcasting world. The discussion reveals why authenticity trumps production quality and how building community can transform your podc...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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24:51
Michigan's AI Calling Laws: What Businesses Need to Know
Michigan's new regulations prohibit using AI voices for B2B appointment setting beginning January 2025, with violations resulting in fines up to $1,500 per occurrence. Learn how AI is transforming podcasting while creating legal challenges for ...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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24:07
The Podcast Profit Machine
Podcasting offers a distinctive advantage in today's AI-saturated digital landscape, creating an authentic connection between businesses and their audience that algorithms can't replicate. We explore how this medium transforms cold outreach int...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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32:11
The Quest to Clone Yourself Through Technology
I share my journey exploring AI tools to automate cold calling and appointment setting for business development while maintaining personal connection with clients. The quest to multiply my sales efforts across multiple counties without hiring a...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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25:33
The Truth About Starting a Business After Being Laid Off
Trader Stu explores the challenges of post-layoff entrepreneurship and shares exciting news about being featured in an upcoming apocalyptic survival video game called "Get Prepped."• Being featured as a trader character in "Get Prepped,...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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24:18
From Debt to Harvest: Rethinking Property and Side Income
We explore how to transform your yard from a money drain into an income-generating asset through innovative gardening approaches and direct sales to restaurant chefs.• Modern properties now cost money rather than generate income, from e...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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29:50
How I Landed My First Podcast Sponsor (And What Comes Next)
I've landed my first podcast sponsorship with the Michigan Renaissance Festival and will be recording commercials for them through September. This milestone comes while I'm still recording from my car and figuring out audio settings.• R...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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9:50
The Unexpected Journey: When Your Podcast Gets Sponsored
A decade-long dream finally materializes! After years of creating content and navigating the ups and downs of podcasting, the Trading Post podcast has secured its first official sponsorship deal. This unexpected milestone arrived suddenly, catc...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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8:28
How I'm using AI to dominate my follow-up game when nobody else is
The Trading Post podcast explores how to leverage AI tools like Perplexity to transform business networking follow-ups and stand out from competitors who rarely capitalize on their business card collections. We demonstrate a systematic approach...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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23:05
What Nobody Tells You About Starting a Podcast for Business
The podcast downloads quadrupled after experimenting with posting twice weekly, proving that consistency is key to building an audience. Finding the right recording environment is crucial for maintaining authenticity and quality.• Car r...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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24:46