For those of you who have asked where you can read all of the back issues of the commentary “From The Desk of Bob Meyer,” here is the (more…)

Here is an idea we came across recently that we wanted to share with you…What are your thoughts about (more…)

The Fed drops interest rates to banks, which can borrow money at 2.5%. Do the banks pass this on to small businesses or consumers? Absolutely not…banks don’t want to take the risk of lending to the job creators (small businesses)…and they’re not fulfilling their traditional role of stepping in with lending.

The National Small Business Association’s recent survey shows that members are finding that “available capital” is one of the greatest risks to their firms. It also showed that 44% of these businesses had used a credit card to provide financing over the last year.

The increasing use of credit cards to keep smaller companies afloat shows the huge disconnect (dislocation) between government policy and life in the real business world.

The bottomline: Small (more…)

I ran across an old friend recently. Years ago Christopher Korth had authored some terrific articles and an exceptional book titled, International Countertrade. Korth has an extensive background, including former chief international economist with First National Bank of Chicago. He’s now passionate about (more…)

Let’s face it–almost all artists (does that include you?) don’t know squat about business. And most think they’re going to get recognized for their genius…Unfortunately, that’s not the real world.

It’s time to get real, art (more…)

From the barter desk of Bob Meyer…05/06/2008

Builders Use Barter To Pay Bills

In Tampa Bay, Florida, one home builder is out of cash and paying his contractors with vacant building lots, (more…)

Coming soon… Barter and Baseball.

Written by: Art Kaliel…a baseball “nut” and a barter “pro”…This monthly article, will see the first edition being published Memorial Day..2008.

Art Kaliel has been the top salesperson for the ITEX (and formerly BXI) organizations for (more…)

From the barter desk of Bob Meyer…04/29/2008

ITEX San Diego Goes Green

To help celebrate Earth Day on April 22, the ITEX in San Diego office decided to go green. Rather than printing 700 130-page directories for their members, they will now (more…)

Success in today’s business environment requires a razor-like focus.

“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed.

“Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve.

“It doesn’t matter whether you’re a lion or a gazelle—when the sun comes up, you’d better be (more…)

Yesterday, April 23, economist Dr. Mark Skousen was at Yale University, and spoke before a standing-room only crowd of MBA students about his new book, “EconoPower: How a New Generation of Economists is Transforming the World” (Wiley & Sons, 2008).

The discussant for the book was Robert Shiller, the most in-demand professor of economics in the Yale School of Business, and for good reason. Shiller has had an uncanny ability to forecast the direction of both the stock market and real estate.

In early 2000, he predicted the collapse in the Nasdaq stock market, and in 2005, he warned of an impending implosion in the U.S. real estate (more…)