President of Velocity Trade Exchange
By Michael Breedlove
January, 2009
Tell us a little about your company.
We’re a membership-based barter network for the Triad, mostly for small- to medium-sized businesses. It works kind of like a banking system using trade dollars. Businesses can use trade dollars they’ve earned for any other business in the network.
How did you get your start in the Nussbaum Center?
My financial planner recommended it to me. Once I met with Sam and Clay, they gave me a business plan and said “this is what we’re looking for.” I started out doing the Incubator Without Walls program, which meant I had a mailbox and could use the copiers and things like that, but didn’t actually have an office.
How has the Nussbaum Center helped your business grow?
A big thing is the cost. There’s no way you can find a decent office for this kind of money anywhere else. I bought a bookshelf and a filing cabinet, and everything else I’m borrowing from Nussbaum because I wanted to spend my money on marketing. Another thing I like is that they really look out for you here. Just the other day, Sam was walking around with an accounting consultant wanting to know if I needed any help with anything. In fact, my first referral came from Sam. Things like that might sound simple, but it goes to show that they really do go to bat for us.