Entrepreneur launches skills bartering service
AWEST Midlands entrepreneur has launched a new bartering website aimed at matching people with different skills.
Swopatrade allows people to register and set up a profile showcasing the skills they can offer to swap with someone else who has a skill they need.
Among the services already on offer on the site are animal care, financial services, housekeeping and home design among others.
Based in Pershore near Worcester, the website is the brainchild of entrepreneur Jessica Davies from Sutton Coldfield.
She said: “Trading skills and professions is common practice in many different circles and an important factor in society and always has been.
“However, in business it’s a delicate balance.
“We build strong relationships this way by helping but not taking advantage of each other.
“We see this often at business networking groups or groups for different interest groups.
“My vision is to create a similar business model online – bringing people together who are happy to exchange a skill for a skill and to value those skills.”
Ms Davies is also a qualified personal trainer and has run her own recruitment business.
Her new venture has been launched with support from entrepreneur Kyle Raffo who runs his own web development and multimedia design business.
Ms Davies added: “Bartering was something we just talked about and we thought of how many people do help each other by swapping their skills as we both have done many times.
“We did our research and realised there wasn’t an effective platform – particularly in the Midlands – for this to happen so that’s how Swopatrade was born.
“We would like it to be the go-to place for like-minded people to come and network their skills, trade or profession which they can swap with one another.”