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Welcome to the Barter Edge Podcast—your insider guide to smarter business, bigger networks, and better ways to trade.
Whether you're a seasoned member or just getting started, we're here to share real stories, expert tips from different industries, and fresh ideas to help you grow your business using the power of the Bartercard ecosystem.
Bartercard_Darryl
Host: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Barter Edge Podcast, your insider guide to smarter business, bigger networks, and better ways to trade. We are here to share real stories, expert tips from different industries and fresh ideas to help you grow your business using the power of barter cart. Well, welcome everyone to another episode of the Barter Red podcast.
I'm here with Darrel Vine from Firefly Initiative and they support all not-for-profits, and they are also one of our proud partnerships here at Barter Card. Darrel, would you like to, introduce yourself and also explain to our listeners, what Firefly Initiative does?
Darryl: Sure. And thank you for that opportunity.
So the Firefly Initiative, our mission is to elevate volunteers and the causes or organizations that they're passionate about. In a nutshell, we've created the, economy of social good, which is to [00:01:00] give volunteers the opportunity to be recognized, rewarded, and then, elevate them in the position.
Because we, we recognize in community that, you know, we have 5.9 million volunteers. Our economy doesn't run. Without volunteers is $1.3 trillion industry. So if you take volunteers outta the sector, you go, who's gonna look after all the people that volunteers to? So there's two things that we keep in mind.
One is that and it's a real chicken and egg. With no organizations, there is no where to volunteer. And without volunteers there are no organizations. So you can't have one without the other. So we put that platform together to say, look, there's two things that are really key. One is that fundraising for the organizations that support our communities is really tough.
And the other thing is to make sure that volunteers are appreciated and acknowledged is really tough. So we just build a little app that says, Hey, we, we do both. We use the hours that you contribute to the services you provide. We then take those to corporate sponsors [00:02:00] and hopefully they see the value in supporting community.
They look after them at the end of the day.
Host: Yeah, and corporate social responsibility is so important for businesses as well to be giving back into the community, and there are some incredible volunteers out there. So
What people actually do behind the scenes to what whatever it is, putting events together, taking care of others, having a reward for them.
Is so valuable to encourage the community to keep giving back to the community. Would you agree with that, Darryl?
Darryl: We would, ., A hundred percent and more to the point to, you know, like, . Myself . And our other founder, Courtney Smith. So we're, we're in our, shall we say, more senior years of, of this, ., Journey of life and we both country kids, we were brought up in that culture where volunteering wasn't even a word.
It was if you're a part of an organization or a club or whatever it is, and there was something that [00:03:00] needed to be done, you just went and helped. But, so we've stigmatized volunteering to that degree. It's really important to, to appreciate the fact, like, and when you say that there are some amazing people out there, like, I have the best job in the world and I'm just blown away.
Like I think I'm a fairly decent human being. I try hard and then I meet some volunteers. You know, like give you a quick example. The multiple birth Association of Australia. And I hear about them and I go like, one, what is it? And two, so this is, this is, . Women in our community that have had a multiple birth twins, triplets, whatever, who then dedicate their time to helping other women that are going through that process from, . Conception to delivery and then to home.
And it, you just go like, whoa, I didn't even know that there was a thing like that. So it's all these, these sort of background people that, . aren't appreciated. And one of the things that we are trying really hard is to create a [00:04:00] platform and an environment for the next generation. You know, we've talked to Rotary . And Rotary have a look and, and to not, . Offend any Rotarians that may be listening, but they have an archaic ideology.
They've been doing the same thing for decades. And you go, what's your legacy strategy? Like, who is gonna take over? So if there's anything we can do, and I've said this to at the Rotary International Conference a couple of years back, I said to some of 'em now, I said it, it does my head into think an organization as big, uh, and, and as, contributory as Rotary could potentially not exist because their volunteers are getting older.
They haven't got a replacement strategy. So it's not only the current volunteers, it's how do we create a system that then continues that, work that volunteers do.
Host: Yeah. I've always instilled, . In my child as well the importance of giving back in some way. And I've been associated with a [00:05:00] few different charity organizations and seeing the behind the scenes of.
What it takes to actually put on events. Mm-hmm. Or do fundraising. And then I stepped into the head of fundraising role and it's tough. Yeah. Out there. And listen with barter card, you know, we have some amazing opportunities with our charity partners. Yep. But Fire Fly. Why did you partner with Barter Card?
What benefits did you see for being in our network?
Darryl: Yeah, sure. . Having a long term association with, with Bartercard, I've seen all the value that it can add. One of the things that, that really governed that choice was . I've also had the pleasure and the responsibility of being in international sponsorship negotiation for there for about 14 years from local grassroots footy club right through to international motor racing teams with a $14 million budget.
So I've been at both ends of the spectrum. The current sponsorship models that we all [00:06:00] associate, ., Either are overstated or under-prepared or undelivered, which you might get a sponsor involved one lap round. Do you know what I mean? Like, you, you, you get someone that funds. But a lot of the small businesses, the local businesses, the local businesses and the local volunteers are the backbone of every community.
They're being gobbled up already by major corporates, you know? So we're seeing that there is a really tough gig for local businesses to maintain their existence. The corner store is gone because there's an IGA, or there's a Woolworths, or there's a another major. So that parallel says, how do I contribute as a small business person?
The community organizations for not-for-profits to charities that has some value. 'cause sure, the local butcher can give 200 bucks of sausages to the footy club each week, but at some stage he says, I need some return. And, and that was one of the impetus that said, based on my experience with Bartercard, is a lot of the Bartercard members.
[00:07:00] Love to be involved in community, love to give to the community, don't really know how to do it effectively. So there was a real parallel to say the bartercard member who is, is doing great business on a business to business basis, but maybe not necessarily as great in a business to customer basis. All our volunteers are customers like everybody else, like they're, they're a volunteer sector, but they're just mom and dads.
You know, they're, some of them are CEOs that volunteer. Some of 'em are kids that volunteer after they've been through that junior, um, place in, in sport, but they're all consumers. And we think, um, and with no disrespect to any other consumer, but a consumer who's got that philanthropic thought about giving first or giving back is a great customer to have.
So we thought the alignment of the small business operator, the barter card, and a lot of barter card members are. You know, smaller corporations or smaller organizations, smaller businesses, self-owned business, [00:08:00] self-run business, do they have time to do all that marketing and work out where they ca No, not really.
So we introduce a model that says we'll directly introduce you to local customers who are great people because they're all volunteers. So that's where the alignment came from. And also on a national basis, you know, it's far easier for us to deal with one organization like Parta car that has distribution all over Australia than walk down every strip shop and saying, Hey dudes, do you want to advertise to local volunteers?
So it just was a . A. Position where my experience, my understanding of what, . Barter card members are trying to achieve. And you know what, it's one of those other things too. And I think like minds think the same. Well, that's a pretty old oxymoronic statement, isn't it? Like mines do think the same.
Uh, but you've got that. There is a, there is a step out for the local business that joins barter card. There's an innovative approach. They go, I'm happy to try something different. [00:09:00] Butter cut is different to your cash economy. So in that, their innovators to a degree, they've gone, I'm, I'm gonna innovate into a different market.
Mm. So to then step out into another market that says, Hey, because you're entrepreneurial, you're a bit savvy, you help to try things. That we, we, we believe that our platform is a great opportunity for them to, to try, . And use the, the power that they've been able to develop with Barta Card to have exposure to our, our volunteer customers.
Host: That's absolutely amazing.. What are some of the more strategic or innovative ways that you've been able to utilize your trade dollars for Firefly?
Darryl: Oh, well, that's a really good one. And, and for all those people out there that are listening, we would love more, . Barter card trade dollars. . So some of the innovative ways we have, . Straight line funding opportunities for our organizations.
And that's based on the economy of social good and, and on our, what we call our [00:10:00] electric community token structure. And we'll talk about that in a minute. But in, in that, a lot of organizations run events. They run raffles, they run giveaways and charity nights and all those sorts of things. So one of the ways that we've been able to effectively use that is to be able to, to acquire different goods and services from the Barta card community.
Bring that into our platform where our volunteer networks can now exchange that for their ECT tokens. Like we've, we, we did a series of thousand dollar barbecues and to the, the guys that, that put the barbecues into the trade network, thank you so much for that. . That then gave some of the organizations that then exchange their time for those barbecues to be able to put them into auction items and raffle items for their club and raise real.
Real dollars. So they used their time to acquire the barbecues in the first place. We used our leverage position to create the trade so we could acquire the barbecue. So it's a really good ecosystem that says we've got an advertising opportunity that barter card members [00:11:00] can engage in on trade. We use that trade to engage in other opportunities that come up for goods and services.
You know, we've got, one of the other auction items was a barbecue with me. Now I don't know how many of their organizations are excited about that, but it was on a boat with burger, . Boat houses, right? So, so we've got that opportunity where we go, we'd like to think outside the box. . Not that we give ourselves a great deal of credit, but some people like to meet founders of different organizations.
So, and they, it was really good. It was, it was sort of a bit of a, I shouldn't say, but it was a bit of an ego boost that, that our, our volunteer community went, yeah, we'll bring some volunteers and have a Barbie on the boat with Darryl for the day. So it's those things about creating some difference.
Mm-hmm. , Butter Carter has got some unbelievable traders that can create some unique experiences that volunteers might not ever think about engaging in. ., Whether that's from a cashflow position or a time position. So we try and be as creative as possible with the opportunities that are presented to us.
And the barter card team is fantastic. Renee is fantastic [00:12:00] at,. I get some insight and leverage because I'm a, I'm a VIP partner, so she rings up and goes, Hey listen, we've got this. I go, we'll take it. Great. And that stuff just goes straight into our community and our volunteer audience goes, that's awesome.
So,
Host: well, we love having you as a partner. And we also love giving back to the community as well with our sponsorships and partnerships and things like. That, what would you say to a business owner who maybe does have that social conscience and they want to be able to give back more? Sure. Should they consider being a barter card member and why?
Darryl: Oh, look, a hundred percent, especially in today's economy, you know, . Everyone is in that competitive mindset of how do I, . Grow my business over somebody else that's doing the same thing, you know, talking to, . Some personal trainers. And . Back in my professional, . Soccer playing days, there was probably three personal trainers in Shep is like 180,000 personal trainers now.[00:13:00]
So how do you get that competitive edge compared to the rest of the noise? It's in the marketplace. Bar Cut is a great cut through for those businesses and to be able to use all your resources all the time. You know, we had at, at one time, and we'll work on this and I'm happy to work on it together with the, the team at Barta Card.
We had movie tickets. And when you think about the logic, so I've got a cinema, I've got 300 seats, and in any given time I might sell 200 tickets. Mm. Now that's a time lapse revenue. You, you can't make the time, they can't make the revenue on the seats that were in the last session, someone's either got a bum on that seat and has paid for it.
They haven't. So when you think about that, you go, if I've got spare seats, you know, a lot of people do it in Broadway, they do it all. I mean, it's called the five minute Call. A lot of people will line up at a Broadway show wanting to get a ticket. They then come out and say, we have 12 seats. Who wants a ticket?
So, so you [00:14:00] can run that model, but it gives the cinema then the opportunity to, to capitalize. On the session, golf course is the same. So all of those businesses that have abundant stock or abundant time, if you are not thinking about trade, then you're not thinking about your business. It's just, I absolutely
Host: love that.
And it's the same, like if we look at most businesses occupancy rate. Mm-hmm. How many beds have not slept in a hundred
Darryl: percent
Host: in a motel? Yeah. Like being able to fill them up and then utilizing that to reduce your cash expenses as well. Mm-hmm. It's not just about getting business. Sure. It's about utilizing your spare capacity and turning that into more of a cash profit.
Yeah. And we are really trying to educate the business community on that, so,
Darryl: so for anyone out there that wants an opportunity to engage with. Directly with cash customers, and we're talking about trader to trader, we're talking about to the Firefly members who are volunteers and they're just normal [00:15:00] consumers like anybody else, but they're cash customers to any business.
So we created a partnership by which barter card is paying for barter card members to advertise and offer to our community without them paying any cost for three months on a and shall we say, and not to be CRAs, but a suck it and see. Does the volunteer audience respond to your offer with no cost upfront for the local businesses?
So for any Barta Card member, like I said, if you don't believe me, ring Andrew. It's never happened in Barta card's history 'cause Barta Card really appreciate the value that Firefly is trying to bring to the community and to the barter card members. We want the services that Barter card have for our volunteers to enjoy.
We want to be able to create a, a good sound economic relationship to make sure it's profitable for the small business, make sure it's valuable for the volunteer. And in that we have this circular economy where it just keeps [00:16:00] growing and growing and growing. So that's the offer that you're gonna see. And you've heard of, and Renee, I know Renee's pushed it out and we've had some, some opportunities, but we're really excited now, . About opening that door for our BARTA card members to.
To be able to do that. And if it's successful and it works for you, then because Firefly is a barter card member and you wanna continue that campaign with us, then it's all on trade.
Host: Darl. Look, thank you so much for being here with us today and sharing about Firefly Initiative. Sure. . If you wanna get in contact with Daryl, you can find Firefly in the directory.
In Barter card. Sure. Or look them up and have a look at the amazing things that they're doing. They've got some amazing stats on their website and they're really making a huge difference to volunteers out there. That's right. So thank you so much for being here, and I'm sure we will have another conversation with you on the podcast soon.
Darryl: Yeah, no problem. Thank you.
Host: Thank you for being with us today and sharing your. Stories and expertise. If you [00:17:00] wanna find out how Barter card can help your business, or if you wanna be a guest on our future podcast, contact our team at hello@bartercard.com. Make sure you tune in for our next episode of the Barter Edge.