286: How Black Founders Can Use Bartering to Stretch Resources & Build Stronger Businesses w/ Nicole Murphy

If you have ever looked at your to do list and thought, “I know what my business needs next, I just do not have the money for it yet,” this episode will feel familiar. Stretching resources is not about cutting corners, it is about making smart decisions in a system where Black founders often have to do more with less.

For many Black entrepreneurs, building a business means navigating limited access to capital, smaller margins for error, and the pressure to figure everything out on your own. That reality can slow growth and lead to burnout, even when the vision is clear. This episode speaks directly to that experience and introduces bartering as a practical way to keep moving forward without waiting on funding, grants, or permission.

Joining us for this conversation is Nicole Murphy, founder of Barter Black®, a tech platform and community designed to help Black entrepreneurs exchange products and services using trade credits instead of cash. Nicole shares how the pandemic revealed just how fragile many Black businesses were when income stopped overnight, and why she believes collaboration and structure are essential to building stronger, more sustainable businesses. This conversation focuses on how bartering can be used intentionally to stretch resources, protect your value, and build support around your business in a way that actually works.

DURING THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

• What bartering really means in a business context and how it differs from favors

• How Black founders can use bartering to stretch limited resources without lowering their value

• How to identify skills, products, or resources you already have that others need

• What to clarify upfront so bartering stays professional and respectful

• How to protect your time and relationships when exchanging value

• How to think through when bartering makes sense and when paying is the better move

Don’t miss out on the resources mentioned in this episode by checking out the show notes at blacktobusiness.com/286

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