Member Spotlights

Ken Vedder
National Binding Supplies & Equipment
North Aurora, Illinois

"The key to barter is to turn your trade dollars into cash-purchasing power.. With IMS it's practically infinite - anything we used to buy with cash we can now buy with trade dollars. Our broker is great. She works hard for us. Almost anything we need, she finds. The biggest advantage to bartering is getting new business from people who otherwise would not have heard of our company."

John Ferrara

Vanguard Glass Block

Rochester, New York



"My business has significantly increased profits by offering product and service to the IMS barter network. We also established a new marketplace in a neighboring state without ever having to go there – my broker worked with another broker and new business from a new marketplace came to me. I’m telling everyone about IMS."

Laura and Ken Oxley
E.L. Bailer Indoor Advertising
Wichita, Kansas

"Joining IMS was one of the best business decisions that we ever made. As a small business we are always looking for ways to expand our customer base, increase revenue, reduce expenses and cash outlay, and increase profit without taking on additional debt. IMS has helped us accomplish all of those objectives."

Caren Petersen
A Muse Gallery
Creative Masonry Concepts
Columbus, Ohio

"Barter allows people to purchase items they may not otherwise spend cash on. It's like a whole separate marketing department, working with a different currency, creating new business for your business. And IMS is great to work with as a staff and as a company - friendly, concerned, and dedicated to personal service."

Ron Maier
KENRON Industrial Air Conditioning
Rochester, New York

"As an HVAC contractor our inventory is our manpower. IMS allows us to utilize our manpower fully, even when the cash side of our business is slow."

Teno Garcia
San Jose Auto Service Inc.
Waukegan, Illinois

"One good thing I learned about trade was that trade brings new customers to our garage that we would never be able to bring in if we weren't doing trade. And even better, we can keep our technicians busy when we are slow."

Linda Scholz
Something’s Brewing
Oak Park, Illinois

"The best things are the expenses that you pay with barter dollars over and over again."

Michael Zygiel

Federal Telephone & Communications

West Bridgewater, Massachusetts

"Barter is AWESOME. We love it! Our first thought, whenever we have a purchase to make for the office, is to check the IMS on-line directory. If we don't find the item that our company needs there, we contact our trade broker, who has always been able to assist us. We have spent our IMS trade dollars on copiers, printers, letterhead, business cards, truck lettering, business and personal travel, employee incentives, customer appreciation gifts and charitable donations. And to top it all off, IMS' travel department booked accommodations for us in Europe!!! Great stuff ... "

Mark LeJeune
Web-Link Technologies
Columbus, Ohio

"We are very pleased to be affiliated with IMS. It has not only opened us up to new accounts, but has developed a much more loyal customer base than seen outside of IMS."

Jeff Johnson
Color Impressions
Wichita, Kansas

"Color Impressions joined IMS primarily to help increase printing sales, in exchange for the opportunity to utilize some of the many services that were offered on barter. We never realized it would develop into as much as it has. After more than three years of membership, it has become one of our best advertising and marketing tools. It has helped cultivate those new sales and personal relationships that all entrepreneurs strive to get."

Kathy Kelly
Kelly Cleaning Services, Inc.
Warrenville, Illinois

"I love barter and my kids love it. The first year barter was a little scary for me, thinking that it was not working out. I wasn’t good at it like I am now. I didn’t know all the avenues - how to spend it. Into my second year I was getting better and better at it, and now we spend faster than I can make it."

Ted Gardner
Ted’s Toys
Cincinnati, Ohio

"I’m always happy to welcome trade customers to my store. I have gained new customers that I normally would not have had if I had not been involved with the barter industry. I mainly use my earned trade dollars for travel expenses, and internal office supplies and materials."

Frane Franicevic
Sunce Winery
Santa Rosa, California

"As you might expect, wonderful things come in small packages. We’ve found incredible benefits from IMS for our family and business."

Ron Kohl
K-Kom, Inc.
Lannon, Wisconsin

"My broker at IMS is great... He’s like another sales person for me. I’ve been a member for years because IMS has taken the time to understand my business, and taken the time to show me how I can best use them. People willing to take the time - you don’t find that easily out there these days. I spend our trade on anything we spend cash on. For instance, accounting is a big one."

Gary Cole
Blue Duck Catering, Inc.
Oak Park, Illinois

"I’ve used my trade dollars for computer equipment, telephones, a fireplace surround, landscaping at home, gift baskets for the holidays, t-shirts, caps, screen printing, barbeque grills, gifts for clients, vacation packages, and restaurant scrip. I’ve also used barter money to go on vacations, pay for travel and accommodations at catering conventions, and to purchase vehicles. What were initially all trade transactions later brought in, through word of mouth, cash customers."

Todd Ruedt
Grounds Maintenance Services, LLC
New Berlin, Wisconsin

"IMS has allowed me to grow my personal and business activities. My broker has brought me a new stream of revenue that I could have never received without being involved with the barter system. The communication she provides allows me to keep cash in my pocket and expand my business activity."

Todd Winkler
Holiday Inn & Suites
Madison, Wisconsin

"We started with IMS when we owned one hotel, and now have eleven. They have been a fabulous business partner for moving unsold inventory. Each time we buy and build another hotel, we add IMS as another marketing dimension for the hotel."

Bill Drexel
Pampas Churrascaria
Las Vegas, Nevada

"I like the cost savings of barter for other services. There is a true savings in using barter."

David Upton
Glastonbury Inflatables & Party Rental
Glastonbury, Connecticut

"I think of IMS as my mentor, allowing me to purchase goods and services I normally couldn’t afford to pay for in cash, and then work off that debt through the bartering of my goods and services. No other membership or organization works for me in that way. IMS is directly responsible for allowing me to grow my business faster than I could have done without it!"

Renee Hitt
Merle Norman Cosmetics
Brookfield, Wisconsin

"Radio advertising is a great way to get my message out to my customers and to let new customers know what Merle Norman is all about.. The ability to use barter dollars for advertising is my main motivation for belonging to IMS. Even though there are other Merle Norman studios in the Milwaukee market, the advertising I do with my IMS barter membership makes mine the most recognized among them. "

Jim McClelland
Mack Industries
Tinley Park, Illinois

"Quite frankly, being
on trade has got me lines of supply I wouldn’t have got otherwise. Having a wide variety of IMS vendors to purchase from makes buying almost anything a walk in the park compared to twenty years ago."

Jayne Hayes
Body & Sol Salon, Inc.
Barrington, Illinois

"Joining IMS has been one of the most important business decisions I have made since opening Body & Sol in March 2004. We've developed a growing base of IMS clients, who have in turn referred friends, family, acquaintances or employees to Body & Sol who in turn have become long term cash clients. Over the years, I have developed a habit of searching the IMS website for everything I need before considering spending cash for both professional and personal expenses. The resources available to IMS members (your broker, the website, the Marketplace, the Trademart, the Expos) are outstanding! I plan to be an IMS member forever."

Jerry Ewy
Docuplex Printing
Wichita, Kansas

"Trade makes business sense for us. Trade allows us to use our workforce at near capacity. We are able to use trade for a wide variety of products and services for both business and personal use. We use trade nearly everyday."

Dick Horist
Creative Lithocraft
Schaumburg, Illinois

"Barter does have a tendency to create networking for you. It can lead you to another client who doesn't have an interest in barter, but who can become a cash client. I find that our broker is working really, really hard to get me something I can use."

Gary Martin
Harmony Press
San Jose, California

"I have been a member of IMS since 1992. It has allowed me to consistently add 10% per year in new business to my overall sales."

Trista Negele
Trista Negele MD
Elm Grove Village, Illinois

"It's the accountability factor that I like - using an IMS client to do a job and knowing that the client is reputable with a good track record, and ultimately answerable to IMS if the job is not done right. I frequently spend quality time on the IMS website, evaluating barter businesses and services. As my practice earns more barter dollars, and with it referrals to non-barter patients paying cash, I have expanded my use of barter purchases in my private and professional life."

David Kaminsky
David A. Kaminsky, P.C.
New York, New York

"I have been trading for about five years, and it just keeps getting better and better. On trade I get clothing, jewelry, restaurants, travel, dental work, furniture, carpets, show tickets, spa services, office equipment and supplies, and more. I also get customers that I would not have had if I weren't an IMS member. My trade broker is very helpful. I highly recommend becoming a member."

Dan Fahrner
Sybaris
Arlington Heights, Illinois

"IMS has been a great vehicle to move unsold room-nights at our five all-suite hotels. We use this financial resource to expand our media budget and bring in more cash business."

Michael Wolf
Bloomfield Bicycle
Bloomfield, Connecticut

"My needs are quite extensive as you can imagine, being an owner of six retail stores. I use barter for everything from carpeting to the alarm systems in my stores. I purchased signage and even my desks and chairs through IMS."

Joe Gallenberger
Warpdrive Music
Brookfield, Wisconsin

"When you are in a retail business there is nothing better than word of mouth advertising. IMS has gotten me trade and cash business I would have never had if I didn't accept their card."

Ken Molinari
Tuffy Auto Service Centers
Gahanna, Ohio

"I have been with IMS for three years now, and it continues to bring me new clients month after month. I plan on continuing IMS for many years to come! My personal IMS broker makes it easy and is very helpful and proactive in helping me find the goods and services that I need on trade. IMS also has a tremendous list of members that I have been able to utilize, not only locally, but across the country."

Jim Fucini
Old Yankee Painting
Plainville, Connecticut

"When my crew is on a barter job and puts out our job site sign, neighbors of that barter client come and ask for quotes for their houses. We wouldn’t have gotten these cash referrals if we hadn’t been on that barter job. IMS brings me new cash business - period!"

Bob Bode
Saluto's Restaurant
Gurnee, Illinois

"IMS has brought us many new customers since 1990 that have since developed into regular diners at our restaurant. This strong and reliable word-of-mouth advertising has also brought us more new cash customers."

Jim Jacobs
Howard Displays Inc.
Highland Park, Illinois

"People in trade for the long haul know its potential and what it can do."

Gary Plumlee
UNLV Director of Luxury Seating
Las Vegas, Nevada

"Barter rewards me with diversification. I call my IMS broker with a request and it's taken care of promptly. Their record keeping and monthly updates are very accurate, and I never have to worry about keeping track of my purchases. I use barter to benefit my Sponsors, Luxury Suite and Club Seat owners with golf tournament items, dinners, gifts, etc. Barter gives me many options and opportunities."

Rick Walker
Anchor Printing
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

"IMS keeps my presses running when we have unscheduled printing press work, and I contact them for all my buying needs before I spend cash."

Rich Wohn
Fireside Restaurant
Chicago, Illinois

"I use trade every chance I get. The only time that trade would not be needed is if you never had any more seats to fill. To quit trade just because you're doing well now would be short-sighted."

Johnny Eagle
Paragon Printing
Chattanooga, Tennessee

"Paragon Printing opened for business in 2003, and IMS Barter is responsible for helping get started successfully. Paragon Printing has used IMS Barter for office furniture, equipment, phone systems, computer networking, web design, travel, computer equipment, and more. IMS Barter works well for Paragon Printing, and can work well for any business that is interested in their bottom line. "

Dan Teldeschi
F. Teldeschi Winery
Healdsburg, California

"Booking travel through the IMS Travel Department was really easy. The staff is very knowledgeable and willing to explain everything to you and even help you make decisions on which resorts to vacation at. They kept me well informed of the booking process of how things were going in a timely fashion. It was the first time I've travelled using IMS and I can't wait to take another vacation."

David Hearld
Profit-Tell
Hinsdale, Illinois

"I truly believe that barter has consistently gained us business we would not have had without it. We have found ways to spend barter money on everything that we buy, and that is an art form."

Lynne Smith
Above & Beyond Corporate Gifts
Wichita, Kansas

"I was somewhat skeptical about bartering my products. Now, I have a difficult time writing a check without first calling my IMS broker to see if we can buy it on trade. I have no difficulty spending my account, from glasses for the family, hotel stays, dry cleaning, dining, printing for the business - the list goes on. And the IMS staff is so helpful."

Dan Falotico
Budget Printers
Hartford, Connecticut

"Bartering has been very profitable for us. It enables us to buy goods and services that we ordinarily wouldn’t because cash flow is tight at a particular time of year. So when we have to do things and the business demands it, it’s nice to be able to go to IMS."

Jeff Lerner
Viamedia
Naperville, Illinois

"I have been an IMS member for fifteen years. They have been a valuable resource in giving Viamedia the ability to gain new advertisers while offsetting some of our regular business expenses. I have had a lot of success locating items for which Viamedia would normally pay cash. At the same time, we are securing advertisers that may not have had the cash budget to do the schedule they needed."

Leesa Hovey
Truax & Hovey
Liverpool, New York

"New customers find us through our membership in IMS, and we use the trade dollars we earn from them to buy advertising to reach even more new customers. It’s a great business relationship."

Larry Rother
Coffee News
Louisville, Kentucky

"My advertising spaces are like plane seats. They are flying whether there is anybody there or not. IMS customers fill my seat, and provide me with products and services I need, saving me cash."

Anthony Grasso
Hot Spring Spas
Carson City, Nevada

"I like the freedom to be able to pick and choose the variety of barter for my business and personal needs. IMS is a no-hassle and enjoyable program."

Bradley Ozinsky
Bradley's Jewelers
Liverpool, New York

"I'm more than happy with barter. It brings in new customers, providing incremental business that helps me pay for both business and personal expenses."

Myrna O’Reilly
O’Reilly Media
Wheeling, Illinois

"Barter people bring in cash people. You have to treat trade clients like you want to be treated on the other end. Everyone needs cash to survive in the business world, and the trade is the gravy."

Joe Novacek
Novacek Automotive
Wichita, Kansas

"Barter through IMS has been one of the best business decisions I made. As a member I have been able to substantially grow my customer base. Also, the level of service I receive impresses me. The brokers are extremely helpful and respond promptly. I tell people that bartering my services through IMS not only helps me make money, but also help me spend it - with good advice on products, services, and availability from other IMS members."