SwapStories is a collaborative and interactive newsletter for sharing weekly stories of individuals and businesses on Swaptime that have successfully collaborated. Swaptime is a software tool that helps creators build more efficiently by allowing them to swap skills they require to grow with other users in the community. The usefulness of Swaptime can be found here. This offers a solution-driven platform where anyone with a skill can connect with other like-minded talented people to solve mutual customer pains.
Despite the numerous limitations in getting from point A to B while growing a personal or professional brand; knowledge, skills & talent are abundant, and these can be leveraged to increase the chances of success for all parties involved.
As we continue to test and grow, we are glad to introduce SwapStories.
The first case study features the luxury fashion brand Divalukky and Nwando for social media content for both their brands.
Divalukky is a Luxury fashion house and brainchild of designer, Anita Chialuka who is very passionate about fashion and art. Growing up, Anita knew she had an aesthetic eye and an unconventional approach concerning fashion when she saw herself deconstructing dresses and engaging machinists to sew them into creative, intricate patterns and forms. Inspired by artistic structures around her and empowering iconic, her goal has always been, to make strong women feel sexy and empowered simultaneously while wearing her designs. Anita’s love for art, well-constructed dresses and elaborate designs discovered during different phases of her life, greatly influenced Divalukky aesthetics.
Nwando Ebeledike is a multi-passionate creative and the founder of Swaptime. She believes in the future of collaboration as a tool for growth. Her success in all her entrepreneurial pursuits can be traced to collaborations at one point or another with other skilled creatives & entrepreneurs. She is a firm believer in the magic that can potentially be created when two like-minded dreamers come together to create something brilliant! Using her experience in building communities around a shared vision, Nwando wants to encourage and inspire freelancers, creatives & small businesses owners to collaborate, learn and grow together in the process.
Swaptime between Divalukky & Nwando
When asked about the greatest benefit of matching and swapping skills on Swaptime, Anita said ‘I loved the fact that expectations were set from the beginning – We agreed to 1 hour of time & 3 designs to shoot. I will definitely be using Swaptime again to find designers, pattern cutters and any skill that will be useful in further growing my brand’.
The Swaptime mission is to aid mutual personal and professional growth through collaboration. We look forward to sharing more SwapStories with our community!
At Swaptime, we are working to make building a collaborative process.
What is Swaptime?
Swaptime is a software tool that helps creators build more efficiently by allowing them to swap skills they require to grow.
Swaptime is a two-sided trade by barter marketplace that enables users to trade their skills with one another without using money as a form of value exchange. I believe that if creators come together as a community to leverage skills that we have mastered; we can collaborate to grow faster and make a difference in the way we work and live. Building products should be accessible to every creator regardless of geographical location or economic background and they should be able to contribute their value to creating impactful and life changing products. That’s where Swaptime comes in! We are creating a platform that will connect businesses and users that want to complete projects through skill-based exchanges.
As a first time small business owner years ago, Swaptime is a product that would have helped me to grow faster. The Swaptime mission is sustainable and impactful growth though creative collaboration. The vision is to provide tools that allow creatives and entrepreneurs to scale with collaboration and innovation, by connecting them directly to a global network of partners looking for specific skill sets. Swaptime is the smart solution for connecting talents globally in order to tackle unsolved business problems, find opportunities and create mutually beneficial solutions.
As a millennial and gen z founder; we learn to wear so many hats to get our businesses and brands from point A to B. In the 5 years that I have grown businesses or worked as a consultant for startups, I have learnt no-code development, product design, business planning, strategy, market research, graphic design, photography, content creation and community management to name a few. While I grew my businesses organically without the assistance of venture capitalists or investors; I still had to sacrifice time and income to take on the responsibilities of owning and growing my own businesses; taking years to grow because of lack of access to capital. What if we could trade the skills we have already developed and mastered for the skills that we need to grow further without investing additional income? That is the idea behind Swaptime. Here is a list of 10 Must-Have Skills to Exchange on Swaptime Today
How does Swaptime work?
As we continue to focus on market research, testing, building and iterating while bootstrapping, we have created an MVP that allows freelancers and businesses to collaborate and grow faster. Please join our waitlist on Swaptime – to create a profile which will consist of your contact information, the skills you have, and also the skills you need to grow. We will manually match you with a Swaptimmer who has the skills you need. Once value has been determined; then the project can start. We have designed the platform for ease of use and clarity on what to expect when submitting a project and collaborating with a Swaptimmer.
The final product we are building will use Artificial Intelligence to match skills and provide a list of potential swaptimmers to match the right skill to the right project in real time. Value is always determined by the two people or businesses swapping skills. Once value has been negotiated and accepted as equal, the project begins with a set timeline. At the end of the project, we will have a rating for both ourselves and the other groups involved. Both parties will be notified of the final rating and will also be able to rate each other for future tasks.
Why is Swaptime necessary?
Community is recession proof. If the currency gets devalued, and there is an ongoing recession that leads to high interest rates, increased cost of living crisis, reduced access to loans and VC funds – we can and should look to community. In times of economic strife, ingenuity thrives. Businesses must evolve to become more robust and independent than ever before; to prove viability in an impactful way. At Swaptime, we believe in the power of communities and collaboration.
As a thank you for being a supporter in what we are building, early users get 3 months free once we launch. Swaptime will adopt a subscription model for access to the platform upon a successful launch. Although details have yet to be decided, we will adopt a fair and flexible pricing plan that makes it easy to access the platform and access the skills you need to grow.
We would love you to be a part of our start up journey. To sign up to join our community of creators – please visit Swaptime and start growing today!
There are a few ways to support as we grow in public – please follow our social media channels for updates on Instagram and Twitter.We will also have a way for you to give direct feedback as we develop our product and take our community to the next level!
Thank you and we look forward to the future of Swaptime with you!
Have you wondered about doing a skill swap and exchanging a skill? Or have you ever been stuck with a challenging issue that you can not figure out because it is not your field of expertise?
Here we explain how you can grow your business with skill exchange.
Every one of us has a skill or a particular knowledge that can be of great value and benefit to others. These skills can come in handy on a platform like Swaptime. Swaptime is a function of reciprocity that allows you to offer your skills to others in the ecosystem in exchange for their expertise.
So, instead of spending considerable time trying to figure out a problem that is not in your field, Swaptime is a great way to get jobs done efficiently, and you get to save costs in the process.
We will match you with profiles based on experience, background, and interest, and in turn, you will make meaningful connections that can help you achieve your goals.
So, if you find yourself stuck on a task you could be better off outsourcing to someone else, here are some skills you can trade for the skills you need on Swaptime. Please note the list of skills to exchange here is not limited to what you can get or offer.
Let us get started on them.
10 SKILLS TO EXCHANGE ON SWAPTIME
1. Copywriting
Anyone can take a blank page to write down anything, but not everyone has the skill to write persuasive and compelling copy that will spur people to take action.
Copywriting is a professional skill that involves developing and creating advertisements across various brands; those who have this skill are called Copywriters. They possess a range of skills in addition to their writing skills that include different content types—like marketing materials, digital and print content— and communication skills, creative thinking, technical skills, research skills and more.
Copywriters may have content writing skills, but not all content writers have copywriting skills. Both skills are different from each other.
Swaptime Copywriter
2. Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is vast, which is why there is a plethora of knowledge about electronic marketing.
Marketing skills are now an essential part of most businesses. However, to remain relevant in the field and competitive, a Digital Marketer needs to have the most important digital skills. Skills like SEO, SEM, Content Marketing, Data Analytics, Copywriting, Social Media Advertising, PPC, and Email Marketing are invaluable in marketing.
Digital marketing can be complicated if you do not have the skills and talent.
3. Web Development
Web developers are at the digital age’s front end (pun not intended). The websites we browse, the E-Commerce platform we order stuff from, and the news updates we get online are all made possible with the expertise of web developers who design and build the websites.
Their blend of skills involves Creative Thinking, Project Management, Responsive design, HTML/CSS, Analytical skills, Responsive design skills, JavaScript skills, Interpersonal skills, Testing and debugging skills, and Back-end basics.
4. Photography
They say, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, and we couldn’t agree more. Imagine some of the favourite things you’ve purchased after seeing a visual representation of them. Would you have bought them without images of the product? A book cover or a snapshot on a food delivery app. ?. Photographers tell multitudes of stories that captivate a viewer and have them begging for more.
5. Influencer Marketing
Influencers are thought leaders in a particular field with a knack for persuading and shaping the opinions of their target audience. Influencers are essentially the face of the internet because they help drive consumers to your business or campaign. As a result, many companies count on them for success. So, what if you could swap a skill with an influencer? Well, now you can.
Swaptime Influencer
6. Content Writing
Content writers have become one of the most sought talents on the internet. They cut across even the unsuspecting sectors such as pharma. They help you convey your message by crafting it in a way that appeals to your audience and keeps them engaged.
7. Graphic Designing
To start with, Graphic Designing combines art and technology to create visuals that solve problems by employing the use and composition of colours, typography, imagery, and form to communicate ideas. The best logos and flyers are often love at first sight for a significant portion of your consumers, a delicate invitation to engage with you to see where it leads you.
8. Video Editing
Video editing can be time-consuming and requires a great deal of expertise. Yet, it’s an integral part of modern-day marketing because it links images and sounds to create an emotional feel. The outcome of your video can either make or mar the message you want to communicate. That is, using a professional for your video editing is appropriate.
9. Fashion Designing
A fashion designer brings your imaginative sketches to life. Behind every fashion icon is a talented designer that can visualise the aesthetics they sought to create. So, define the moment you’re dressing for and let Swaptime do the magic of actualising your dream fit by pairing you with the right person.
10. 3D Animation
3D Animation takes digital bjects and brings them to life through motion and movement. This is useful across various industries like film, education, fashion, architecture, marketing, arts and gaming amongst others. An animation allows you to see your idea in motion and is a great marketing tool.
We would love to hear from you. Please tell us what skills to exchange you want to see on Swaptime in the comment box below.
Swaptime 3D Animator
Do not forget to register on Swaptimeto get to swapping!
As humans, our time is as valuable as money. That’s why the metaphor “time is money” is as true as steel.
That being said, it is a thrilling experience when your time is fetching you tons of money, particularly if you are rendering your services to a business.
However, the same can’t be said when you are the one paying for someone else’s time – especially if you are a start up or want to grow your business.
This is because not everyone who desires to start or grow a business has the absolute financial capacity to launch. While some may have the funds to establish a business from start to finish, others may not be in that same box. This in turn may cause the business to lag behind, and fail to launch on projected date. As the various economies worldwide prepare to enter or are already in recession, the time to go back to community is now.
If you fall in the category of the latter who wants to launch or start a business, this article is the good news you’ve been waiting for. Remember we established that “time is money” from the first paragraph of this article. The interesting part you are yet to figure is, time is also a currency you can use to grow your business on Swaptime. Now, before you ask how you can use your time to grow your business, first, we’ll explain what Swaptime is. Shall we?
So what is Swaptime?
Swap time with web designers on Swaptime
Swaptime is a service exchange community for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, Startups, and Small Business Owners where anyone can exchange skills they have for skills they need.
How Swaptime Works
Here is how Swaptime works and connects you to the skill services you need:
You head on to Swaptime, upload the skills you have and the skill services you need to be rendered to you or your business.
Swaptime will then match and connect you to the service you need, as your profile will be shared with other people who are interested in the skill you offer, and vice versa.
You will have the option to review the profiles that show interest in swapping skills with you. So when you accept the offer, you can proceed to swap skills with the profile you chose.
For instance, if you are a UI/UX designer that needs a technical writer for content, You will get a list of technical writers that are looking to swap skills with UI/UX designers and you can pick based on profiles of people that interest you most. Or say you’re an influencer looking for fashionable clothes to grow your personal brand, and there’s a fashion designer out there looking for an influencer to create content for the brand; the app connects you both and you swap your skills for his or hers instead of paying with money.
How to Grow your business with Skill exchange
The good thing about growing your business with skill exchange or swaptime is that it eliminates the process of having to incur additional costs that could be useful to other areas of your business. Additionally, you get to use your time and skill as a currency to grow your business.
Swap time with photographers on Swaptime
Asides that, growing a business and transforming it into a successful enterprise requires more than passion. It also demands workin both hard & smart, perseverance, and expertise in your field. As an ingredient for success, you need to be proficient in a set of fundamental skills that businesses require to thrive.
Equally,it is also important to know from the onset what skills you have, what skills you need to learn, and most importantly, the skills you need to delegate to others.
There are some important skills you will need to grow your business, but if that skill is the one you lack, you can decide to learn these skills over a period of time yourself, or you can exchange that time with your skill for an expert in such specific areas of skill that you need.
That way, you don’t have to go overboard with finances that could help in growing other areas of your business and you can connect with a community of builders with similar values.
On a final note, one of the most important hacks in propelling your business is Delegation. Knowing what and when to delegate is very crucial to the success of a business.
Of course, it can be a challenging decision to make when it comes to delegating duties or skills you don’t have to others who are good at it. This is especially true for most first timers starting a business.
Remember that growth is important, and you can put that time into focusing on the big picture instead of spending countless hours trying to learn that skill so you can do the job yourself.
You are not doing your business a favor by denying it the right expertise and growth it needs. So, don’t be afraid to delegate the parts you are not an expert on.
