Retail entrepreneur Sarah Reynolds is co-owner of ITEX (International Trade Exchange) that is located at 6116 North College Avenue, Suite #2.

She described ITEX barter/trade exchange concept: "We work with various types of small and medium size businesses to sell excess merchandise. We help plumbers fill the gaps in their schedules and help restaurants fill empty tables in exchange for things they need for their business. Our members pay in ITEX dollars where companies can pay for purchases they need. The customers pay in ITEX dollars when they go into their ITEX account. With the way the economy has been, we're grown pretty rapidly. We send businesses new clients and help them offset cash expenses. Those are the two main functions of our company. It gives companies a way to buy in at the cost of the service or at the wholesale cost of their product," she explained.

For example, when ITEX customers visit a restaurant, they can create word of mouth advertising. "We send them new business in addition to their cash business and that helps them keep their cash in their bank. We've created a good deal of exposure for businesses. Our members do a lot of connecting with each other. It seems to be a great situation for a lot of businesses. Our main focus is Indianapolis. We also help people plan their vacations. They call us with general information, like if they're looking for a bed & breakfast. I even had a customer rent out a villa in Malaga, Spain that sits on the Mediterranean Sea that another customer uses. We can advertise locally and nationwide," Ms. Reynolds emphasized.

Her mom, Vickie, is also her business partner. She operates an ITEX office at 413 7th Street, Suite #2 in Columbus, Indiana and can be reached at (812) 314-0092.

"She was a client of another company for a long time and started a franchise. I was living in Tennessee at the time, working in a flower shop in Nashville and moved home. I've always worked in retail and grew up working in her stores that included the Mockingbird and Reynolds Leather," she said. Ms. Reynolds (a Brown County native who grew up in Nashville) has seen her career blossom after returning to Indiana. A certified massage therapist, she prefers a hands-on business environment. "I'm really most comfortable working in sales and retail business, which was prefect to transition into becoming an ITEX franchisee," she noted.

Her career move has proven successful as the ITEX Broad Ripple office has received numerous accolades in recent years. They were recognized as a $2 million dollar club in 2007 and a $3 million dollar club in 2008. In addition to receiving a president's club award in 2009 and 2010, they were ranked #1 in new member enrollment and #2 in new growth those same years while generating $4 million dollars and $5 million dollars, respectively. "The million dollar club awards are for the dollar amount of transactions we posted that year for our members," she said.

ITEX presence is visible with her building tenants: "Chad Brittian of NVS Design is one of my members next door. Jeff Lee of Geft Outdoor Advertising and my landlord are also members. This office has been open for two years, but ITEX has been in Indianapolis for about six years," Ms. Reynolds mentioned.

The ITEX van is a mobile marking tool driven by Ms. Reynolds around town that creates customer awareness. People ask her questions about the company and she conveys the company's mission to them.

Sharing information with other ITEX offices around the country benefits both customers and businesses alike. "If a California jeweler is selling diamonds, any ITEX member can sign in (to their account) and buy from other members throughout the U.S. and Canada," Ms. Reynolds said. "We do a lot of searching and finding things our clients need. We can be a referral resource in finding general contractors, party rentals and vacation properties. Our clients look to us for things they need in their businesses and in their personal lives. It something different we do everyday," she added.

"Our business is done more so in person. We also have our website (www.itex.com) and we advertise items as they become available for members. If they're looking for new furniture or a vacation property, we shop for them. Our fees are based as a percentage of the transactions. If our members aren't trading, we're not getting paid," she said. Interested consumers can also visit the website to learn more about joining ITEX members, which is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington.

ITEX business environment continues trending upward in a slow economy as Ms. Reynolds explains: "We do a lot of trading here in Indianapolis. We're currently running about seventh place among all ITEX brokerages. Nationally, there are about 30,000 ITEX members and about 95 franchises. In the Indianapolis area, there are a little under 500 members and we do about $500,000 in cashless transactions on a monthly basis. It's nice because if a property management company has empty space, rather than have that empty space there, why not have an ITEX member rent that space and use ITEX dollars where they would usually use cash, like property management and advertising? There aren't many office buildings at full capacity right now so why not have somebody who is a member move in and use their ITEX dollars where they normally use cash?" she suggested.

"Our regular office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. I have people call me all the time. (ITEX number is 722-0537.) We are working on a separate website (currently under development), but our corporate website has more information. We do a lot with advertising (magazines, billboard, and radio) and work with restaurants, contractors of all types, dentists, vehicles (cars and vans) repair, some furniture merchants and appliances. I have a mobile auto mechanic who can repair customer cars on site," she said.

A customer who recently moved to Boston after a brief stay in Florida was looking for an auto mechanic. Ms. Reynolds was the driving force in locating one for him. Meeting customer needs by surpassing geographic boundaries enables her to link business services and products in real-time to people who need them.

Sarah and Vickie Reynolds are connecting customers to the marketplace in a new retailing era at their ITEX offices in Columbus and Broad Ripple.