Trading Lessons from Renaissance Merchants

We unlock the secrets of Renaissance-era business strategies and discover how 16th-century merchants mastered networking, marketing, and creative value exchange long before modern B2B concepts existed.

• Medieval merchants created powerful visual branding with storefront symbols that became the precursors to modern logos
• Professional "criers" served as human billboards, offering free samples while chanting slogans—the original product demonstrations
• Guilds functioned as exclusive B2B networks, setting quality standards, fixing prices, and offering healthcare and retirement benefits
• Renaissance fairs were the original trade shows, featuring international merchants, experiential marketing, and on-the-spot deal financing
• Multi-party barter chains allowed merchants to trade globally without cash, using reputation-backed bills of exchange
• Merchant networks were built on generosity—those who hosted travelers or shared market intelligence earned lifetime referrals
• AI represents our modern renaissance, offering powerful business tools while potentially disrupting traditional jobs
• The core principles of business success remain constant: trust, creativity, and mutual benefit

Visit the Michigan Renaissance Festival now through September to experience living history and see merchant marketing in action. Find me near the turkey legs this week!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello and welcome to the Trading Post podcast, where
we unlock the secrets ofbusiness-to-business trade, dive
into powerful networkingstrategies and share my exciting
journey of using a podcast tomarket my business instead of
relying on SEO.
I'm your host, trader Stu.
Hello and welcome back to theTrading Post Barter Business

(00:27):
Insights.
I'm your host, trader Stu, andtoday we're firing up the time
machine for a trip to theRenaissance, the remarkable
rebirth of art, science and, yes, business innovation.
We'll uncover how 16th centurymerchants mastered networking,
marketing and creative valueexchange long before the term
B2B was invented.
And, speaking of theRenaissance, our friends at the

(00:49):
Michigan Renaissance Festivalare in full swing now through
September.
If you want to see livinghistory and support an amazing
sponsor, grab your garb, yourmug or mead and tell them the
Trading Post sent you.
I'd also like to thank mysponsor, metro Trading
Association, of whom I also workfor, and, of course, press X to
Play.
I'll be in their video gamehere that's launching in the

(01:11):
winter, springtime, I think,hopefully in 2026 if everything
goes according to plan I said,and I will be the trader in the
video game.
It's a post-apocalyptic,prepping type video game.
Check it out.
Alright, let's get started.
So picture Florence circa 1450.
Cobblestone streets buzz, withtraders speaking a half a dozen

(01:33):
languages.
In the center stands a Medicaidbank.
It's basically the SiliconValley of Unicorn Mistay, with
satellite branches from Londonto Geneva.
These folks didn't just financepainters.
They invented moderninternational banking and
profit-sharing offices.
Their secret, the strategicpartnerships, reputation and

(01:53):
laser-focused relationshipmanagement.
So here's a key takeaway forall you pros out there Global
scale still depends on localtrust.
No tech stack can replacegenuine credibility, and that's
I mean you know.
As we all know, word of mouthwill make or break you.
So let's get into the medievalmarketing genius.

(02:17):
Most town folk were illiterate,as you probably all know, and
back then if you were learnedand you could speak and write
well, then read as well.
Then you were doing better thanmost.
So back then most were literate.
So merchants turned tostorefronts into their visual

(02:38):
storytelling.
So a boot hanging over acobbler's door, a golden swan
outside of a tavern, evenpainted shields for spice
traders, was instant brandrecognition.
So this is probably where youknow we get our logos from right
.
So this is just.
It tells a story.
Before having to read anything,you know at a moment what the

(02:58):
you know, say, nike swoosh logolooks like Even if you didn't
have Nike above it.
You just see the swoosh.
Know what that's?
A nike, for example?
Or you know, I don't got.
I think one example is enough.
So logos, so my favorite funfact french wine dealers hired
professional criers which werehuman billboards back then who
roamed taverns giving out freesamples while chanting catchy

(03:21):
slogans Friends, that's the OGproduct demo and sampling
campaign.
That's pretty cool.
And then modern parallel ofthat invest in visuals and
sensory experiences.
A memorable logo and a hands-ondemo still convert better than
any text-heavy brochure.

(03:42):
I for one, am a sucker for agood salesman.
So if I go to a trade show orwherever you know they got the
bass and pro fishing things thatthe my wife just fell for a
cleaning solution product, thatsomeone had a booth set up and
sold her some overpriced cleanerwhile I was in the bathroom, no
less came out and and shebought, I think, an $85 bottle

(04:04):
of a cleaning solution for, like, eyeglasses or something like
that and I think, windows orstainless steel.
I think it's a multi-purposething.
Anyway, it was crazy expensiveand that was like, oh my God,
you're a sucker for a good sale.
She says, yeah, I know I can'tgo anywhere.
So she can't say no, you know,know.
So guilds were the originaltrade associations.

(04:26):
Guilds weren't hobby clubs,they were powerful, exclusive
b2b networks.
Members set quality standards,fixed pricing and offered a
training, even pooled funds, forhealth care and retirement.
Apprentices trained for sevenyears, mastering both craft and
customer etiquette.
The guild seal on yourstorefront told buyers we've got

(04:49):
your back.
That's kind of cool.
So back then they had kind oflike a stamp of appeal or a
stamp of you know, recognition,like the better business bureau,
whatever sounds the same thing.
So here's an action item foryou join a build industry or
industry alliance that certifyexcellence.
Credibility is scalable whenshared.
Yeah, so obviously you knowmike mercy.

(05:11):
You're the owner of thiscompany, metro trade, that I
work for.
He's got a bunch of awards fromerda and nate and he was the
you know president or vicepresident, I think, or ceo and
seo.
Anyway, he headed it up.
So, and those are allassociations that are recognized
.
If you're a trade associationand you're a member of those, so

(05:33):
it's uh, it builds a lot ofcredibility, that's for sure.
Okay, so, uh, let's talk aboutthe renaissance fairs.
So those are the modern tradeshows.
So renaissances were, I guesswhen was the last?
What do they call it?
The World Expo?
I wish I could have gone tothose.
They sound so cool.
It's like you know where thefirst you know supposedly

(05:53):
sandwich or the hot dog wasinvented.
Or was it the waffle, ice creamwaffle cone, like the ice cream
vendor ran out of bowls orsomething like that, and then
the waffle guy was like I gotthese here waffles, so they
turned it into a funnel shape, Iguess, or maybe a waffle bowl,

(06:14):
the original, and then it went,you know, put ice cream in it
and that boom became the icecream waffle cone.
I don't know things like that.
You always you wonder how muchof that's true, but it sounds,
it's fun to, uh, it's fun toplay along.
Anyway, champagne region fairsand Frankfurt markets were
massive international expos.
Imagine banner-draped stalls,jugglers attracting foot traffic

(06:35):
and financiers roaming withportable desks to underwrite
deals right there on the spot.
So merchants used bright colors, hired minstrels and sometimes
staged mini theatricals.
Experiential marketing wascenturies before CES.
So here's a pro tip for you tooIf you're exhibiting this year,

(06:57):
think beyond the booth andcurate an experience visitors
can't ignore.
So again, we were at the whatshow was that Last year,
actually you know what.
So again, we were at the.
What show was that last year?
Actually, you know what is?
They had lumberjacks that werethrowing axes at these targets
and my wife and I had our newbaby with us and I think I
stepped on one of those too andI was like you know, it doesn't

(07:19):
feel right.
I'm not sitting here with anaxe flying by my head.
It was within feet, you know.
They had the stands set up,really weird, and there was no
chain link, fencing or nothing.
It was a bunch of chainsaws andaxe throwing and I was just
like, yeah, you know what?
And it was funny because Imoved, we moved and then, as we
were sitting there watching itfrom afar at a safe distance we

(07:41):
felt there was a guy behind uswas like oh my God, oh my God, I
can't believe he's throwing anax like that at the crowd is at
the crowd, and if he hicked upjust a little bit to a little
bit to the right, someone got anax in the face and he couldn't
watch.
He liked it, he walked away.
He couldn't handle it, andactually we did too, because it
was just like unnecessary danger.
I can't believe they got awaywith that.

(08:02):
Nobody said anything at all.
But people trust too much, Ithink, in people's inherent
skills that they were not provenin front of them before and
they just like thought that theywere well-trained.
I don't know, I didn't hear anyissues, but you know what?
I'd rather not be a case study,anyway.

(08:22):
Patron client partnerships Okay,so you've heard of
Michelangelo's patrons, buthere's the business angle.
Nobles funded workshops inexchange for exclusive supply
chains, so artists receivesteady cash flow.
Patrons gained prestige andpriority production and swapped
the marble for software licenses.

(08:44):
And you've got today'sstrategic alliance and channel
partnerships.
So here's a translation for B2BOffer a VIP access or
co-branding to partners whochampion your growth.
All right.
So barter and creative valueexchange.

(09:06):
Cash was scarce and risky toship.
Enter multi-layer ormulti-party barter chains.
A Venetian swaps prepper forsilk in Alexandria.
He trades silk for silver inLubbock and uses silver to buy
wool in Bristol.
Bills of exchange are paperIOUs honored by network

(09:27):
reputation.
We're the fintech of their day.
That's exactly what moderntrade exchanges like Metro
Trading Association facilitateconserve cash, leverage surplus
and build loyalty.
So here's a challenge Map onepotential three-way trade that
conserves your cash this quarter.
I'll say that again.
It's kind of cool.
So since cash was so hard torisk and plus, I'm sure, if it

(09:51):
got wet in the ships and it wasrisky because of pirates and
things like that and you gotjumped, there was the
multi-party barter chain.
So this is saying Venetianswaps pepper for silk in
Alexandria and then trades silkfor silver in Lubbock and then
uses silver to buy wool inBristol.
So that was all facilitated bybills of exchange or paper IOUs

(10:13):
that were backed by yourreputation.
So we basically use IOUs aswell.
It's all our cash in the state.
Since we're off of the goldstandard.
Our money is backed because wesay it's backed and it's valued
at a dollar because we say it'svalued at a dollar.
That's the only thing that'sworth it, other than that, if it
wasn't for that, then you knowit's basically it's just paper,

(10:36):
but we say it's worth whateverit is and we all play along with
it.
So all right.
So networking renaissance.
So here's how they did it.
Back then, merchants cultivatedlayered networks and suppliers,
shippers and money lenders,city officials all bound by
honor and reciprocity.

(10:57):
So letters of introduction wereprized, like today's LinkedIn
recommendations are, andgenerosity.
A merchant who hosted travelersor shared market intel reaped
referrals for life.
So I'll say that again Agenerosity was a merchant who
hosted travelers or sharedmarket intel, they got the

(11:17):
referrals Okay.
So think about that.
Here's a modern takeaway foryou Be the connector, not the
collector.
Facilitate one warm intro everyweek.
Now, if you are a member ofother networking groups like me,
I was a vice president of BNIThen I was also in LBN, which is
the local business network uphere.

(11:38):
If you don't know what BNI is,it's Business Networking
International.
If you haven't tried it, Isuggest it.
It's gotten.
I think it's always beenexpensive.
Everyone always said it wasexpensive.
But I was in a field back then.
I was in ADT security, smallbusiness and if I got one sale
paid for my membership basically.

(12:00):
So for me it was worth it, butfor someone else it might take a
little bit longer to you know,I don't know it's.
It was a lot of work.
So if you I'm not going to bean eye right now I'm digressing,
but I was in PCN group and bean eye and I'll be in.
They're all acronyms anyway lookinto it and network and make,

(12:21):
get connected or connect.
Make people connected and thenthey remember you for whatever
they need.
That's just the way it is okay.
So here's some lessons for the21st century professionals, okay
.
So number six of them get a pen.
Uh, number one visualstorytelling wins attention.
So again, think of a logo thatdefines you and what your

(12:44):
product and what you do, andthen you'll get the attention.
I'm still kind of drafting mineup.
You know, mine is the tradingpost, or me.
I think I've converted, got ridof the trading post thing with
the microphone and the soundboard because it was too generic
.
Basically, obviously, thepodcast, you know I talk into a
microphone.
Those days are gone, you know,no longer is that relevant

(13:08):
Podcasters.
You know, if you're still usingmicrophones in your logo, it's
not necessary.
We know it's a podcast because,guess what?
We saw your logo on a podcast,probably.
So anyway, number two communitystandards build instant trust.
So I'll say that again.
Community standards buildinstant trust.
So I'll say that againcommunity standards build
instant trust, or rapport, right?
So if you have high standardsin the community and everyone

(13:32):
knows that you're the qualityperson to go to, and yeah, it
might be a bit more expensivebecause you use maybe oak
instead of balsa wood for yourcabinets or whatever, then boom,
you know, obviously you gotgood standards.
Experiential events outperformstatic displays every time and
I'm and I'm like I said, I lovethe guy who demonstrates the
knives.
I am not a big tomato eater,but I love that somebody can cut

(13:56):
up brick and then cut a tomatoor whatever right, and you're
just like, oh okay, cool, itstays sharp.
But really I don't know whatthe deal is in tomatoes.
Man, I had a problem with thetomato like crushing under the
pressure of a knife.
I've cut tomatoes with steakknives.
I've.
You can probably come with acredit card.
I just don't understand whatthe big deal is with tomatoes.

(14:16):
But anyway, let me turn my my,my phone down.
All right, here we go.
Partnerships, multiply reach.
So yeah, if you got a goodpartnership and with a bunch of
people, then they know people,they know people, they know
people, okay.
So it's kind of like telephoneback when you did it in school.
Creative barter frees cash flow.
So again, I got a plug herebecause you know I work for a

(14:40):
trade group and I believe inbarter.
But if you can create it, becreative with it.
Barter creates and frees upsome cashflow for you.
Sell what you have to get whatyou need, I'll say no more.
Number six give value first andrelationships follow.
The number one person that I'vemet in my life that does that
is Dr Mary with Susie Q's kids.
That woman we were at anetworking event the other day

(15:03):
and like nobody hardly showed upand it was actually our last
event and she just startedtalking to a table full of
ladies who were not part of thegroup.
But guess what?
She found Two women who werenurses.
One was a 911 operator and theother one was, I think,
unemployed in the health care.
And guess who shows up to ournetworking event?
A doctor who was in need oflike people in the health care

(15:26):
industry and nurses.
She's like, oh, I got this thepeople for you.
And she literally just I sawher do it.
She met them 10 minutes ago andshe's like hey, ladies, this
guy is hiring and need someoneto do take care of people in his
home health care business.
I swear to God, it was awesome,and so she's.
She hooked them all up.
It was so cool.

(15:48):
So don't you know, don't forgetabout who.
It's not who.
What you know necessarily isabout who you know, and everyone
knows that.
That's been the golden ruleforever.
I've had many of jobs in mylife to where I used them.
I used the jobs I had for thisjob that I have now.
Actually, I got hired herebecause of not what I know.

(16:08):
I didn't know anything abouttrade, I don't think about
barter, but I met in my time upin the Genesee County area
between BNI and being an ADTsecurity, the business guy small
business department in Flint,michigan, which, by the time, if
you, if you don't know, backthen I mean I'm sure you know,

(16:28):
but back when I was doing that,I think that was what I got out
in 08.
So I must've been.
That was nine or 20, 2009 or2010.
Maybe it was, I can't rememberGod so long ago.
Well, I left there to come here, so I think I hired in here in
2012, back then, my first time Iwas here.

(16:48):
So, anyway, and people werestealing pipes and copper like
crazy out of flint right andbreaking into businesses and
just buying, just stealingrandom stuff.
I was busy, dude, I was meetingevery business owner in that
area and I got so busy I startedgetting jobs up in like claire
and caro and I was up in porthere all the time and I and I
was up in Port Huron all thetime and I was all over Genesee

(17:09):
County plus some SaginawTownship.
I was everywhere, dude, and Imet all these business owners.
I had a Rolodex, I guess youcould say back then Did I have
it in a book, the directory, itdoesn't matter.
But I was like, man know, Iknow all these people.
So when I talked to mike, theowner of metro trading, he was
at the genesee genesee countychamber and he said this is what

(17:36):
I do, this is what we are, thisis what I need and and I'm
looking for a rep in this areathat can head this up I was like
perfect dude, I love theconcept, love the idea.
I was getting beat up and kindof burned out anyway.
I had been doing the gig ADTfor a couple of years now or
whatever, a few years at thatpoint in time, and I was looking
for something new anyway.
And I was like let's talk, dude, I want to do this, I believe
in this, I can sell that.
So he hired me.
We were going across the street.

(17:57):
He taught me what it is.
I was like perfect dude, let's.
So I ended up.
He hired me on the spot.
I started the next week and Ihad a book of businesses that I
just called up.
I got, like I think, like 88businesses, something like that,
signed up for Metro Tradingright away, like within the
first year, and then I became asales manager and then I had

(18:20):
other reps that were justlanding accounts left and right.
Dude, it was crazy.
It was like you know, we'regetting, oh God, back then,
maybe 20 new accounts a week orsomething.
Crazy, dude.
And it was all because of who Iknew.
I knew all the businesses inthe area.
It was great so, and then, onceI learned it, I was able to

(18:41):
teach the reps that.
And then bada, boom, bada, bing, you know, off they go.
So, and don't forget, I wantedto to also mention too is that I
have fun with the michiganrenaissance festival and talking
about it don't get me wrong andI'm excited that I'm going this
wednesday to the behind thescenes vip event, which is
really cool.
That that took off so, so fastthat I got actually found an

(19:04):
alignable by somebody there andwas like hey, hey, we noticed
you got a podcast.
Would you mention us inexchange, you know, for some
tickets to give away?
Oh, by the way, I got ticketsto give away.
So, if you got some, if youwant to go to Michigan
Renaissance Festival and you'rein the area, I have I forgot how
many left over, but I've givensome away already I do have some
more to give away.
So, if you're listening, goahead and write me on LinkedIn

(19:27):
or through the email app youknow, the app on Buzzsprout,
whatever and get ahold of me andgive me some tickets if I have
enough by the time you get aholdof me.
So, yeah, we're also living inour own renaissance, right?
So we got AI.
I don't know.
I think that AI is one of thosethings to where you need to

(19:48):
either jump on or you're goingto get ran over.
I think I utilize AI every dayin my job.
I do it.
It's so if I'm looking forsomeone that does, let's see,
maybe like a restaurant, youknow and I say who owns this
restaurant?
Who owns this restaurant?

(20:09):
Is it, and is it franchised ornot?
Ai say there is a program I gotthat I can utilize to the
library to find out.
But I just type it in ai andit's this is yep, it's a
franchise.
This llc owns it.
The owner's name or ceo is thisguy who owns it with his
brother.
His name is this guy and dude.
So that way when you call up,if you're doing calls like I do,
like I have to to drum upbusiness, you're not calling up

(20:31):
and being like, oh, is themanager there or is the owner
there or who's in charge of this?
I hate that.
I get these telemarketers allthe time at the office and
they're like hi, is this um?
And they mispronounce the nameevery time metro trading
association not very hard, butthey do it.
And is this looking for theperson in charge of your
communications or your phone andinternet?

(20:53):
I'm like, oh, oh, god, ok.
Or when they ask for you knowthe name of the company, the
owner's name is Lois and theysay Lewis.
I'm like no man, how do you notknow someone's?
How?
How do you not pronounce Lois?
It's Lois, it's not hard, somispronunciations, anyway, you
can cover all that and soundlike a professional, like when I

(21:14):
call in the people who are kindof like maybe the, the, the
blockers, they call them.
Or you know the doorgatekeepers.
They hand me right away off tothe owner, like hey, so-and-so
from so-and-so is on the phonewith you.
I hear them all the time and Ialways get to the decision maker
every time.
So you know, I don't know.

(21:37):
Just all I'm saying is AI is arenaissance right now and either
it's going to make you money orit's going to take your job.
And honestly, I almost kind ofthink they won't.
They don't admit it, but Ithink that my other job, when I
was doing tech service on thephones for a snowplow company, I
think my job was going to beAI'd out, because I get the top

(21:59):
same 10 questions every year youknow different of course,
season to season depending onnew product releases and things
like that but I know pretty muchwhat the question is going to
be before I even answer thephone, because it's the same
problem.
They have a whatever kind ofplow.
I know these three problems aregoing to be it If they have

(22:19):
this kind of a spreader.
I know that this is the issue.
I know this is the fix.
An AI agent can very easily dothat dude and they don't have to
pay that guy or that agent.
They pay the one-time fee andit's done.
Get some updates, bada boom,bada bing.
They're making money right, andI know it's going to happen.

(22:40):
I used to get all the time like,oh my God, when people call me,
I didn't getting a call centerin India or whatever like that.
You know.
No, I was in Madison Heights,detroit, michigan, so.
But then you also got globale-commerce and borderless
collaborations.
Their principles are constant,okay, they remain constant, but
trust, creativity and mutualbenefit Don't forget that.
And then, of course, so getready to time travel in real

(23:05):
life is what I kind of want.
To wrap up here, head to theMichigan Renaissance Festival
for jesters, jousts and a masterclass in merchant marketing.
I'll be there this week.
Find me near the turkey legs.
So if today's episode sparkedideas or barter strategies or
partnership building, drop me aline at thetradingpostpodcastcom
or connect on LinkedIn.
Let's create value together.

(23:27):
Until next time, keep trading,keep networking and keep those
relationships flourishing.
Thanks for listening to theTrading Post, barter, business
Insights and whatever you guysdo out there, don't forget be
good, or be good at it Till nexttime.