Business Activation Hosts
Apply to Lead a Business Activation at BarterCon 2027
Help entrepreneurs finish the work they keep postponing.
BarterCon is not another conference where entrepreneurs spend the day listening, taking notes and returning home with more information but no completed work.
Our Business Activations are hands-on, outcome-driven working sessions led by experienced professionals. Each selected host will guide entrepreneurs through completing or substantially completing a real task for their businesses during the session.
We are looking for experts who can do more than teach. We need facilitators who can create a clear process, provide practical guidance and help attendees leave with measurable progress.
February 19th, 2027 • Celebrating five years of Barter Black®
The format
What Is a Business Activation?
A Business Activation is a structured, hands-on working session designed to help entrepreneurs complete or substantially complete a specific business outcome.
It is not
- A keynote
- A motivational speech
- A traditional lecture
- A panel discussion
- A general overview of a broad subject
- A sales presentation disguised as a workshop
It is
- Focused on one achievable business outcome
- Designed around active implementation
- Supported by expert instruction and guidance
- Appropriate for entrepreneurs working at different business stages
- Structured so attendees spend most of the session working
- Designed to produce something attendees can use after BarterCon™
Required in every proposal
Every proposal must complete this sentence: “By the end of this Business Activation, attendees will have completed or substantially completed __________.”
Host benefits
The Proposed Host Package
- $225 cash honorarium
- 150 Barter Bucks℠
- Three months of Barter Black® Silver plan membership access
- Complimentary BarterCon admission, one ticket
- Lunch and refreshments
- Promotion on the BarterCon and Barter Black® platforms
- Professional event photography when available
- Opportunity to connect with entrepreneurs and sponsors
- Opportunity to offer an approved continuation service after the session
Compensation is provided after all required host responsibilities are completed. Final terms will be included in the presenter agreement.
Session format
What We Ask of Selected Hosts
75 minutes
Each selected host should prepare for one approximately 75-minute session with entrepreneurs at BarterCon.
60% or more
At least 60 percent of the session should be dedicated to attendee implementation, so entrepreneurs spend most of the time doing the work.
BarterCon activation structure
How the Day Is Organized
- Two Business Activation Rooms
- Three Activation blocks
- Two simultaneous Business Activations per block
- Six Business Activations selected in total
- Attendees will choose the Activations most relevant to their goals
- Final topics will be shaped by registered-attendee needs, proposal quality, feasibility and expected impact
Specific rooms, times and audience sizes are not assigned until scheduling is finalized.
Potential focus areas
Areas of Interest for BarterCon 2027
- Paid Advertising and Customer Acquisition
- Lead Generation and Email Systems
- Sales and Follow-Up
- Websites and Digital Conversion
- Client Experience and Service Delivery
- Operations, SOPs and Automation
- Delegation, Hiring and Capacity
- Pricing, Bookkeeping and Financial Systems
- Funding and Contract Readiness
- Offer Development and Productization
- AI and Content Systems
- Reputation, Reviews and Referrals
- Productivity and Execution
- Other Practical Business-Building Outcome
These categories are examples, not a required list. Strong proposals may address another clear and relevant business need.
Examples
Examples of Strong Activation Outcomes
- Launch a single paid ad campaign with audience, budget and creative set
- Build a lead magnet and the email sequence that follows it
- Create a sales follow-up script and a system to work the pipeline
- Rewrite a homepage or landing page so it converts visitors into inquiries
- Draft a client onboarding and service delivery process end to end
- Document one core SOP and automate a step of it
- Identify what to delegate, automate or stop doing and write the first role description
- Set pricing for one offer and organize a simple bookkeeping and budget system
- Complete a funding and contract readiness checklist
- Package an existing service into a clear, productized offer
- Build an AI-assisted content system with a 30-day content plan
- Create a review and referral request system that runs every month
- Build a weekly execution plan with the metrics that matter
Avoid proposals with outcomes that are too broad to complete within one session, such as “learn marketing,” “understand branding” or “grow your business.”
Who should apply
Experts Who Can Turn Knowledge Into Action
Strong Business Activation Hosts are experts who can turn knowledge into action. Applicants should:
- Have demonstrated experience in the proposed subject
- Be comfortable facilitating a hands-on working session
- Be able to support participants with different experience levels
- Provide clear tools, templates or instructions
- Keep the session focused and on schedule
- Give practical feedback without taking over the attendee's work
- Create an inclusive and beginner-friendly learning environment
- Be prepared to participate in a rehearsal and technical walkthrough
- Be willing to promote their participation before the conference
- Be available in person on February 19th, 2027
- Be able to manage and teach a group of 20 to 35 people at one time
Applicants do not have to be current Barter Black® members to apply.
Continuation offer requirement
Continue Supporting Attendees After the Activation
Each selected host must create one relevant continuation offer connected to the Business Activation. The offer must:
- Help attendees continue or complete the work started during the session
- Be clearly described
- Have the same deliverable whether purchased with cash or Barter Bucks℠
- Include a cash price
- Include a Barter Bucks℠ price
- Reserve three to five genuine spots that can be purchased entirely with Barter Bucks℠
- Include a clear fulfillment timeline
- Be approved by Barter Black® before publication
The host may offer additional cash availability when capacity permits.
The continuation offer should not dominate the Business Activation. The session must provide meaningful value without requiring an additional purchase.
Promotional expectations
Selected Hosts Help Us Fill the Room
Selected hosts will be asked to support the BarterCon campaign. Recommended requirements:
- Four promotional posts during the final four weeks before BarterCon
- At least one story, short video or behind-the-scenes post
- Use provided BarterCon graphics, language and registration link
- Clearly disclose the relationship with BarterCon when required
- Submit post links or screenshots through the host dashboard
Promotional participation supports registration, but selection will be based primarily on the strength and relevance of the proposed Business Activation.
Host responsibilities
What Selected Hosts Agree To
- Attend all required planning meetings
- Submit final session materials by the stated deadline
- Participate in a rehearsal or facilitation review
- Participate in a technical walkthrough
- Arrive at the event by the assigned check-in time
- Lead the full Business Activation
- Bring any personally required equipment identified in the agreement
- Provide a low-technology backup plan
- Use approved BarterCon branding
- Refrain from collecting attendee contact information without clear consent
- Follow the BarterCon Event Terms and Code of Conduct
- Complete required promotional commitments
- Fulfill any continuation offers purchased after the event
- Notify Barter Black® immediately of any scheduling or availability issue
Application deadline
Applications close December 31, 2027.