One red paper clip

One of the news magazine videos on the Google video bar at the bottom of the site is a feature about Kyle MacDonald from Canada. He was inspired to test his trading ability by starting with one red paper clip, with a goal of making deals until someday he would trade his way to a home. He made dozens of trades, documenting them and taking pictures of his trading partners and the stuff they exchanged. Somehow, some way, after dozens of trades and growing notoriety, he eventually had his house. You can find this Web site here.


That story got me to thinking. If you had to count on someone in the industry to start with one red paper clip and trade his way to something as bodacious as a house, who would you choose (besides yourself)?

I don't know all the buyers out there, but I have sat in the office of Stanley Greenspan, for 25 years associated with St. Louis-based United Fruit & Produce Co. Inc.. and now with Proffer Wholesale Produce Inc., Park Hills, Mo.

Stanley wouldn't charm his way to a house. But he would cajole and insist that the house was so deficient that he would offer only the plastic push pin, not the red paper clip.