In May 2020, Demi Skipper set out on a journey to trade her way up from a bobby pin to a house. She was living and working in San Fransisco and was looking for a new challenge. That’s when she came up with the Trade Me Project- she started from a single bobby pin and used the power of social media to barter her way up to an $80,000 house in Tennessee. Along the way, she met a lot of interesting people (and a few celebrities), garnered a large social media following (over five million followers on TikTok), and, of course, she ended up with a house. If you’re looking for a daily dose of inspiration, this story is sure to inspire you.
How It Started
30-year old Demi Skipper was living in San Fransisco with her husband, working on a mobile app she has developed. However, working a full-time job wasn’t enough for Demi, and she was constantly looking for side hustles and side projects to keep her busy. One of her side projects at the time included renting wedding dresses from her apartment.
In May 2020, she had a lot of time on her hands – like most of us – and she was looking for a new hustle, a new challenge, a new and exciting adventure. She was inspired by Kyle MacDonald, a Canadian man who came up with the One Red Paperclip project back in 2005 and traded his way up from one red paper clip to a house.