All right, ready to dive in.
Always.
Today, we're looking at something pretty wild,
the idea of turning a simple paperclip into, well, a lot more.
I love these trading up challenges.
Me too, they're so fun to watch.
And that's exactly what YouTuber StiggySells attempts
in his video, Paperclip to Rolex My Side Hustle Journey.
Oh yeah, I've seen that one.
He's great.
But we're not just watching him trade, right?
We're going deeper.
We'll look at his successes, sure, but also those setbacks.
Got to learn from those too.
Exactly.
And most importantly, what you can learn from it all.
I think that's the best part, figuring out
how this applies to us.
Totally.
So these trading up challenges, they
might seem new, like some internet fad.
Yeah, you see them everywhere now.
But they actually use some really old ideas,
bartering, creating value, that kind of thing.
Stuff that's been around forever, right.
And Stevie, with his energy, his personality,
he brings this challenge to life.
He's a natural entrepreneur, that's for sure.
OK, so picture this.
Stevie starts with one red paperclip.
What would you even trade for that?
I don't know.
Probably just click some papers together.
Huh, right.
But amazingly, he finds someone to swap it for a nightstand.
No way.
Then he sells the nightstand on Facebook Marketplace for $20.
Boom.
First profit.
See, that's what I'm talking about, using those online platform.
It's so smart.
You don't need some fancy store or anything.
Anyone can do this, really.
And Stevie keeps going.
He gets a TI-84 calculator for $20, flips it on eBay,
makes another profit, calculators nightstands.
You might be thinking, where's the Rolex?
Start somewhere, right?
Exactly, we'll get there.
But these early trades, they're important because they
show how to start.
Like how to build that momentum.
Yes.
And it's not just random luck, you know.
Even with those basic items, he's thinking strategically.
For sure, like with the TI-84, he knew those hold their value,
especially for students.
Calculated risk, high chance of return.
OK, so then he finds his Casio keyboard at a thrift store, $35.
Nice find.
But no power cord, no guarantee it even works.
He's starting to gamble a bit.
That's where knowing your stuff comes in.
Totally.
Like he knew, even if the keyboard was broken,
maybe he could get parts, find a cheap cord.
So he could still profit.
He turned a potential junk item into a win.
See, this is what's exciting, using your knowledge
to spot opportunities.
Totally.
And his next flip shows that even more.
He gets printer cartridges, a bunch of them, $80.
OK.
Sells them for $200.
Wow, nice.
How do you do that?
He knew that specific model.
It was in high demand.
And he timed to sale perfectly.
Market awareness, understanding supply and demand, it all matters.
Now he's got some cash flowing.
So instead of one-off flips, he tries something different.
Buys over necklaces, creates a whole website.
Bold move.
Even runs ads on Snapchat to sell them.
Diversifying his approach.
Smart.
Got to test different things, see what works, what doesn't.
Right.
It's all about testing and seeing what sticks.
Yeah.
But this one, not so much.
The necklace business, it kind of fizzles out.
Small loss.
Oh, that's a bummer.
But it's a lesson.
Setbacks happen, and sometimes, got to cut your losses.
And move on.
But it doesn't let it stop him.
Next, he finds this awesome BB-8 Star Wars robot,
a rare display piece, for $100.
OK, now we're talking.
And he knows instantly this thing's valuable.
Star Wars collectibles, especially rare ones,
people go crazy for those.
He ends up selling it for $350.
Big profit jump.
Nice.
But as the flips get bigger, so do the risks.
He finds a unified network switch for $400.
OK.
Flips it for $500.
Then a high-end calculator, $75, sells for $120.
Building momentum.
And he's not just randomly picking stuff, it's strategic.
He's choosing items with high resale value.
Understanding the market.
And using the right platforms to reach the right people.
It's a system.
Absolutely.
It's like leveling up.
And then he does something completely different.
Hits up the Nike outlet, looking for shoes to resell.
Interesting.
Find some Ola Elias, about $3 a pair,
sells them online for over $75 each.
Wow.
That's a hustle.
Diversifying inventory, tapping into different markets.
It's all about keeping your eyes open and trying new things.
Opportunities are everywhere.
But then comes a reality check.
He finds this Moxie robot toy online,
buys it impulsively for $300, turns out, scam.
And this is important for anyone, right?
Online trading can be risky.
You have to be so careful.
Research the seller, make sure the item's real
if a deal seems too good to be true.
Probably is.
Exactly.
Luckily, he gets his money back, thanks to his bank.
Dodged a bullet there.
But it shows, even with the right strategies,
setbacks happen.
You have to learn from them.
So he bounces back, finds tailor-made golf clubs, $600.
OK.
Cleans them up, takes great photos, sells them for $950.
Solid profit.
Get your own track.
Then a patio set, gorgeous.
$1,200.
He negotiates the price down to $900.
Negotiation is a key skill.
You don't have to just accept the first price.
He sells the set for $1,500.
He even tries to find a car to flip, but nothing in his budget.
So new market.
Yeah.
Guitars.
Love that he's always exploring.
Buys one for $1,350.
Needs some repairs, though.
Costs some extra.
Delays a sale.
Sometimes there are hidden costs.
Delays happen.
And those delays hurt.
When he finally lists it, no one wants it.
$200 loss.
Second major setback.
It's a tough lesson.
Not every flip's a winner.
But he doesn't give up.
Finds a sonance outdoor speaker set, $600.
Flips it for $1,300 within days.
Nice comeback.
He's back on track.
But then, maybe emotions take over.
He buys another guitar.
A Gibson J-45, his dream guitar.
$1,500.
That's interesting.
Emotions playing a role.
It reminds us.
We're not just robots, right?
We have dreams, aspirations.
Definitely.
But those emotions can be tricky when it comes to money.
He manages to sell it for a profit, thankfully.
Then, quick flip, some moons watch watches.
Bought for $900, sold for $1,500.
He's getting really good at those quick flips.
And then, things get really interesting.
Ooh, I like where this is going.
He finds a PSA 10 fossil lapras,
first edition Pokemon card.
Now, for those who don't know, PSA grades trading cards.
10 is perfect.
This card's super valuable.
Wow.
He gets it for $2,300.
That's a lot for a card.
But knowing those collectibles, the trends.
Can be big money.
He flips it for almost $400 profit.
Feeling confident, he goes big again.
An Apple Power Mac, $3,000.
He's going for it.
Negotiates a bit, gets it for $2,300.
High stakes.
Sells the Power Mac for $3,000 plus shipping.
His total earnings, $3,200.
Incredible.
From a paper clip.
But then, inspired by another YouTuber
who flips luxury watches, he decides
to try the Rolex market.
Whoa.
That's a whole different ball game.
Finds a Rolex oyster perpetual, $3,100.
Negotiates, but the seller won't budge on the price.
Rolex market, even small price differences matter.
He buys it anyway, gets it, lists it for sale.
But there's a problem.
It's just sitting there, no bites.
No one wants a Rolex.
Well, he even reaches out to that YouTuber, the one
who inspired him.
But even he's not interested.
Man, that's got to be tough.
You put all this work in, and the market's just like, nope.
It happens, even with experience, research,
the market can be unpredictable, especially
with high value stuff like that.
So what does he do?
Well, he's going to make a decision, right?
Cut his losses.
He decides to sell the Rolex for whatever he can get.
Ouch.
Ends up back down to $2,500.
That's rough.
Going from over $3,000 back to $2,500, I'd be discouraged.
It's easy to get down on yourself.
For sure.
But instead of focusing on the loss, Stevie, he steps back,
looks at the whole thing.
OK, yeah, the big picture.
He didn't hit that $10,000 goal, but come on.
He turned a paperclip into $2,500.
That's still wild, from a paperclip to used car money.
Massive accomplishment.
But it gets even better what he does with the money.
OK, now I'm really intrigued.
He decides to adopt a family for Christmas.
Whoa.
Wait, really?
Yeah.
He finds a family in need, gets a Christmas
from the mom, goes all out.
That's incredible.
Nintendo Switch, iPads, art supplies, board games, the works.
He's like Santa Claus.
Spends a whole day shopping, then four hours wrapping presents,
even throws in some extra cash for the mom.
OK, now I'm getting a little choked up.
Seeing the kids' faces when they open those gifts,
Christless.
This is amazing.
It shows that value creation, it's not just about money,
you know?
Right, it's about doing something good.
It's about making a positive impact,
using what we have to help others.
This whole journey, even with the tough parts,
it's really inspiring.
It is.
We see his hustle, his strategy, how he adapts,
overcomes challenges.
And in the end, it's his generosity,
that desire to help that stands out.
He took this paperclip challenge and turned it
into something more, a lesson in entrepreneurship,
sure, but also compassion.
OK, so as we wrap up our deep dive into Stevie's journey,
I think the big takeaway is this.
We all have a paperclip within us.
Something we can use to create value,
maybe not financially, but in a way that matters to us.
So to our listener, we leave you with this.
What's your paperclip?
What will your journey be?
We can't wait to see what amazing things you do.
And it doesn't have to be like making thousands of dollars,
right?
It's about finding those little chances in our own lives
to make a difference.
To create value in ways that mean something to us.
Yeah, totally.
Using what makes us unique.
OK, so let's brainstorm a bit.
What are some ways our listener could use this paperclip
mentality, practical examples, that kind of thing?
Well, think about skills you're good at.
Maybe you could teach someone else.
Oh, that's a good one.
Like, are you a photography whiz, graphic design, coding?
So many people want to learn those things.
Share that knowledge.
I love that.
Turning your passion into something that helps others.
Exactly.
Or maybe you're amazing at finding vintage stuff.
You could curate a collection online, sell it.
So many people love vintage.
Or if you're passionate about cause,
use your social media skills to spread the word.
Raise money, volunteer.
Those are all great ideas.
It's about changing how we see things.
Value isn't just about money.
It's about making things better, even in small ways.
And remember, Stevie's journey, it wasn't all smooth sailing.
He hit roadblocks, made mistakes, had to adjust.
That's life.
Totally.
But the key is, you got to keep going.
Embrace those screw ups as chances to learn.
Like that necklace business, it didn't work out,
but it didn't stop him.
Right.
Each setback, it taught him something.
He got more resilient.
That's what matters.
And that applies to everything, not just business stuff.
So true.
As we wrap up our deep dive into Stevie's journey,
I think the message is this.
We all have that paperclip inside us.
That potential, those skills, the things we love,
we can use those to create something good.
So to our listener, what's your paperclip?
What will your journey look like?
We can't wait to hear about the amazing things you accomplish.
And that's our show.
Thanks for joining us for this deep dive.
Until next time.