The following story is written by Mikah McCabe, a member based in Seattle, WA. Mikah is a customer service expert by trade, but has tons of skills and interests on the side she loves to share. Some of her many interests include making her own skincare products, painting miniatures, grooming cats, singing, and fencing.
I wasn’t sure what I was going to get from Simbi when I first signed up, but it’s gotten me a lot of great services. But mostly, I’ve kept up with it because I meet the coolest people during trades.
I’ve gotten a lot of great things from Simbi, both physical and virtual. It’s particularly great for finding services you wouldn’t find elsewhere – or for getting professional services without spending anything.
I’ve gotten a professional massage (on a boat), a facial from a licensed aesthetician, a penpal, a hula hoop dance lesson, a boxing lesson, freshly cooked breakfast (complete with good conversation), job search help, clothes tailoring, and more.
You can even get some really cool items on Simbi, especially now that there’s a marketplace section. My Simbi swag includes a unique herbal tea blend, a pair of gorgeous hand-made earrings, and a huge stack of hand-made business cards, a batch of delicious scones, and my personal favorite: a painted portrait. And let me tell you, this portrait is worth a lot to me – in both literal and sentimental value.
A year ago, I was between jobs and going crazy from boredom and cabin fever. I needed something to do, but without an income, my options were limited. I had recently discovered Simbi, and found Jessica’s fine art oil painting service.
I’ve always wanted to have my portrait painted, and I’ve never known where one would go for such a thing. I messaged Jessica, and soon enough she was at my apartment, easel in tow.
Now, sitting for a painting takes quite awhile – sessions would last 2-3 hours. I would pour some tea or wine, and Jessica and I talked while she painted. I came to look forward to our painting sessions, and found I was in no hurry for the finished product. Jessica proved to be an awesome friend, and we bonded over my favorite podcast (Hello from the Magic Tavern), my cat’s love affair with her equipment, and an overall shared sense of humor.
As you can see from the picture, Jessica’s work looks like it belongs in a museum – she even framed it for me. And now, my best hair day and my favorite tea cup are immortalized on canvas.
Six months ago, I moved from Simbi’s home, San Francisco, to Seattle for a new job. I don’t know many people here, and I’m really hoping to use Simbi to make some new friends here the way I did with Jessica. One of the first things I did after moving was show up to a Seattle Simbi Social event, where I talked with a variety of cool people with cool skills, including Aubrey, who inspired me to purchase some astragalus root extract to improve my immune system.
I tell my friends about Simbi all the time. Anytime I hear, “I need to find someone who can help me with [X]” or “I really need a hair cut, but I’m broke”, I’m immediately thinking of services I’ve seen on Simbi, and encouraging them to sign up and look for what they need.
Simbiotic Stories are real anecdotes told by you and other Simbi community members. Tell us about your Simbi deals and experiences with other members. If your story is published, we’ll credit your account with 150 simbi. Submit your entries by starting a conversation with us via this link.
