Entrepreneur Spotlight – Slade Johnson of Trips4Trade
Who Is Slade Johnston?
To a passer-by on the street, Slade Johnston comes off as a regular guy, passionate about hunting and the outdoors. However, his passion runs deeper than your typical weekend hunter. He lives and breathes the outdoors, and loves to connect with anyone who has similar interests. His dedication and love for the great outdoors started with his grandfather, who was an avid turkey hunter. When Slade was in high school, he asked his grandfather if he could accompany him on his annual “Turkey Grand Slam” hunt. Unfortunately, Slade was denied this opportunity when his grandfather unexpectedly passed away.
Slade set out to complete his own “Turkey Grand Slam” to honor his memory. However, he quickly discovered how costly turkey hunting was in his local area. So he and his father leveraged the power of social media to trade a hog hunting experience on their property for a turkey hunt on someone else’s. This stroke of brilliance accomplished two things.
First, it allowed Slade to continue his mission of honoring his grandfather. Second, it inspired him to find a way to offer this same type of trading platform to others. Armed with both a bachelor’s and master’s from Alabama University, Slade has set out to change the way outdoor enthusiasts can experience the outdoor lifestyle. This mission is the foundation of his company, Trips4Trade.
What Is Trips4Trade?
Their official website describes Trips4Trade as a community of outdoorsmen brought together by their enjoyment of the outdoor life. Trips4Trade members are a tribe of outdoor fanatics who are not only always looking for the next outdoor adventure, they have one of their own to offer their colleagues.
For example, an avid fisher is fully equipped to take a group of people out on the open sea for an afternoon. But he may be craving a chance to experience something new, such as elk hunting. Trips4Trade allows the fisherman to list his “open sea fishing experience” to fellow community members and trade it for a “hunting experience” available on someone else’s property. Instead of paying hundreds of dollars to fish or hunt, you simply swap your experiences, including land, location, and equipment.
The goal is to open up various outdoor opportunities to all types of people. However, planning multiple outdoor activities can be expensive and time-consuming. Trips4Trade will allow you to leverage what you already own to gain a new experience at a considerable discount. Experiences include deep-sea fishing, helicopter hog hunting, turkey hunting, duck hunting, and cabin rentals. This innovative platform has opened the door to a whole new world of fishing and hunting options once deemed inaccessible to many due to a lack of resources or their location.
What’s Next For Slade Johnston and Trips4Trade?
Trips4Trade unofficially started in 2017 when Slade traded a hog hunt on his farm for a turkey hunt on another property owner’s land. Today, their website offers hundreds of outdoor experiences, and does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon. Their tiered membership program allows participants to go at their own pace and commit as much time and resources as they want to the community. Slade and his team recently increased their membership perks by offering considerable discounts on top outdoor brands, including Moltrue, Outdoor Edge, and Rapala.
Slade launched this innovative platform to offer affordable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences to his fellow outdoor fanatics. As word of his platform grows, he is confident that they will continue to add exciting, sought-after experiences for outdoor enthusiasts to list and trade with each other. Trips4Trade promises to be delivering all types of outdoor adventures for years to come.
