The Clock is Counting Down

So, you may ask, "What is final?"  Could it be the building? Our signature on the bank's bottom line?The floor plan? The first tool purchase?  Our first scheduled class in our new, awesome membership software?  YES!

Us celebrating at Torchy's Tacos the day we signed!

So, to the most impt:  So many thanks to Mike Beard and all those at First National Bank McGregor (Misti is our new best friend).  They have put their trust in us, and our business plan, and have given us the loan needed to move forward.  With their help, and much prayer, we are happy to official say we can now get to Opening Day!  So, send them a thank you on Twitter or Facebook so they can receive a fair share of the love.

Second most impt (though, Rick might say it's a close second):  The honor of being our first tool purchase goes to the Shapeoko 2!  It is sitting on my front porch as I type, but I'll get there before you.  Maybe we will do an unboxing tomorrow, as our first tool purchase it deserves a special showcasing.  I am more excited about our second purchase, which we get tomorrow.  It's an Industrial Sawstop, because we believe in only the best for your perfectly attached appendages :)  I tell ya, it's more exciting than Christmas.

Thirdly, we have finalized everything with the landlord, have finished plans in hand and wait only for the MEP to give us a lovely copy to take to the city planners for approval.  The floor plan is only minimally changed from the one posted a few weeks ago.  A few sizes have changed and we've taken out the stove.  We are opting instead for inset, stow-able induction burners for craft needs.  There will still be an oven (yea) but taking the stove out solved some issues.

Fourthly, and maybe the most pressing, is we are calling all able-bodied makers to send in a list of classes that they would love to teach in the space.  From beginner to intermediate, we have the tools and space to teach them all.  So if you like to make soap, teach leather crafting, build a birdhouse or weld a sign (and you like to teach :), send us an email.  We have matched the most competitive standard in the industry for pay.  And, we really want this place to be for Waco.  Maker's Edge was created so those who have a desire to teach can find those who are thirsty to learn.  We would love to get your class ideas in our system, start advertising, and give plenty of lead time for students to sign up.  We hope to start offering safety tool tests October 1 (even if doors are not officially open).  But, opening day is really dependent on construction times and the city giving us a Cert of Occupancy.

And for you organizational tool nerds, look up MindBody, our new membership system.  I'm nerding out all the time about it...though, that could be due to the many hours a week I am working on it to get it set up and running by Sep 15.  I will let you all know when it goes live, which will allow you to join, sign up for classes and ask for a one-on-one mentor session with a specific tool expert.

Lastly, if you made it this far, you deserve a prize.  It's been a doozy.  Now that the ball is rolling, these should come faster, and with a little more brevity.

Many, many....many pieces

Well, I've been sitting for hours trying to clean up some work on our business plan.  Then, 5 seconds too late, I remember the #1 rule of the modern age..."Save early, save often!"  It is a battle cry at my house.  But alas, we don't always live by our own motto, and I now find myself sullen and counting the many little tiles on the floor of my favorite coffee shop.  I could get back to work, but I feel the need to wallow in my own despair before I put my big girl pants on and get back to work.  So I sit in my chair and contemplate the content of a new blog.

My Brain on business plan writing :p

Things I'm currently working on:  Kickstarter for an initial $500 to pay for incidentals (business cards, IP lawyer, bookkeeping program, TShirts and incidentals); Getting a bank account set up inrw and online; writing a business plan; marketing around the central Texas area; creating and distributing a survey for area educators; and keeping utd on the social media sites we have now.  Clearly, my brain is scrambled most of the time.

So, I have used SurveyMonkey to put together a survey to send out to educators and locals about what they would like to see in a makerspace.  I want to attach this to a kickstarter, so there is an action in place if they would like to help.  But kickstarter needs some type of A/V attached to it to be successful and a business account attached to it.  Amazon is tied in, as that works with Kickstarter.  But Amazon needs a bank account to pay into.  I can't stand Big Banks, so I'm trying to find a local to farm that out, but one that is also online.  In the mean time, I've spent $50 on a local advert at a school to sponsor a team, but had to use a personal check.  My mind is racing with business questions and I'm quite sure the IRS is going to nail me in the future, regardless of how I spent my $50, where the money came from, and they really won't care if my account was properly  approved by Amazon or not.   UGH!!!!

But, I'm greatly excited and energized by our latest community meeting.  We met with a bunch of engineer students at Baylor.  They remind me of why we are doing all of this.  There was excitement, joy and creativity in their minds as they helped us brainstorm some practicals.  I keep quoting Field of Dreams to myself and march towards just building it.  But as any teacher or parent would hammer (rightly) into my mind, laying the groundwork is fundamental to success.  

So it all comes back around to the many tiles on the floor.  At first, I noticed all of the many, little pieces that seem near-impossible to lay in place.  But now I see the fun little patterns as I tilt my head this way and that.  I may be laying little pieces of a grand plan, but I'm striving for the day when the pattern of our hope takes over what we see with our eyes. 

Well, I guess it's a good thing?!?

Oh My Gosh!

So, this phrase is oft overused in our sea of texts and emails.  But in this case, it is totally appropriate.

In the last two weeks we have located a very sweet space, worked on a business plan, signed up for a 2.5 day entrepreneur class at Baylor and had a request for a potential floor plan.  And we celebrated like Dr Woody on Psych when we got verified on Google+.  Who knew that this would be an accomplishment! Also, we currently have a secret agent on deployment scouting out potential interest on Baylor Campus.  It will be fun to get another's input on the parameter and scope of a project like this.  I hear I owe her a glass of wine :)

But enough fun.  We have a few harrowing weeks ahead.  "Why?" you may ask.  Well, we feel a pressing need to get things on paper for potential business partners because they are starting to ask more specific business (financial) questions.  This pressure is good.  But I am constantly reminded of our basic premiss, things always get better when done collaboratively.  And as such, we feel more pressure than ever to start up a meetup or interest meeting with others who may be interested in creating a club that could form the "consultation committee" for the more basic questions.  What equipment should we start with?  What classes should we offer at the start?  How should we market ourselves and to whom?  What layout would best meet our market needs (we're aiming for a 5000 sq ft facility).  And what would be fairly priced membership tiers.

These are the most pressing topics at hand.  I mean, once you get past the ever-pressing topic of funding.  So if you have any answers, we certainly have our ears open.  Right now I am working on a Business plan and trying to incorporate an economic outlook report published by Hankamer in 2013.  In general, it encourages me.  Though, I am one of the unemployed so maybe I shouldn't be.  Not sure yet, but life goes on!

So what is a makerspace?  That is what most people ask when Rick and I talk about this business venture.  Well, it means a lot of things to a lot of people.  But the fact is, the idea of makerspace is exploding around the nation.   Milwaukee Maker Space put it well: We aim to foster a community of makers by providing an environment in terms of people, equipment and space that supports the creative process and personal growth. Modern software, the Internet and economies of scale have all come together to allow ordinary people with a little bit of know-how to begin blurring the lines between manufacturer and consumer. With some effort and the help of a growing community of makers it is possible for a lone individual to make things of amazing quality and functionality.  We envision a space that brings together a community of DIY people with wonderful fabrication equipment in a way that supports collaboration, creativity, ingenuity and personal development. Our long-term goal is to have a top-rated fabrication lab, community classes and individual pods that support startups and small-businesses.  Our hope is to build out this lab that is accessible to those in higher education, individual innovators and community youth groups (like 4-H and Scouts), but focused on the maker community in Waco.  For a better look at what this means practically, take a view of Artisans Asylum, ATX Hackerspace or Maker Works.  Then, dream with us as we think about how amazing this would be in Waco, Texas.

More like a Day 2, not really Day 1

So technically, Day 1 was yesterday.  And it ended not in a whimper or a roar, but with a nod and a wink.  Which is the cosmic way of saying, "keep going, you're on the right path."  Which is a great message to have.  After all, I've quit my job and gave up an income, we are eating a lot of beans and rice, shopping consignment and no longer buying Bulleit, but have settled on Jack (on sale).  So, to put it succinctly, my husband and I are devoted to creating a makerspace in Waco.

As I write this post, we don't have a single follower.  Which makes sense, as we don't even have a business.  But, we have a passion for seeing something new happen in Waco.  And not just for us or our clan.  We believe that Waco is waiting expectantly for a place where ingenuity, practicality, community and creation can come together.  And, yesterday we received a nod from Baylor and the Bric that they may be ready for it too.

So for all of the hackers, makers, tinkerers and garage innovators (as well as the academics out there), here we come.  This post is a celebration.  Tomorrow reality will come.  Today, we celebrate and say "Hello Waco!  Here we come!"  And thank you Jesus, for showing us the right road.