- You? I’m just a student who is frustrated that I can’t do all the DIY projects I want because, a. I don’t have the tools, b. don’t have the space to work on a project. I am a tech-oriented individual who loves working with my hands and making new things or fixing old ones. I just want a way to solve this seemingly solvable and widespread problem. I see a lot of things online about hacker/makerspaces and they seem really cool to me, but there is never one near me. I think this would be the perfect solution for those without access to these spaces who want to work.
- What are you offering to customers? I offer two sides to the same coin, semi-passive income to space owners, and spaces for people who just need somewhere to work on a school project, hobby, or home improvement.
- Who are you offering to? My customers, like Uber, are a two-sided affair. The space owner who wants to make extra cash renting their tools/time/space and the students/hobbyists who want to have a place to work within their budget.
- Why do they care? As someone who would gladly use a service like this, when space is limited but work needs to get done this would be invaluable. When a hobby gets stunted because that next tool seems too far out of reach, or too specific to buy, the option to rent is very desirable. When a job just needs to get done and you don’t know where to turn, the local expert renting their time is a life-saver.
- What are your core competencies? I offer a service that meets a seemingly untapped need in college town, suburbs, and anywhere without a makerspace. This unmet need is ripe for the taking, especially to my current local students in IA who need a place to finish their catalyst projects. I watched students struggle to find, move, and use 3-d printers so they could create prototypes. With my solution their space could be just a drive away.
The point that feels weakest to me is my “What are your core competencies?”, this isn’t an issue I’ve seen outside of hackerspaces/makerspaces. I don’t know if it’s because this issue never arrived to anyone, or if it’s not a sustainable solution to my problem at hand. The desire seems to be there, at least for University of Florida students. Even then I don’t imagine my idea has to have any appeal outside those who want it, I shouldn’t aim to please the world. Gainesville might just be an echo chamber for a need that only Gainesville has unmet, or it could be more widespread I just don’t know.
Hello Adrian! Great post. I really enjoy hearing about this idea of yours and cannot wait to see how it grows over the semester. I remember reading about this idea last week and thinking about how much this could help people. I mentioned before that I witnessed young sailors in the Navy being able to work on their cars while living in barracks on base. They couldn’t have their own house with a garage to store their vehicle and tools so them being able to use the community car shop was awesome. I think of this when I think of your idea and I honestly feel like you’re onto something. Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Adrian, I really think you are onto something. I have enjoyed reading your posts and watching your idea grow from the beginning. I love the conclusion you came to at the end of this assignment. Not all ideas are world changing ideas, and I believe it’s great that you’re comfortable with your idea positively affecting Gainesville even if it does not go "global," I think every entrepreneur should have that philosophy.
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