Future of Hardware: The Side Hustle

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Welcome to another installment of the Future of Hardware Meetup! Our topic this time is The Side Hustle - how anyone can make money creating or working in hardware. It’s not necessary to quit your day job to pursue selling hardware products, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with a crowdfunding campaign that funds your next vacation. With end-to-end product development software like Fusion 360, crowdfunding platforms that connect your product to millions of customers, and accessible manufacturing services, the time has never been better to pursue that side project that’s been rattling around your brain!

We’re lucky enough to have three guest speakers come share their experiences selling hardware products on the side, and what they’ve learned along the way. Here’s the lineup:

Jonathan Odom, Instructables

Jonathan is a Bay Area maker, artist and designer. Curiosity and a dedication to making has led him to explore a diverse range of disciplines including film, special effects, animatronics, architecture, museum exhibit design, furniture design, parklets, and industrial design. He is currently a designer at Instructables Design Studio at the Autodesk Pier 9 Workshop in San Francisco and is an adjunct professor at Academy of Art University in the School of Architecture.

Greg Peltz, Bonelab

Greg is an experienced modeler at Pixar, and as a side business has created Bonelab (https://www.etsy.com/shop/Bonelab) - skeleton model kits that can be easily assembled with any special tools or glue. Doing business through his Etsy store, Greg has done over 1000 sales.

Ben Lorimore, Space Cradle

Ben is a rising sophomore at Western Washington University pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science in Industrial Design, and also a Fusion 360 Community Intern at Autodesk. During the summer between high school and college, Ben designed an ergonomic wood and leather hand rest for 3D mice, launched a Kickstarter campaign (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/benlorimore/space-cradle-bring-luxury-to-your-3d-mouse-experie), and successfully fulfilled all orders.

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As always, food and drinks will be provided, and we look forward to seeing you there!