Expanding the sharing economy
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Ever failed at a project because of your poor equipment or know-how?
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Bought an awesome, expensive widget only to use it twice? (and then spent three hours of your life trying to sell it on Marketplace?)
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Have you ever spent the entire day sorting stuff you and your kids don't ever use?
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(This blurb mostly created with ChatGPT, but it kind of nailed it)
Make. Believe. embraces the principles of the sharing economy by providing access to expensive tools, creative technology, and hands-on learning resources into a community-driven experience. Rather than requiring families to invest in expensive equipment, Make. Believe. provides a shared space where children can explore, experiment, and innovate collaboratively. This approach reduces waste, lowers financial barriers, and promotes sustainable consumption by maximizing the use of high-quality resources across many users. By fostering a culture of collective ownership and creative exchange, Make. Believe. empowers young makers while aligning with the values of accessibility, sustainability, and community impact at the heart of the sharing economy
About me and some thoughts
Me. Hi, I'm Paul Hiester. I was born and raised in Hershey. I attended Virginia Tech (Go Hokies!) I'm a Mechanical engineer with 20 years of experience at various firms including General Electric, Pratt and Whitney and Advanced Cooling Technologies. Most importantly I'm a novice maker and a dad. Maybe like you, I've done some DIY projects, worked some projects with my kids and have an unorganized garage full of remnants from projects past.
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I'm starting Make. Believe. because I believe the most rewarding experiences are when you're learning and making alongside your kids. Whether it's baking or Lego-ing. Making together is fun. I also think it's important for kids to experience being the expert sometimes and have them teach you! Confidence booster!
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The opening of Make. is hopefully just a start. I'm hoping and knowing that there are kind, talented people in the community that want to share their talents. Expecting that the community will guide future investment. Makerspaces like Make.Believe. should reflect the community, so I'd love to hear about what you're into! Contact Us Here
