What's Makerbiz?
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MakerBiz is a product-focused, support community of, for, and by entrepreneurs. We are an active mailing list, a monthly meet-up, and a support group for launching amazing businesses. Currently our meetings are in Chicago and San Antonio but our mailing list members come from all over the world.
We meet monthly from 6-9pm for a spirited, facilitated discussion about problems our members currently face. All meetings are covered by frieNDA policy and all product categories are welcome — textiles to electronics to food, high tech and low. |
To join us, you must meet one of the following criteria:
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typical meeting agenda
MakerBiz meetings are relaxed affairs, but to keep everyone on track, here is the general shape of a typical meeting:
- 6:00-7:00pm: members arrive and schmooze a bit
- 7:00pm: facilitator begins the meeting, explains the format, and begins introductions
- 7:00-7:30pm: introduction roundtable of name, business, suggested discussion topic
- 7:30-8:00pm: (optional) short presentation by a member on a pre-determined experience or topic
- 8:00-9:00pm: facilitated discussion covering the requested topics
- 9:00-we get kicked out: break up to schmoozing / small group discussion
some of Our members' companies
Chicago |
San antonio |
About us
How we started
MakerBiz is a not-organized group of people who enjoy supporting each other's entrepreneurial efforts by discussing the real problems entrepreneurs face in an honest manner online and in person.
MakerBiz was started by Sacha De'Angeli in the summer of 2012 after deciding to start a company that made electronic devices. "I need a peer group to act as my sounding board, so I'll go to [name of entrepreneurial event withheld], meet my fellow entrepreneurs, and see what they have to say about my idea and the steps I have already taken to make it real," he thought to himself. Upon disclosing his ideas, he was dismayed when an attendee slurred "manufacturing?!? no one makes things in Chicago any more!"
After that experience, he resolved to create a high quality, supportive peer group that would encourage, rather than discourage entrepreneurial zeal and product manufacturing. MakerBiz began meeting monthly at the Inventables office in downtown Chicago, the meetings began to grow by word of mouth, and the location changed multiple times as monthly attendees and mailing list members grew.
In Spring of 2014, Sacha moved to San Antonio, TX, leaving Chris Bue in charge of Chicago MakerBiz, and launched MakerBiz in San Antonio in April 2014. There are currently over 400 members from all over the world.
MakerBiz was started by Sacha De'Angeli in the summer of 2012 after deciding to start a company that made electronic devices. "I need a peer group to act as my sounding board, so I'll go to [name of entrepreneurial event withheld], meet my fellow entrepreneurs, and see what they have to say about my idea and the steps I have already taken to make it real," he thought to himself. Upon disclosing his ideas, he was dismayed when an attendee slurred "manufacturing?!? no one makes things in Chicago any more!"
After that experience, he resolved to create a high quality, supportive peer group that would encourage, rather than discourage entrepreneurial zeal and product manufacturing. MakerBiz began meeting monthly at the Inventables office in downtown Chicago, the meetings began to grow by word of mouth, and the location changed multiple times as monthly attendees and mailing list members grew.
In Spring of 2014, Sacha moved to San Antonio, TX, leaving Chris Bue in charge of Chicago MakerBiz, and launched MakerBiz in San Antonio in April 2014. There are currently over 400 members from all over the world.
