The Sound of Progress

The soundtrack of our house has changed.

It used to be the dishwasher humming after dinner or the dogs wandering around looking for snacks. Now it's the constant whir of 3D printers. I don't even notice it anymore until they stop. Then the silence feels weird.

Our dining room has changed, too.

Instead of candles or a centerpiece, there are bins full of SpongeBob characters, dragons, octopuses, and whatever else we've decided to print that week. We technically print on demand, but every model gets printed at least once before we ever list it for sale. Sometimes it takes three or four attempts before we're happy with it.

The funny thing about starting a business is that the problems change. At first, you're wondering if anyone will buy your stuff. Then one day you're standing in your dining room, wondering where on earth you're going to put all of it.

I'm pretty sure the next project isn't another product. It's building shelves over the printers so these little guys can move out of the dining room and into their own home.

I'm okay with that problem.

A year ago, I never imagined the soundtrack of our house would be stepper motors and cooling fans.

Now it sounds like progress.