#entrepreneurship #3Dprinting #smallbusiness #remoteselling #lessonslearned
Being a young man with an artistic/design background, I mostly wanted to draw things and party.
But I also needed money and quickly realized that I didn’t want to get it with art and that all manager-sales-type jobs I did were boring, and nothing meaningful was created. Then, after one side gig I discovered my “entrepreneurial abilities”: I saw something that could be leveraged, presumed how, and acted on it.
## Discovering 3D Printing
In 2012, while working on my last sales-manager-type job, I found out about desktop 3D printing. I still remember in detail the first time I saw a MakerBot (RIP) Replicator 2 live. This whole discovery literally gave me goosebumps, and from there, I knew I must do something with 3D printers. There was no plan, market research, or anything like that, I just felt it strongly.
## Starting the Business
Eventually, I started the 3D printing business while still working my job, operating on a tight budget of $180. I learned on the go, took customers’ money, and placed orders with local suppliers. Despite initial challenges, demand was high, supply was short, and I was having a lot of fun without even having an office for the first 1.5 years.
## Pivoting and Diversifying
As competition grew, I pivoted by taking printing orders and diversifying my services. Despite challenges and chaos, I found my way around printers and steadily grew the business.
## Lessons Learned
Through various experiences and challenges, I learned valuable lessons including the importance of passion, listening to instincts, taking risks, and keeping promises. Additionally, I realized the significance of focusing on what matters most and systemizing business operations for efficiency.
## Remote Selling and Exiting the Business
After running the business for 10 years, I remotely sold my stake and transitioned out of the company. Facing negotiations and challenges, I added value through targeted acquisition channels and streamlined operations remotely using tools like Notion.
## Final Reflections
In the end, I reflected on the lessons learned, the importance of trust, clear agreements, and using systems to manage business effectively. Transitioning out of the business, I concluded with a sense of accomplishment and a wealth of experiences to guide future endeavors.
If you want to read more about how I created and implemented the system that guided my business, visit [3DPBoss](https://3dpboss.com/).
The journey of starting, running, and remotely selling my 3D printing business taught me invaluable lessons that shaped my entrepreneurial journey. Share your insights and experiences in the comments below!
“Do what you are passionate about”
This can carry you farther than you might think.
I’m close to 10 years, 20+ printers, and doing well. No system other than Quickbooks and an Excel sheet. I am interested in your system but more interested in a hindsight version of your current system. Did you collect too much data? Are there discernable lists of ‘must haves’ and ‘nice to haves’ for data collection?
Thanks,
Bret
Nice
Thanks for sharing. 3d printing is something I’ve been interested in getting into. How do you recommend someone could start in this area?
Hey I loved your story. I plan on going back and rereading it, there was a lot of wisdom in there. Thank you for sharing. I myself am about to start my own business and even though I have no idea how to start…..your story gave me the ok to start and learn as I go. 😃