I have the honor of introducing fellow entrepreneur Stevon Roberts. Stevon and I attend the same church and we have known each other for over a year. After working several years as professional developer and consultant, Stevon decided to channel his creative talents in a new medium – foam core.
Space efficiency is an issue for almost everyone. It doesn’t even seem to matter how much space you have, because you will always find a way to fill it up.
But I’m one of those people who simply can’t deal with clutter: it just adds to the chaos already in my brain. When my wife and I downsized from a two-bedroom condo to a one-bedroom apartment, we had to get very creative about using every nook and cranny to its maximum potential.
With no dedicated office, any piece of mail or paper occupied valuable counter space. An organizer costing $3 from the thrift store helped, but an accidental nudge or a stiff breeze from the doorway would send receipts and postcards flying.
Many organizers you can buy in big box stores hang on the wall, but they were all too big or too industrial for my tiny kitchen wall. Having recently joined Pinterest, I was inspired by the Podpad, which is basically a complete desk that hangs from the wall.
I love working with foam core, so I mocked up a bin over the kitchen counter. Lots of hooks for keys and for doggy waste bags. Sturdy, but not very attractive. People kept asking me if I was ever going to make one out of nicer materials.
Our local TechShop has a laser cutter. I learned this would be the perfect tool for something of this scale. The first prototype went together like a Swiss watch, and both my wife and father-in-law asked if I was going to sell them. I figured I must be onto something.
After a few revisions, I finally have a few models for sale on Etsy. I enjoy the design work and would love to hear suggestions for new applications or maybe even consider custom orders. You can email me at stevonshop@gmail.com .
