Episode 172: The Jimmy Way

Making It · 22 Jun 2018 · 1h 03m

What this episode covers

Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss the evolution of their maker businesses, addressing audience concerns about accessibility as they scale from garages to large shops. Jimmy details his new shop build, including electrical work and a Filson canoe project, while Bob explains his strategy of maintaining a smaller warehouse space to stay grounded. The hosts emphasize that growth is a natural progression for content creators, arguing that there is still ample audience for diverse maker content on platforms like YouTube.

Mentioned

Companies
Filson, Southwire, TurnTex, Make Publishing
Products
Glow Forge, Alexa
Chips
Arduino
Also
Matt Cremona, Brett McAfee, Jocko, Gareth Braunwyn

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Shop Talk Live · 57m

    STL354: Go and Do the Thing

    Erik Curtis, a furniture maker and YouTuber based in Philadelphia, joins Shop Talk Live to discuss the realities of running a woodworking business, teaching, and creating content. Curtis and hosts Amanda and Vic explore the myth of the solitary furniture maker, arguing that modern makers must diversify through teaching, writing, and media to sustain their craft. They debate the role of YouTube in woodworking, distinguishing between entertainment-focused channels and those that provide substantive technical education, while addressing the accessibility of high-end tools versus the necessity of skill. The conversation also covers design philosophy, emphasizing the importance of grain selection, proportion, and stripping away excessive ornamentation to achieve clear, functional aesthetics.

  • Thoroughly Considered · 1h 01m

    92: We’ve Hit Our Ceiling

    Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost of Studio Neat discuss hitting their growth ceiling as a two-person DIY company and their strategic pivot to hire staff and build systems for sales, marketing, and logistics in 2023. They outline plans to expand revenue through B2B custom sales, affiliate programs, and improved e-commerce infrastructure, while Dan Provost’s Tech Corner evaluates large monitors like the Dell 49-inch and Apple Studio Display for creative workflows.

  • How I Built This · 37m

    HIBT Lab! Colin and Samir: Colin Rosenblum and Samir Chaudry

    YouTubers Colin Rosenblum and Samir Chaudry, known as Colin and Samir, discuss their 10-year journey from building a niche lacrosse network to becoming prominent voices in the creator economy. They detail their pivot from sports content to creator-focused media, the harsh realities of YouTube's monetization economics, and their strategic shift toward building owned audiences through their newsletter, The Published Press. The episode highlights their lessons on finding product-market fit, the importance of process, and the distinction between building a hobby and a sustainable business in the digital space.

  • Shop Talk Live · 1h 10m

    STL274: Inside Highland Woodworking

    Chris Bagby and Molly Bagby of Highland Woodworking discuss the company's evolution from a mom-and-pop hardware store to a specialized woodworking destination, highlighting their best-selling Hawk bandsaw blades and the impact of the pandemic on their e-commerce sales. The hosts also catch up with Vic Schaefer, who details his decision to downsize his workshop from 380 square feet to a 252-square-foot garage, explaining his strategy for tool consolidation, electrical upgrades, and adopting modern workholding systems like the MFT table.

  • Being an Engineer · 58m

    S2E41 The Hacksmith | James Hobson

    James Hobson, founder of Hacksmith Industries, explains how he transitioned from a mechanical engineering student to running a YouTube channel that builds functional prototypes of fictional items like the Iron Man helmet and Tesla Cybertruck. He details the company's growth from a solo hobbyist project to a 23-person team operating out of a 13,000-square-foot facility, highlighting the role of viral hits like the Captain America shield in driving sponsorship revenue. Hobson also discusses the technical challenges of building the Alien Power Loader, the importance of in-house manufacturing tools like fiber lasers, and his philosophy on self-taught engineering.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Making It. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.