Mind of a Maker
A daily blog inspired by Matthew Dicks
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.”
To become better at something, you have to practice. What better way to become a better writer and storyteller than to practice by making a habit of writing daily?
In this daily blog, we’ll discuss Maker-related topics as well as what inspires projects, including YouTube videos, Movies, TV Shows, Disney, Star Wars, LEGO, Books, and more. Everything is on the table, and nothing is off-limits.
Disclaimer: The thumbnail images featured on this blog are often AI-generated. See Disclosure page for more information.
The 1 Thing Busy Entrepreneurs Can Do Now To Find The Time You’re Looking For
You want to build your business, but just can't seem to find time in your busy schedule.
You've probably heard that you can't find time, but you have to make it. That's all well and good, but whoever said that doesn't get your "special circumstances." They just didn't understand why you don't have as much time, right?
This is how I discovered just how much time I really had to focus on my business.
The 1 Reason You Need To Embrace Boring To Grow Your Business In 2026
I get it, I don't like to be bored either.
In fact, I successfully failed to grow my Instagram account past 8.5k subscribers since 2017 because I got bored creating Maker content on a consistent basis. I wasn't even consistent with the types or themes of my builds over the years because I was so boring-averse. I was all over the place, and the flatline of my Instagram growth is a direct result.
I failed because I didn't want to be bored, but you don't have to make the same mistake I did.
4 Entrepreneurs I'm Constantly Learning From
I love learning new things.
This year started like many others with lots of things I wanted to learn more about, watch, and read. However, one major things was different: I was also focusing on implementing the ideas in my life and business. Instead of reading and watching, but doing nothing—which is just entertainment—, I challenged myself to actually put what I was learning into practice.
Why Being A Maker Made Me Want To Start A Business
Lately, I've gotten serious about building a maker-focused business, but where did it come from?
I've always been interested in how things work, even as a kid. I would take apart old VCRs (who remembers what those were?), try to figure out how they worked, tinker, and try to put them back together... unsuccessfully. I was even fascinated with the DVD bonus features of how movies were put together and why magic tricks fooled people.
Without knowing what a Maker was or how to use any tools, I had started down the Maker path that I love today.
3 Hidden Costs Preventing Your Side Hustle From Being A Profitable Small Business
You've already discovered many of the little costs of building a business, but you might not be seeing some of the big hidden costs that's keeping you from pushing through to the small business level. Most of these have nothing to do with opening your wallet, but with allocating your time and focus correctly. Your time and focus is your most precious resource as a side hustler, so let's use it efficiently and get the most out of what you have.
To make your side hustle into your career, you'll need to minimize or eliminate these hidden costs.
3 Hard Truths To Answer Before Turning Your Maker Hobby Into A Business
Everywhere online, you see people who took their hobbies and turned them into profitable businesses and you want it too.
Whether it’s to leave your full-time job or just bring in some side-hustle money, bridging the gap between hobby and business is no small feat. Social media makes it look effortless and like you can’t avoid winning big. Unfortunately, the reality can be much more difficult if you aren’t honest with yourself about what you’re getting into.
5 Hidden Fears Keeping Your Maker Business Stagnant (And How To Push Past Them)
You've posted some content on social media, built a website, maybe even have a low-cost product or two to sell, but your Maker business just isn't growing.
The insidious thoughts creep in.
Maybe you aren't cut out to turn your hobby into a business. Maybe people just don't understand your genius. Maybe everyone else who succeeded had an unfair advantage.
Or maybe, you aren't being honest about what's really holding you back (hint, it's you).
3 Rooms In The Haunted House Of Failed Businesses
While talking to a neighbor about how we should have used an empty house on our street as a haunted house, I started thinking about Maker businesses. Sure, how would a Maker decorate an entire, empty house and make it spooky, but also what would the Haunted House of entrepreneurs and business look like. What would scare owners and creators so much that it would spurn them to action tomorrow.
Top 4 Mental Frameworks For Creating A Successful Maker Business
Business building influencers love to talk about how all it takes is a good idea and you'll be a millionaire by next year. Sifting through the noise to find real entrepreneurs who share the failures along with the wins can be challenging, but they are who you should be watching. These people don't sugar coat how much hard work and failure comes along with building a business, but that you can break through it.
The 3 Why's Behind My Pivot From Helping People Make To Helping Makers Get Their Message Out
In 2017, I started Making things and shortly after in 2018, I gave a half-hearted (IF that much) try at creating content about what I was Making. It went...okay. I will admit that I didn't give it everything I had and could have put significantly more effort into the projects and content about them.
This year, I started writing articles about Making things and shifted more to the business side of Making things earlier this month, but why?
2 Reasons You Shouldn't Discount Email Marketing For Makers
Your email inbox is already overflowing, so why should you even think about keeping up with your own newsletter?
Every website you go to has an annoying pop-up or "subscribe for news and updates" form buried at the bottom of the webpage. So if it's already so saturated (and usually annoying), should you even try?
What Makers Aspiring To Be Entrepreneurs Can Learn From A Red D20
If you're trying to build a business, it can be tough to face failure after failure after failure.
Most people online talk about success, so no one might have prepared you for the number of failures you'll encounter before even 1 success. Failure is part of the game, so you have to keep playing in order to have any shot at winning even a little.
Don't just take my word for it.