A Vending Machine?

Have you ever worked in a shop in the middle of the night when retail stores are closed? And you broke a drill bit.
We have Shot bot and 7 Axis bits in the vending machine along with other shop related basic accessories such as:
- Engraving tools
- Double Edge Lettering Bits
- Single Edge Upcut Spiral O Flute
- Double Edge Upcut Bottom Surfacing
- Raspberry Pi
Pi not Pie. Perhaps not what you first thought. It is a credit-card sized computer that plugs into your TV and a keyboard. It’s a capable little PC which can be used for many of the things that your desktop PC does, like spreadsheets, word-processing and games. It also plays high-definition video. you may want to try it.
At AssentWorks. Tuesday Night Open House 6 PM.  125 Adelaide on the 3rd Floor. Exchange District. Winnipeg.

It Happened So Fast!

What can happen when two people with different but complimentary skills meet? In this case, a new business. And that is exactly what happened with AssentWorks members: David Bernhardt and Aaron Guppy.

In less than two months ago, while touring AssentWorks, Aaron Guppy saw David Bernhardt's outstanding work of signage illuminating the front entrance. Key design elements of that sign started Aaron thinking of ways to develop a line of decor products. Two weeks later he joined AssentWorks, and immediately sought out the creator of that sign. When they met, it's no surprise that the two kindred spirits talked for hours, because, what Aaron couldn't have known was that, David had also been quietly working on some very similar product ideas. A week later they formalized a partnership and started designing and making prototypes. They approached a local manufacturer and made an agreement to have their products made here, in Manitoba -  products which they'll sell across the country (and beyond?).

So, at AssentWorks, in a month and a half, two people who hadn't met previously, have turned an idea into a named, registered company with a logo, business model, marketing strategy, and manufacturing capacity for home/office decor products. They'll be premiering real samples of those products at the Home Show this weekend (March 15-17)  in a walled, display booth that they built themselves; at AssentWorks of course.

NEXTSTYLE, the first fully-conceived and gestated offspring of the great dream that the members of AssentWorks and each of our supporters, like you, have been striving to facilitate, will take its initial breath at the Home Show, this weekend.

What's most exciting is that this is just the first of many businesses their chemistry has the potential to produce. How many more businesses are waiting to be developed? I don't know. What I do know is that about 150 prototypes were built at AssentWorks so far. It is possible. It happened with NextStyle Architectural Finishes.

Visit us for a Open House. Every Tuesday night. 6 - 8 PM. 3rd Floor, 125 Adelaide St. Exchange District. Winnipeg. AssentWorks and Ramp-Up Manitoba.

Contributor: Robert Elms, Members Council Chairman, AssentWorks

If you missed it...

In case you  missed it, here are the links to news on March 01, 2013 AssentWorks funding announcement in the spirit of entrepreneurship in Manitoba.

Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg Free Press
CBC News
Metro News
CBC News
The Winnipeg Sun
CJOB
Innovate Manitoba
Indiegogo Campaign

The Spirit of Passion

 Martin Cash captured the spirit of AssentWorks perfectly in the Winnipeg Free Press on the day before our announcement. "When there is passion involved in any pursuit in life, the meaningfulness of the enterprise is enhanced", Cash said. AssentWorks Directors, Members and Volunteers demonstrate this passion everyday.

Many people came to AssentWorks on March 1st for the first time. They witnessed something very special. Kerry, Mike, David and Chris articulated their passion and vision in a way that only they can. As co-founders, they all have the same vision and that is what helps to make a business successful.

Vic Toews, Federal Minister of Public Safety made his much anticipated announcement in the way of a $467,000 commitment to AssentWorks. Funding that will take our facility from entrepreneurs creating finished prototypes AND facilitating the creation of the actual businesses that surround them, thanks to Ramp Up Manitoba.

A fundraising effort is also underway on the crowd-funding site Indiegogo to help deal with some of the additional costs associated with the additional space. Your sponsorship will help us make cutting edge equipment available to the community, develop training opportunities for specialized skills and reach out to entirely new audiences across the province about entrepreneurship and invention. All donations receive amazing AssentWorks produced products; check out the list of rewards at the campaign site.

Come see the passion for yourself any Tuesday night at our weekly open house. If you can not come visit us, consider sponsoring through our Indiegogo campaign. Or just follow your own passion. Whatever it may be.

AssentWorks
3rd Floor, 125 Adelaide St.
Winnipeg