PART ONE: THE FIRST CLIENT
One Stone believes in the power of students to make the world a better place. Here, Daniel K. shares how he monetized his experience with a 3D modeling and rendering program to create a business that helps others.
By Daniel K., One Stone
On November 9th, at 5:15 PM, Lee Timo placed an order for me on Fiverr, one of the world’s most popular freelance platforms. Just a few weeks earlier, I'd posted an offer on the site to get on a Skype call and share my knowledge about Blender, a free 3D modeling and rendering program that I'd spent the past year learning about. Ten bucks, for a one hour call on the ins and outs of Blender. Since no one else was offering this service, I was lucky enough to score a client. Lee was my first.
One Stone instills a problem solving mindset in students from the get go, but Lee’s problem was simple. He was starting a niche auto part business, selling on Ebay and Amazon. The unique aspect of this venture is that he wanted to 3D print his physical car parts with free software, and finalize the product with his upholstery skills. This would reduce his manufacturing costs dramatically. He needed to learn how to make 3D models to create his products. For the first time, I experienced what it’s like to make a sale. We organized a call, and I began teaching him the basics of modeling. The call went well and we would have many more.
Soon, his first product was almost complete and he began producing early versions with his 3D printer and upholstery skills. By this time, I had acquired a second client, but Lee and I continued to consult on a weekly basis so I could coach him on his Blender skills. The last time I spoke with Lee was in the spring of 2019, but I am happy to know that he now has a full income from his store. I was able to help him with his products, and he helped me by giving me my first orders and reviews.
One Stone encourages me to follow my passions for business, technology, 3D and game design. This led to the birth of my first e-learning venture with over 5,000 students across 129 countries. While there are many ups and downs to being a student-entrepreneur, One Stone provides the perfect learning environment for those of us that find business fascinating. I’m gaining real-world connections, experience with sales, and an entrepreneurial mindset, which I have found to be helpful in many aspects of life, not just business.
