The author reflects on a personal project pursued for enjoyment that unexpectedly attracted over $40K in funding for mass production. Instead of profit, the reality of operational and manufacturing costs results in losses. This experience raises broader questions about the role of an 'industry mentor.' The article implies that mentorship extends beyond sharing knowledge and might involve deeper engagement with the community, as well as critiquing the practical impact that mentors have in the industry.
I've had a project I worked on for years I kept under wraps for a while, mostly because it was 100% for self-satisfaction, and I didn't actually think it would go commercial.
Before I knew it, I raised over $40K to mass produce a product I designed, but operational and manufacturing costs left me seeing red in the profit section.
I call myself an industry mentor, but that's such a loose term to define the impact I want to make for my community.
What does an industry mentor actually do? Do we just write Medium articles or give advice? It raises questions on the value we create.
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