Member Spotlight: Marie Flowers
theCO sees a lot of fresh faces coming through the front doors, bringing ideas and innovation. The Flowers family joined theCO in July, and has since been creating wooden products in the makerspace. Marie Flowers started her business “Moore Unique Products” with her fiance, Joseph Moore in May, which quickly became her full time job along with being the mom of Brennan and Alana, who also play a part in production.
“We started with raised flower beds,” Marie said, “and when the growing season ended we decided to branch out. We had heard about the makerspace at theCO, so we came to check it out.”
Filled with equipment like a laser engraver, CNC router, belt sander, and miter and table saws, the makerspace is a haven for creatives who work with their hands. They quickly took to the space and began making all kinds of products like seasonal decorations, signs, coasters, and even a custom wooden bench that they sell at local farmers markets and craft fairs. However, their operation is certainly not a one man job. Marie’s son, Brennan, a freshman at Madison Academic, is often the mastermind behind the products. He thinks of an item, and then he and his mom work on prototypes. But Brennan’s creativity isn’t the only thing he brings to the table.
“I also do a lot of salesmanship at the markets,” he says. “I stand up and do the sales pitch to pull people in and try to sell what we make.”
Brennan says that the laser engraver is by far his favorite tool in the makerspace.
“There are so many designs that you can use it for. You can do anything you want with it, you just punch in the design, and put in the material, and you get your item.”
Marie’s enthusiasm for creativity and hard work is matched with the joy she finds in getting the opportunity to spend time with her kids.
“It’s amazing to get to work with them. They get to see entrepreneurship, and come up with an idea and see it executed, and follow it through to the end.”
Marie’s 12 year old daughter, Alana, has an atypical after school activity compared to most middle schoolers. When school ends for the day she gets to spend the afternoon in the makerspace with her mom, creating all kinds of things.
“As a mom it means a lot to me that I can teach my daughter that she can be successful in anything she wants,” Marie says. “She gets to learn do it on her own, and it shows her she can be creative and produce something.”
theCO welcomes all creatives or makers with an interest in the makerspace. Come see what you can build!