Send us a text In this episode of The Riley Black Project, John and Crystal catch up with Desiree Townsend of Yay Gifts & Cards — a laser maker, designer, and longtime community member who’s taken her business to the next level with her first real studio space! 🎉 We talk about the highs and lows of expanding your creative business — from working out of your house (and spilling into every hallway 😅) to signing that first lease and making it official. Inside this episode: ✨ Desiree’s ...

Send us a text In this episode of The Riley Black Project, we’re switching things up—recording from Riley Black Studios instead of the garage! 🎥 Join John and Crystal as they take you behind the scenes of Printing United 2025 in Orlando, one of the biggest print and laser industry events of the year. From mind-blowing UV printers to massive laser machines and live sandblasting demos, this episode is packed with new tech, vendor insights, and real talk about what’s next in the maker world. W...

Send us a text In this episode of The Riley Black Project, we sit down with Tess from Wealth With Tess, a former aerial acrobat turned investing educator, who’s helping creatives, makers, and small business owners take control of their money and build long-term wealth. 💰✨ Tess shares how she went from performing high above cruise ship decks to buying her first investment property after a single Google search—and eventually creating an entire brand to simplify investing for self-employed entr...

Send us a text In this episode of The Riley Black Project, we sit down with Cindy from Saltwater Stitches & Hat Co., who went from bartender and busy mom of four to running a booming hat patch and leather business that’s making waves in the laser community. 💥 Cindy shares her incredible journey from buying her first laser while pregnant to building a loyal customer base, growing through local markets, and ultimately scaling her business online — all while balancing family life and major ...

Send us a text In this episode of The Riley Black Project, we’re joined by Jessica Raba of Letters From Me TX — known as The Keychain Lady! Jessica shares how she turned her creative passion into a thriving Etsy shop with over 10,000 sales in just 16 months, all while juggling motherhood, a full-time job in the oil industry, and marathon training. We get into: ⚡ How a hand-me-down Glowforge launched a full-blown laser business ⚡ The genius “sample name discount” hack that booste...

Send us a text In this episode of The Riley Black Project, we’re back on the road for another unforgettable maker adventure—this time at the CMB Open House! 🎉 From checking out brand-new laser gear to laughing with friends over late-night hangs, this episode is all about what makes the maker community so powerful: connection, inspiration, and hands-on experiences you just can’t get online. We cover: ✨ Behind-the-scenes at CMB’s new space and their growing lineup of acrylic & machines ✨ ...

Send us a text In this episode of The Riley Black Project, we hit the road to Atlanta for the Georgia Laser & UV Printing Business Meetup with Sumita & Anuj We dive into: ✨ Why in-person events hit different compared to online groups and tutorials ✨ The power of simple tools like Keychain Thingies—and why seeing them live makes it click ✨ Lessons on outsourcing, staying organized, and investing in the right tools (like accounting & Shopify) ✨ How makers are diversifying—from lase...

Send us a text In this episode of The Riley Black Project, we’re joined once again by our friends Len & Stan from LensDigital—the minds behind some of the most innovative rotary attachments in the laser engraving industry. We cover everything from the affordable Piburn Light (built for makers testing the waters with tumblers) to the Vertigo—a next-level rotary that’s turning heads across the laser community. Inside this episode: ⚡ What makes the Piburn Light the perfect entry rotary for...

Send us a text On this episode of The Riley Black Project, we sit down with Roy from Industrial Fringe to dive into his journey from DJ booths and Disney clubs to the laser world. Roy shares how he went from sublimation to lasers after picking up the xTool F1, and how documenting his learning process turned into a YouTube channel with 21K+ subscribers. We get into: How sublimation, tumblers, and snarky coaster designs led to building Industrial Fringe What it’s really like to balance creat...

Send us a text This episode of The Riley Black Project is unlike any other—we’re live on the road from Next Level Laser Conference 2025! 🙌 Join us as we share the behind-the-scenes of our 17-hour road trip, connect with amazing makers, and rally together for a powerful cause. From beard-off fundraising to surprise donations, this episode is packed with laughs, heartfelt stories, and community spirit. We dive into: ✨ Supporting our friend Mario as he battles stage 4 cancer—raising funds in t...

Send us a text Hit the road with us for this special Riley Black Project episode, recorded on the way to the Next Level Laser Conference 2025! 🚗✨ We cover everything from road trip snacks and travel stories to how fast laser technology is evolving, the rise of UV printing, and how makers can use these new tools to test markets and grow their businesses. Plus, we dive deep into AI in content creation, sharing how we use tools like ChatGPT and automation in our podcast, video editing, and dail...

Send us a text On this episode of The Riley Black Project, we sit down with Frankie from Trotec to talk about life on the road with the TroVan. Frankie shares how he’s turning a ProMaster into a mobile demo hub, traveling from Florida to Michigan, Miami, Atlanta, and beyond—bringing the Trotec Speedy 360 right to makers’ doors. We dive into: What it’s like running laser demos out of a van (yes, even in bank parking lots!) Frankie’s transition from electrical engineering and defense contrac...

Send us a text This week on The Riley Black Project, we’re joined by Sara, the virtual assistant who has been saving businesses (and our sanity) one task at a time — and now she’s taking it to the next level with her new subscription service, My Social Companion. We talk about: How a VA can free up your time and streamline your business Why most makers and small business owners post sporadically (and how to fix it) The real benefits of batching content vs. posting daily Why email marketi...

Send us a text This week on The Riley Black Project, we’re hanging out with Jess & Alex from JT Financial Studio — the power duo helping makers, laser owners, and small business hustlers finally get their books, taxes, and finances in order. From filing your LLC without falling for scams, to knowing when to switch from an LLC to an S-Corp, to avoiding the most common (and costly) tax mistakes — they break it all down in plain English. We talk: The real startup headaches no one tells yo...

Send us a text In this wild episode of The Riley Black Project, we sit down with John and Mark of MakerFlo — two longtime friends turned laser biz legends. From being held at gunpoint at an international border (yes, really!) to building a thriving supply business for makers, their journey is full of laughs, lessons, and a little chaos. We dive into: Their insane border story (and how they got out of it 😳) How their business started by accident (and what they learned the hard way) The beh...

Send us a text In this wild and hilarious episode of The Riley Black Project, we're bringing together two laser world favorites—Blake and David—for a bromantic showdown like no other. From Keychain Thingies to booth-building tips, trade show antics, crafting confessions, and an actual beard vs. beard charity battle, this one is packed with laughs, ideas, and behind-the-scenes hustle. We dive into: The origin of David joining the Keychain Thingies dealer squad (and announcing it... months la...

Send us a text In this juicy episode of The Riley Black Project, we sit down with Alyssa of Lemon Squeezy Brands, a powerhouse branding expert who helps small business owners turn chaos into clarity through bold brand strategy and killer websites. 🍋 Alyssa shares her wild journey from leaving the news industry to launching a wood sign business, going viral for all the wrong reasons on TikTok, and turning it all into a thriving branding studio that makes it easy peasy for makers, creatives, a...

Send us a text In this episode of The Riley Black Project, we catch up with the king of laser jigs and 3D-printed precision: Daniel of Alive Pixel Creates and Customz It! Daniel joins us fresh off launching his new brick-and-mortar maker shop—and let's just say, it's been a wild ride of jig design, shop setup surprises, and all the “what-the-heck” moments you only discover after opening your doors. We dive deep into: The unexpected lessons from launching a laser + maker retail space How Da...

Send us a text This week on The Riley Black Project, we sit down with Megan of Raymond’s Trophies — APA Volunteer of the Year, laser badass, and longtime industry pro. We dive deep into her journey from photography and corporate life to running a family-owned awards business, how Raymond’s evolved through decades of innovation, and why adaptability is the secret sauce to longevity in any maker business. We talk gatekeeping in the early laser days, the Glowforge “lightbulb” moment, COVID-era ...

Send us a text In this episode of The Riley Black Project, we sit down with D’ondra of Work Boots & Glasses, a self-taught maker whose business journey started by kicking her husband's car out of the garage—literally. From building furniture to launching a fresh line of earrings and glassware, D’ondra shares how she turned her DIY spirit into a full-blown brand. We talk chocolate stashes, market wins and fails, creative chaos, and how documenting your journey (even the messy parts) build...