The goal of Hardly Hustle is to provide inspiration, drive and motivation in a 10 minute read or less. What you see is what you get. This is hot off the press without an editing team.
Stephen Scheuerle is up.
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Stephen Scheuerle, and my focus is based upon STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education and space exploration. I am the co-founder and owner of Live2Build LEGOCamps. Live2Build is an educational summer camp program, where campers are only limited by their imagination. Our camps cover topics ranging from mathematics, engineering, robotics, filmmaking, and more!
I also create educational YouTube videos on a channel called Martian Wolf, which covers topics ranging from Space Exploration, Astrophysics, and Planetary Sciences. These videos are directed towards anyone who has a passion for Space.
What did it take and how did you get started?
Our main goal for both ventures has been to make a fun, educational environment for those interested in learning STEAM. Live2Build started over a decade ago, with a few LEGO sets, some interactive engineering problems, and a drive to have fun! Over the years, we have been able to increase both the quality and quantity of the curriculums. The programs themselves have continued to encourage children to think outside the box and use their creativity to solve unique problems.
The channel Martian Wolf was started just over a year and a half ago. One of the driving factors to starting this channel was my own curiosity, wanting to learn more about Space Exploration. The main goal when creating a video is to make it as comprehensible as possible, but still informative enough that someone familiar with the topic will learn something new.
What does the future look like for you and your hustle?
Over the last two years, Live2Build has gone on a hiatus. The goal for the near future is to start camps back up again and restructure some of the curriculums to match closer to what campers are interested in. Topics more directed towards programing, experimental science, and design. The future for Martian Wolf is to continue proving educational videos to those who want to learn more about Space.
What drives / motivates you?
Think back to when you took a test in school. After that test, how much of the course material did you retain? In some cases, we memorized what was needed for the test, and just a few days later forgot most of the information. In many disciplines, teachers (even at the college level) fall short of explaining the importance or value of a concept, but rather teach you how to follow the right steps (teach to the test). It is one thing to teach a skill, but another to help somebody clearly understand a concept. This is what motives me, to help people learn something new.
What advice would you give someone interested in doing what you do?
The most important piece of advice is to start doing. You could have the next million-dollar idea, but it's worthless if you don’t act on it. If you don't know what to do, asking questions and being curious is a great way to start. Related to education, if you want to create an educational platform, an early step could be learning more yourself, putting together early lesson plans/curriculums, and getting feedback from others in the discipline.
What has been the hardest part of the hustle?
Bringing Live2Build back from its hiatus has been quite a challenge. You don’t realize how much momentum a venture has until it stops, and getting it back up and running will take some time.
What are a few resources that you'd recommend?
What is happening in Space: https://www.nasa.gov/
The STATS
Side or full-time hustle?
Side
List the founders
Stephen & Nancy Scheuerle
How many hours a week do you work on this hustle?
10
# of Employees?
Two to Eight Part-time (depending on the time of year)
When did you start? Live2Build - 2003
Martian Wolf - 2018
How much did it cost to launch? Live2Build ~ $5000
Martian Wolf ~$500
What were your funding methods and ballpark amount raised?
Bootstrapped.
Social: Youtube: Martian Wolf