John Block was getting ready to retire from his career as a racecar engineer in 2017 when he saw a newspaper ad for CNM Ingenuity’s FUSE Makerspace. He quickly signed up for a membership and started learning new skills like plasma cutting and TIG welding.
Those new skills opened up new design and engineering projects for John and he eventually decided to start his own business, Pop’s Prototype Shop, where he builds everything from custom race car parts to cirrus ice ball presses, a device that creates a perfect ice sphere typically used in whiskey-based drinks.
“FUSE was definitely the springboard that launched me to where I am now,” John says.
His FUSE membership also helped John network with other creators and potential clients, further setting him up for success as a small businessman.
Nowadays John works exclusively out of his home shop, which includes a plasma…
