The Story Behind hackLAB - Make What Matters. Together.

When I was in high school, my math teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I told her I wanted to be an engineer. She rolled her eyes and told me I would never make it. She explained that her daughter was an engineer and that I simply didn't have what it took. After all, I was just an average student.

What she didn't know was that life outside the classroom wasn't easy. My mother was raising nine children on her own, and there were challenges at home that didn't always leave much room for excelling in school. I never forgot what that teacher said, in fact I was mad and used her words as motivation. I became an engineer, earned a Master's in Industrial Design, and built a career doing what I had always dreamed of doing—inventing, designing, experimenting, and making things.

Along the way, life gave me something even more meaningful. When our first daughter, Sydney, was born, my wife Suzanne and I decided that I would step away from my career to become a stay-at-home dad. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we ever made. I continued learning, designing, and creating, often late into the evenings, while discovering how much joy comes from helping someone else learn and grow.

Eventually, I became a teacher myself. And that's where the story comes full circle.

I never wanted to be the kind of teacher who told someone what they couldn't become. I wanted to be the teacher who helped people discover what they were capable of becoming. That's really how hackLAB was born.

Not simply out of a love for tools, technology, or inventing things, but from a belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to create something they're proud of. You don't need to be an engineer, an artist, a straight-A student, or even someone who considers themselves creative. You just need a little curiosity, some encouragement, and a place where it's okay to make mistakes.

Today, hackLAB brings that philosophy to life through hands-on workshops for kids, adults, families, companies, clubs, and communities, both in person and online.

We get together to build things, invent things, learn new skills, laugh, make mistakes, and help each other along the way. We provide the tools, guidance, encouragement, and accountability to help everyone finish what they start.

And the best part? Everyone leaves with something real. Something they made with their own hands. Something they can use, give to someone they love, display proudly, or maybe even turn into a small business.

But what I hope people take home is something even more important than the thing they made.

The confidence that they can do something they didn't think they could do.

Because sometimes all it takes is one person believing in you to change the direction of your life.

I know what it feels like when someone doesn't. And that's why I created hackLAB.

Make What Matters. Together.

I'd love to hear your story, too. Visit [hackLAB](https://hacklab.live), or connect with me on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryandewitt/) to collaborate, join a workshop, or bring a maker experience to your group.