Elise Spontarelli received a bachelor’s degree in visual communications at the University of South Carolina and founded her first company in 2009, a web and graphic design company called GetCreative Web Design. In 2017, she founded Vector Space, a non-profit makerspace in Lynchburg, Virginia, with her husband.

1. What inspired you to start Vector Space?

I have always been a person who likes to create. I have a background in graphic design, which involved a lot of digital creation. Both my husband and I also did home projects. When we learned about the makerspace concept, it sounded like something we wanted to be a part of. Lynchburg didn’t have a makerspace, so we started exploring the idea of whether the model could work in the area if there was enough support and interest. After receiving a lot of positive feedback, we decided to start Vector Space.

2. Do you have a favorite thing you’ve created using the makerspace?

Something I love about the makerspace is I don’t have to stick to one medium or one type of project, and I can also apply my background in graphic design. I enjoy taking digital designs and making them into physical concepts, whether that’s screen-printing t-shirts or using the CNC plasma cutter to create a piece of art.

3. How has GO Virginia helped you take your work at Vector Space to the next level?

The GO Virginia grant is part of a larger campaign to completely move and expand the makerspace in a huge way. For the past seven years, the makerspace was located in a facility we rented. The grant played a key role in allowing us to purchase and renovate a new facility with double the square footage of the previous location. With this facility, we will be able to serve more makers and expand our programming, shop areas, and the types of tools we offer.

4. Can you tell me more about the 12-week Women in Machining program and how it has impacted women in the region?

Lynchburg has a high demand for machinists, and women are largely not entering machine trades, so this program was born with the purpose of introducing women to this career path. We work with about five women per year, and over the course of 12 weeks, they learn the fundamentals, gaining skills with the milling machine, lathe, measuring tools, and bench work. At the same time, they are learning soft skills through updating their resume and participating in practice interviews. We work with Virginia Career Works to implement the SkillsUSA curriculum, helping prepare participants for the workforce. At the end of the program, we take them on tours of local machine shops, including Belvac Production Machinery, Wegmann USA, Automated Conveyor Systems, and BWX Technologies. After they complete the 12-week program, there are different paths they can take. We can work to place them in a job that is a good fit for them or they can choose to continue their education at Central Virginia Community College. We have a partnership with CVCC, so once participants finish the program, they will have a credit for the first class in the Machine Shop Fundamentals 2-year degree program.

5. How has this project helped entrepreneurs in the region?

Vector Space partners with the local Small Business Development Center and Office of Economic Development to host Co.Starters, a 10-week entrepreneur training class, once a year. With the expansion of our facility, we’re able to add a lot of tools that are crucial to prototyping and product development. We’re getting higher-end 3D printers and laser cutters that can engrave metal. The tool expansion made available through the GO Virginia funding is going to make a big difference for entrepreneurs.

6. Do you have a favorite memory or moment that stands out to you since you started working on your GO Virginia project?

Two of our Women in Machining participants recently spoke at a Vector Space event. I’ve gotten to know these women very well over the past couple of years since they’ve been in the program. Hearing the pride in their voices as they talked about their experience was a reminder of what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. They’re both employed at local machine companies. One of them is running the stockroom, so every piece of material that goes in or out of the whole company goes through her. It was inspiring to hear her talk about how she had reached that level of leadership in the company and how she wouldn’t have known about the opportunity without the Women in Machining program. The second student talked about how much she enjoys machining. Her face lit up speaking about this skill that she never knew was available to her. Just within a couple of weeks of trying it, she fell in love with it. Now, she is able to participate in this hands-on skill every day.

7. What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start their own business?

You need support and community to successfully launch a business. Sometimes people get concerned that someone might steal their idea, but what I like to remind entrepreneurs is their experience combined with their skill set and the solution they’ve developed is what makes their ideas unique. I encourage people to share their idea, ask for help, and find mentors. Also, all the opportunities we offer at Vector Space are helpful for a business’s success.