Makers, Meet Your Maker Attention all you plastic bag crafters, silent videographers, beer-bottle beaders, origami metal workers and everyone else on Etsy: There’s no such job title as “maker.” And what that job description lacks in reality, is way worse in originality. These days, every barista with a tumblr account and an allen wrench adds this made-up profession to their LinkedIn profile and has it laser-embossed on their waxed canvas business cards, made by some other local “maker.” But just because everyone makes something (we all make doodie, don’t we), that doesn’t make each and everyone of us a maker. The guy who makes cabinets. He’s not a “maker.” He’s a carpenter. Someone who makes statues. They’re a sculptor. You make bread? You’re a baker. These titles help the customer understand exactly what type of services you provide. But if you’re a maker, well, we have no idea what the hell you really do. About five years ago, our friends over at OMFGCO* coined the term (ok, maybe they weren’t the first, but it was long before this Deard heard it dropped in every coffee shop north of Alberta- Portland, OR reference). And yet OMFGCO diffused some of the pretentiousness by placing a “Thing” in front of their title. They were “Thing Makers.” It was fun and clever. But more importantly, it was apropos, as they actually built many of the “things” they were designing. As the term took on critical mass, these OG “thing makers” used the title sparingly, looking ahead toward the next culture shaper (and that just may be the closest job description to fit the bill, anyway) for when the current hoard of “makers” catches on, and tires of the over-used job descriptor. These days there are maker-faires and maker-bots. A shared office space in town rents exclusively to other “makers.” An advertising creative, playing a “maker” on the internet, points to his online portfolio…of ads. He makes ads. Folks, the maker shark has been maker jumped and is making its way out of the building. So before all you “makers” start tanning chicken skins for a new pair of cowboy boots, consider a slightly more original professional title. Come on. You’re makers. Surely you can make up something good. Something like “free-range cobbler.” But better. *This blog post officially approved by the Official Manufacturing Company