Athletic departments, Greek organizations and even commissions in the LOU community see the value and novelty in Jellema’s business and are eager to get models made for their athletes and community members. Interest around 3D Miniz is spreading fast. From football players to firefighters, 3D Miniz are perfect for any person who wants to commemorate a special part of their life.
They can be for people who want to see themselves in their professions or interests. These life-like replicas aren’t just for those who want to keep memories of loved ones or special occasions like weddings or graduations.
Typical 3D color printing machines can cost up to $60,000 but Jellema was able to recreate the identity of an individual or the connection of a tight knit family through partnership with a company based in the United States for a full color printer and talented 3D artists that help on more extensive jobs. Through the help of the Small Business Development Center and the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce, Jellema was able to find resources and draw up plans to officially start his business. “They’ll do shirts and memorials, but there is no physical representation,” he said. Through his job in hospice, Jellema witnessed the grief of patient’s families and how they would cherish different things about the person. “It would’ve been so nice to have been sitting out, just to see.” “I was really close to them and really wanted to have a photo of them and I wished that I had a physical representation of them then I remembered ,” said Jellema. He regrets never being able to have 3D models of them but he offers the opportunity to everyone interested to have physical representations of their loved ones in full color. Jellema was even more motivated to find a better way to capture loved ones by the death of his grandparents, who he had a strong relationship with.