BiggerPockets Business Podcast 12: Step-by-Step Case Study: Manufacturing, Marketing and Selling a Physical Product with Cody Berman of Arsenal Discs

How do you go about creating a product line out of thin air? In this episode, Cody Berman breaks down the process from start to finish—and opens up about his exact costs and profit margins. Cody grew up playing disc golf. (Think of it as golf with frisbees.) By the time he was 19 years old, the game was growing FAST. He spotted a big opportunity in the equipment market and decided to do something about it. You’ll learn how Cody and his partner went about their market research (cost per unit, engineering, official regulations, margins, markup, MSRP), how they launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise seed money, and how they called 200(!) prototyping and molding companies to get the best deal possible. He also talks about the moments that almost made them quit—from being told they would need $100,000 to start (they wouldn’t) to surviving a disastrous early production run that led to an all-nighter and a lot of wasted capital. Cody goes on to reveal the way he markets Arsenal Discs in online groups, how he handles packaging and shipping, and his tips for entrepreneurs thinking about selling via Amazon. Don’t miss this action-packed episode, and subscribe so you won’t miss the next one!