Product Startup

Steve Grundahl founded Midwest Prototyping back in 2001. Today, they are one of the biggest private facilities in the United States for additive manufacturing of new physical products. Steve also just hosted the Kansas version of Make48 at their Wichita shop. In this session, Steve is poised to share some valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers can use 3D printing and additive manufacturing to streamline their first production runs and the advantages of manufacturing this way.EPISODE LINKSSteve Grundahl / Midwest Prototyping Links: Website: https://midwestproto.com/ LinkedIn for Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-grundahl-91aa234/ LinkedIn for MidWest Proto: https://www.linkedin.com/company/midwest-prototyping/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midwestproto/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midwestproto/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/midwestproto Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr3iFkFFyuEryAS8XTcQacg The Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: <a...

Robert Irwin just wrapped up almost 3 years working as the Lead Industrial Designer at Amazon creating the Amazon Shopping Cart. Before that, he worked for many years as a freelancer, with agencies and at large corporations, doing industrial design and leading physical product design teams. Today, Robert is going to share his valuable insight into how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers can ensure that their product development process goes smoothly to create the best version of their product by knowing how industrial design and product engineering can best work together.EPISODE LINKSRobert Irwin Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertirwinid/ The Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next time.About: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put,...

Rhett Silverstein is the Founder of Hegemon, an agency that represents consumer product manufacturers in partnering with big brands, celebrities, and athletes. Before founding Hegemon, he was a brand licensing agent at Beanstock, and before that a New York lawyer. Today, Rhett is going to share some valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers can license big brands and celebrities for your products.Today we talk about: What is inbound licensing Why would a product startup want to consider it What should a product company have ready before reaching out How do you work with an agency to get in front of these people How are these deals generally structured EPISODE LINKSRhett Silverstein / Hegemon Links: Website: https://hegemonagency.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhettsilverstein/ The Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next...

Blair Severn worked for 4 years as the national manager for Sony Stores. He managed not just marketing, but also how to best drive product sales in those stores. Before that he worked for years doing a similar thing at Consumer Gas Appliance stores. He really knows in-store product sales. Today Blair is going to share some valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers can think about how to best design and promote your product to be able to beat the competition and sell more units after successfully getting a deal into a retail store chain, and a lot of this is applicable to online sales too.EPISODE LINKSBlair Severn / Enabling Ideas Links: Website: https://enablingideas.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairsevern/ The Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next time.

Jan Cavelle was the Founder and CEO for 20 years of Jan Cavelle Furniture Company which designed, manufactured, and sold their own furniture to wholesalers all over the world. She is also the author of Scale for Success, a book that helps startups go from their first sales to becoming a multi-million dollar empire. Today Jan is going to share some valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers can make their first sales by just picking up the phones. She will then go into some tips on how to scale your business, and how to learn from some of the best sales techniques in a very old industry.EPISODE LINKSJan Cavelle / Jan Cavelle Furniture Company Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jancavelle/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jancavelle Website: https://jancavelle.co.uk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanCavelleWriter The Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next time.

Tom Patterson is the Founder of multiple companies in the hardware space. 1. He owns a number of e-commerce brands and even owns his own manufacturing facility for one of his clothing lines. 2. He also owns an e-commerce agency that helps products scale from zero all the way up to 9-figure online sales. Today Tom is going to share some valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers should consider selling directly to customers to start building their product line, and how to do it well.EPISODE LINKSTom Patterson / Wknd Digital Links: Website 1: www.wknddigital.com Website 2: www.wkndagency.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tommypatterson/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-patterson-61a808199/ The Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next time.

West Stringfellow rose the ranks in the early days of Amazon emerging as Head of Product. He has also been an executive in innovation at Target, Paypal, Visa, &amp; Rosetta Stone. He even ran a Techstars incubator for a couple years. Now West runs HowDo, a completely free education platform to help anyone become a successful entrepreneur. Today West is going to share some valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers should focus on understanding the customer to gain strong insight into early product development and marketing planning. He will explain how some of the best customer-facing companies in the world do this, and how you can learn from that to do this for your next hardware product.EPISODE LINKSWest Stringfellow / HowDo Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weststringfellow/ Website: https://howdo.com/ The Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next time.

Bill Carlin runs a massive hardware product warehouse, fulfillment, distribution, and logistics company called ShipMate Fulfillment. They do everything from receiving your shipment from the manufacturer, to sorting and packing, then getting individual units to your customers, handling all returns, and everything in between. Simply put, Bill is a great knowledge resource for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers to understand, plan for, and best execute on their fulfillment logistics.EPISODE LINKSWilliam Carlin / ShipMate Fulfillment Links: Website: https://shipmatefulfillment.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-carlin-2100b5189/ The Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next time.

Victoria Wieck started from nothing and grew her jewelry business to over $500 Million in sales. She has over 30 years of experience in retail sales, and 20 years in selling on TV. She was a weekly host on the HSN and QVC for many years, and now a monthly host on the ShopHQ TV show. She is also host of the Million Dollar Hobbies podcast. Today, Victoria is going to share some valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers can turn their hobbies or invention ideas into multi-million dollar international businesses, including best practices for ideating an invention, getting it to market, scaling it into a brand, and conquering the market.EPISODE LINKSVictoria Wieck Links: Website: https://victoriawieck.com/ Podcast: https://victoriawieck.com/podcast/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriawieck/ The Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next...

Rob Crowder is the Head of Product at Nutromics, a high-growth medical sensor device company. Rob has over 20 years in the product development field. He has worked for General Electric, PWC, and more. Today Rob is going to share some valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers can learn from the best practices on user journey mapping for medical devices - How to apply these MedTech best practices to your next product, whether it’s a medical device or any other physical product invention.EPISODE LINKSRob Crowder / Nutromics Links: Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robcrowder/ Company Website: https://www.nutromics.com.au/ The Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next time.

Mark Pecota is the author of Crowdfunded, the leading book on crowdfunding. He is also the Co-Founder of LaunchBoom, one of the first and leading crowdfunding agencies, an agency which has raised hundreds of millions for hardware startup clients. He also founded and runs LaunchBoom Academy, an educational platform for going from start to finish of a campaign, and runs the Crowdfunded Summit. Today Mark is going to share some valuable knowledge about what Crowdfunding is, how to best prepare and test for a campaign, how campaign marketing works, how to scale your funding round, and best practices in campaign messaging.EPISODE LINKSMark Pecota / LaunchBoom Links: Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markpecota/ Company Website: https://www.launchboom.com/ Crowdfunded Summit: https://crowdfundedsummit.com/ LaunchBoom Academy: https://www.launchboom.com/academy/ The Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: <a...

Chrystal Clifton is the Founder of Chrystalize, a company that helps luxury consumer product brands grow and monetize their marketing and brand authority. She also led the charge on growing a wine brand from nothing to the number eight wine in the world, which is just one accomplishment among 20 years in the premium and luxury product industries. Today Chrystal is going to share some valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers should think about their new product as a premium product, even if it is not in a typical luxury industry. She explains why this is so important to a new and growing brand, then explains best practices on how to pull it off the right way to ensure your product leads your industry in both reputation and success.EPISODE LINKSChrystal Clifton / Chrystalize Links: Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrystalclifton/ Company Website: https://www.chrystalclifton.com/ The Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ ...

Jamie Libregts is the Director of Product Marketing for Reliable Corporation, a 65-year-old manufacturing company that produces high-quality consumer and commercial garment care products all over the world. Today, Jamie is going to share some valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers can leverage marketing to stand out in a competitive environment - both with a new product and when updating an existing one. Simply put, he unravels how to think about the market and scaling your product, right from the product development phase all the way through to multiple manufacturing runs, as well as how to continuously innovate to always be leading the industry.EPISODE LINKSJamie Libregts / Reliable Corp Links: Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-libregts/ Company Website: https://reliablecorporation.com/ Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/reliable-corporation/ Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reliable/ Company Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReliableCorporation1955 The Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora:

Joe is both a CPA and a lawyer from the manufacturing sector. He has worked with many emerging and established manufacturing operations, including a major turnaround of Jefferson Electric, which went on to go public. Since then, Joe has spent the past 10 years research how to financially scale hardware companies and is now working to launch Dream Exchange, a way for small companies to go public. Today Joe is going to share some valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers think ahead to how they will finance and scale their product, but also what an acquisition or go-to-public exit looks like, and why it’s always good to think about that soon in the product startup journey.EPISODE LINKSThe Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Joe Cecala / Dream Exchange Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joececala/ Company Website: https://dreamex.com/ Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako’s Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next time.

James is the author of the book Ramping Your Brand, which helps high-growth consumer product companies accelerate their growth. He also has his Ph.D. in Anthropology aka Human Behaviour from the University of Wisconsin, and was a Harvard Grad before that. Today James is going to share some valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers can use best practices in marketing to rapidly scale their product business - Specifically, we are going through the four Ps of marketing for hardware startups.EPISODE LINKSThe Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent James Richardson: Book: https://www.rampingyourbrand.com/ Company Website: https://www.premiumgrowthsolutions.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/premiumgrowthsolutions/ Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako’s Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next time.

Brett is the President of Goodlawyer, a law firm tailored specifically to startups. Today Brett is going to share some valuable knowledge on business law considerations for when starting and scaling a hardware startup. There’s two main fields of law for a hardware startup, one, is the intellectual property protection, aka patent law, and the second is business legal issues, things such as partner agreements, Non-disclosures, financing agreements - Today, we’re talking about the latter, legal considerations of your product business itself. What legal considerations should you be making, but almost more importantly, what legal things should you not be spending big bucks on.EPISODE LINKSThe Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Brett Colvin / Goodlawyer Links: Website: https://www.goodlawyer.ca/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettrcolvin/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodlawyerinc/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodlawyer.ca Twitter: https://twitter.com/goodlawyerInc/ Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako’s Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako ...

Peter-Paul is the Founder of FrontFundr, one of North America’s top platforms for equity crowdfunding for startups and small scaling businesses. He is a TedX speaker on Investment Crowdfunding, is a member of the Securities Commission, and is an advisor to both the Private Capital Markets Association and the National Crowdfunding and Fintech Association. Simply put, Peter-Paul is the person to talk to when it comes to crowdfunding capital for a hardware startup. Today, he is going to share some valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers can raise funding to scale their product businesses, especially in modern times as there are a lot more funding opportunities than ever before.Today you will hear us talk about: Alternative forms of capital for consumer product startups What has happened in hardware startup funding over the last 5 years What technology you can leverage to raise capital How to best finance an invention idea through modern fundraising options EPISODE LINKSThe Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Peter-Paul Van Hoeken / FrontFundr Links: Website: https://www.frontfundr.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterpaulvanhoeken/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frontfundr/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frontfundr1/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/frontfundr TedX: https://www.ted.com/talks/peter_paul_van_hoeken_investment_crowdfunding_invest_in_business_you_believe_in Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: <a...

Deirdre is the President of Growth Boss, an e-commerce strategy agency. Her team helps product startups scale to 6 and 7 figure online product businesses. Today Deirdre is going to describe which online digital sales platforms are the best for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers that are looking to sell their product directly to end-customers, along with some best practices on those sales platforms.Today you will hear us talk about: What are the platforms What are one of the biggest misconceptions new business owners have when marketing their product directly to consumers? What is human connection and tribe building? What does that even mean? How a hardware product gets sold on e-commerce platforms. Episode LinksThe Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Deirdre Tshien / Growth Boss Links: Company Website: https://thegrowthboss.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deirdretshien/ Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako’s Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next time.

Jefferey is the Founder and President of The Open People Network, an organization that invests in early stage companies, including many hardware startups. OPN simultaneously runs pitch nights, entrepreneurship communities, and expert panels for startup funding education. Jeffery also has been an Angel Investor for many years. Today he is going to share some valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers can fund the growth of their product business - From invention development all the way to raising millions of dollars of growth capital, and all the funding stages in between.Today you will hear us talk about: Pre-Seed and Seed Financing for hardware startups Best practices for considering outside or professional funding Professional Angel Funding for Consumer Product Startups Venture Funding, Series A, Series B, and Series C Funding Episode LinksThe Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Jeffery Potvin / Open People Network Links: Company Website: https://opn.ninja/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jefferypotvin/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Opeoplenetwork/ Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako’s Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next time.

Mike ran a design firm in Hong Kong back in the 90s, then was a Senior Industrial Design Lead at Sunbeam, before contributing as a Design Manager at Hewlett Packard and, subsequently, spending 10 years with Dell running their entire business desktops design division. He has made over 50 trips to China for manufacturing sourcing and has consulted dozens of hardware startups on overseas production. He is also a mentor at Techstars and Capital Factory. Today, Mike is going to share some valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers can best plan for and optimally execute their first overseas manufacturing run. Today you will hear us talk about: Great manufacturing starts with great design. Don’t try and do it all as a hardware startup. Have a boots-on-the-ground relationship with your factory overseas. You may be able to work with good factories when you have strong connections. What to think about in regards to financing your product development and manufacturing. Episode LinksThe Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Mike Morton Links: Company Website: https://www.mortoncg.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-morton-design/ Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako’s Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next time.

Michael spent 22 years with Apple from 1988 to 2010. He is the author of Live from Cupertino, a book about how Apple created their winning messaging. Michael also was the Managing Director of LittleBits, a great hardware startup success story. He is now the Executive Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Indian River State College. Today Michael is going to share some valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers can learn from the best practices of Apple - Lessons you can apply to your product business, from one of the biggest product companies of all time.Today you will hear us talk about: How Apple used strong product focus, even to sell to literally everyone. How to create messaging around your product like Apple did What the future for the startup hardware industry looks like over the next 20 years. Episode LinksThe Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Michael Hageloh Links: Book: https://www.amazon.com/Live-Cupertino-Performance-Worlds-Machine/dp/1642931705 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhageloh/ Website: https://hageloh.com/ Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako’s Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next time.

Eric is the President of The Five Echelon Group, a full-stack marketing agency. He is also the host of the Virtual CMO Podcast which educates businesses on how to maximize their marketing and messaging efforts. With 30 years as a marketing executive, Eric today is going to tell us how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers should market their new product, and how to cut out all potential resistance points along your potential customer’s buying process.You’ll hear Kevin and Eric talk about: How to market your new product in the modern world. How to perfect your product's marketing message. Best practices for smoothing out the buying process for product purchasers. And more. Episode LinksThe Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Eric Dickmann / Virtual CMO Podcast / Five Echelon Links: Company: https://fiveechelon.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edickmann/ Podcast: https://fiveechelon.com/the-virtual-cmo-podcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FiveEchelon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtualcmopodcast/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi1Sd6Wf5JEtLJN0kaEVA1Q Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FiveEchelon/ Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako’s Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: <a...

Alison is the inventor and founder of Clasp Magic, a consumer product to help users with putting on bracelets one-handed. Alison came up with the invention idea, got it developed, and then hit the ground running by using 5 different product sales channels and strategies to really make sure her product succeeded. We explore what those channels were, and how to win in them. Clasp Magic is now sold all over the world. Today’s episode is about how to succeed in launching your new product, from the perspective of a home inventor, loving wife, and mother of 4.You’ll hear Kevin and Alison talk about: Being your brand - Take your product everywhere. The 5 sales channels Alison used to ensure her product invention launch was a big success. Best practices for successfully executing in each of those 5 sales channels. Crowdfunding through platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Episode LinksThe Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Alison Brett / Clasp Magic Links: Company: https://www.claspmagic.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/claspmagic Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clasp_magic/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi1Sd6Wf5JEtLJN0kaEVA1Q LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-brett-5699bb5b/ Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako’s Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/...

Tom shares valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers can license their inventions and products to get into the market - How licensing is actually done properly and professionally to get into the distributors, retailers, or big product brands with your product.You’ll hear Kevin and Tom talk about: How far do you need to develop your product in order to start talking to potential licensing partners and brands? Protecting your intellectual property, and when to do it in the licensing cycle. Which partners, manufacturers, and brands to first reach out to with a new product. The best product tradeshows to showcase your product. Tom is the Founder and Executive Producer of the Make48 TV Show, a show where contestants have 48 hours to come up with an invention idea and build a prototype to showcase it to the judges. The show is on PBS, Amazon Prime, and many other networks around the world. Tom also is the President of Handy Camel, a company that distributes client products all over the world. Simply put, he is one of the big names in the North American product startup space.Episode LinksThe Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Tom Gray’s Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-gray-a0948a77 Company: https://make48.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/gomake48 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gomake48/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Make48 Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako’s Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora:<a...

Today Sajag Agarwal talks about how he went from $0 to $2 Million in eCommerce sales for his products, then back down to $0, all because of failed quality control in manufacturing. Now, Sajag runs a quality control company that ensures overseas production runs smoothly from raw materials all the way through to final product loaded onto a container.Sajag joins Kevin Mako to share valuable insights about how inventors, product startups, small manufacturers, and product developers can ensure their products are manufactured overseas without defects.You’ll hear them talk about: The different stages in a production run where quality control is required. How costly failed product quality can be. Tips for ensuring your quality control personnel will do a good job. How to ensure quality control matches your interests as the buyer. Episode LinksThe Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Sajag Agarwal Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sajagagarwal/ Company: https://movley.com/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next time.

Today’s guest on the Product Startup Podcast is Mark Shanahan, a top expert in consumer product distribution and retailers. Previously, Mark had a successful 25 year career at Staples, where he started as a junior product buyer, moved up to running entire product categories, eventually becoming a Vice President.Mark joins Kevin Mako to share valuable insights about how inventors, product startups, and manufacturers can get in the door with buyers at major retail stores, and how they can sell their product once they’ve crossed that threshold.You’ll hear them talk about: What entrepreneurs can do with their physical products to get the best chance of success with major retailers. Mark shares tips and tricks from an insider’s view as a long-time Staples buyer. Questions that buyers often ask entrepreneurs. They will want to know your target market, what your value proposition is, and why you’re legitimate. The components of a well-done pitch. Always remember to be concise, clear, and transparent. The importance of being honest with a potential retailer. The buyer needs to know that you are reliable and can be trusted. Things to consider when meeting buyers: maintain eye contact, don’t get too personal, take notes, and be as brief as possible. ResourcesMark Shanahan on LinkedIn | TwitterKevin Mako on LinkedIn | TwitterMakoDesign.com

Kevin sits down with Jonathan Schloo, the Founder and Inventor of the Car Generator. An ingenious device, Schloo created the first ever car generator when in need of hydro while camping with his family. Soon after, he recognized that there was an opportunity to build a successful business by helping people power their homes during stormy nights with the cars parked right in their driveway. Throughout the episode, the two discuss how Schloo took his initial invention to a product selling on Amazon and in big box retailers, and all the lessons he learned along the way. First time product founders - this one’s for you.EPISODE LINKSThe Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Jonathan Schloo / Car Generator Links: Company Website: https://www.cargenerator.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/schloo/ Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako’s Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next time.

In this episode, we’re changing things up a bit. Filip introduces you to your new host and sponsor of the show, Kevin Mako, Founder and President of Mako Design + Invent. The two discuss Kevin’s journey into the startup world and his vision for the future of the Product Startup podcast. They also mention the biggest mistakes, opportunities, and feedback that early-stage product founders can make when building their businesses.EPISODE LINKSThe Product Startup Podcast Links: Website: https://www.ProductStartup.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ProductStartup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ProductStartup/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ProductStartup/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProductStartup/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ProductStartup/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProductStartup YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Mako Design Links: Website: https://www.makodesign.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MakoInvent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MakoInvent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MakoDesign/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakoInvent/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MakoInvent/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MakoInvent/ Kevin Mako’s Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Entrepreneurs/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/KevMako/ Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Kevin-Mako Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/ Thanks for tuning in! See you next time.

This episode is based on the following article: 6 Methods To Generate New Product Ideas and And Kick-Start Your Creativity Many people assume that they aren’t good at coming up with new or creative ideas. They say,

We also get into telling a story with your product to increase engagement with consumers.

Today we will focus on manufacturing and quality assurance - answering some of the most popular questions that we get asked. Also, how to know when to call it quits, and how much money or time to invest...

Competing with companies much larger than her small business and why success isn't straight line.

Testing their product with their target market and finding the right suppliers and co-packers for their product.

We talk about going from prototype to manufacturing and validating the market and also cover Tim's tips for launching on Kickstarter.

The application process for startup companies to get funded and what investors look for in companies.

What direct response television (DRTV) marketers look for in consumer inventions and how an at-home inventor can get a product to market without breaking the bank.

We talk about the top reasons why owners typically want to sell their business. Also - accounting issues that business owners may be blindsided by during a sale: reoccuring expenses and perishable inventory calculations

We get into solving that unmet need, validating their idea and creating the initial prototype. We talk about creating a refined prototype, sourcing manufacturers in the US and abroad and placing their first order.

Johannes Roselius is a development engineer with 10 years of experience in Product development. He has worked in design engineering, manufacturing, and product management and loves to find simplicity in the most complicated problems.

Why Exodus Wear does not use an online customization tool - and instead prefers to have students hand-draw their jackets designs. Why Elyse isn't worried about competing on price. Not starting a culture of discounting.

General findings of the mfg.com survey and the do's and don'ts of submitting designs for quote to manufacturers.

We talk about creating the early prototypes and import constraints and regulatory approvals. What Stacy wishes she knew before she started.

The acoustic and manufacturing properties of different woods. Other design factors that Jay h.ad to consider. Testing the speaker components and selecting the right manufacturer

The most common deduction people miss on their US tax return. How you can hire your children over 7 years old, and aging parents to work for your business and deduct their wages.

The process that Tim followed to build the initial prototype and how Tim found the manufacturer for his equipment. We also talk about Tim's deep understanding of the industry and the huge advantage of working as a contractor using the equipment for oth...

How Farah comes up with new designs for her products and starts a new collection and validating creative ideas that are subject to interpretation (beauty is in the eye of the beholder).

Where Ruth got the inspiration for her first product and how she kicked off her production run of 100 units to test the market. Why she was comfortable creating a product in "someone elses' sandbox."

Why Green&amp;Blue doesn't use a "one stop shop" approach to manufacturing. Keys to maintaining good relationships with retailers through product quality, customer service, product news, soliciting feedback.

Finding your target audience using social media and asking them questions and what to do if your message isn't resonating with the audience. Using what your target market says about your product to create call to actions and one-liners.

What are your core motivations for starting a business? This needs to be something that you don’t have to remind yourself of every day – it should be a part of you.