The Product Startup: Product development for small

Tim Pannell has developed an award-winning machine called the Reefinator, which he manufacture and sells to Farmers and Contractors across Australia. The Reefinator converts shallow, rocky soil into deep productive soils at an economical cost. In this episode, we learn about That Tim started thinking about the Reefinator almost 20 years ago, but he only recently started to work on it recently   How the Reefinator works to crush rock  The process that Tim followed to build the initial prototype How Tim found the manufacturer for his equipment  Protecting his idea when working with third party manufacturers (and the advantages of working with them) The financial investment needed to get development going Tim's deep understanding of the industry and the huge advantage of working as a contractor using the equipment for other customers Deciding what new features to incorporate Having the strength to push forward when things get tough Not letting the financial goal be the primary driver and focusing on the problem instead Manufacturing the Reefinator Over 100 machines at 2 per week) The most rewarding part - solving his customers 50-year old problems How Tim set up his quality program to ensure the machines are produced to the proper standards The power of word of mouth advertising and live demonstrations Finding partners and small businesses to work with you Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website: rocksgone.com.au Social Media Facebook: facebook.com/RocksGone/ Youtube: youtube.com/user/MrTimpannell Google +: plus.google.com/+RockcrushingAu

Farah Qureshi designs and makes jewelry in precious materials using ethical silver and gold in the UK.  The inspiration behind her designs comes from many different sources, such as botanical imagery.   In this episode, we learn about Where Farah draws inspiration for her art  The benefits of winning design grants and awards Farah's core motivation for creating her business What type of work Farah outsources, and what does in-house  How Farah comes up with new designs for her products and starts a new collection Validating creative ideas that are subject to interpretation (beauty is in the eye of the beholder)   Getting started - selling to family and friends and expanding her base through events, pop-up shows and exhibitions Hosting your own events for the first time and the benefits to the product creator Deciding how much time to spend on creating vs marketing  Managing production and communicating designs to casting companies and other vendors Finding and working with third-party manufacturers  Advantages and disadvantages to manufacturing jewelry  The importance of gauging the market and starting slowing   Scaling the business   The most efficient use of her time marketing   Connecting to your audience and repurposing feedback in marketing Gaining exposure to editorials and print media Farah's unique superpowers What is difficult to replicate in Farah's business Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website: farahqureshi.co.uk Social Media Twitter: @farahsjewellery Facebook: facebook.com/Farah-Qureshi-jewellery-designer-106979772725293 Pinterest: pinterest.com/farahsjewellery Credits: Farah also had help with some of the press releases from Fiona Pattison - happy4pr@gmail.com Small Business Saturday team - comms@smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com Thanks for listening! What did you think? Leave me a note in the comments! Do you want to see similar episodes or have suggestions for future guests? Please review The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics I cover. I read them all! Subscribe Ge the latest episodes delivered to you automatically:  iTunes | Android | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed

Ruth Stone founded BoxHead Craft, the world’s only manufacturer of blank box heads for kids to design and decorate. Kids happily abandon the console to craft and enjoy imaginative play.  In this episode, we learn about Where Ruth got the inspiration for her first product   Ruth's first production run of 100 units to test the market Why Ruth was comfortable creating a product in "someone elses' sandbox"  Manufacturing a custom box from scratch The path to market: Selling Amazon, eBay, and Etsy and using Twitter and Instagram for publicity Driving traffic using Instagram, Youtube, Twitter and PR in magazines and competition prizes  Scaling from 100 to 30,000 units and the focus forward The core benefit of the Boxheads to parents - reducing screen time   Making minor changes during development and differentiating from any competitors   Ruth's reservations going to market with such a simple product   What she would change: Pricing to make room for wholesale orders    Why we need to dive into the process headfirst to learn   The threat of easy entry by competitors   Customer service and growing the number of transactions vs  customer retention   How Ruth got started in her other businesses at a young age Fulfilling orders herself and why Amazon wasn't worth it Ruth's parting tip Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website: boxheadcraft.co.uk Social Media Twitter: @boxhead_craft Facebook: facebook.com/boxheadcraft Instagram: instagram.com/boxheadcraft Youtube: youtube.com Mentioned TPS010 - I have an Idea, Now What? Thanks for listening! What did you think? Leave me a note in the comments! Do you want to see similar episodes or have suggestions for future guests? Please review The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics I cover. I read them all! Subscribe Ge the latest episodes delivered to you automatically:  iTunes | Android | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed

Gavin Christman is the co-founder of Green&Blue, a product design company based in the South West England. Green&Blue create a beautiful range of innovative, award-winning products for wildlife and nature. In this episode, we learn about Gavin's experience working for Dyson as an industrial designer and how it helped him setup Green&Blue The thought process he took away - understanding a problem and creating a simple yet elegant solution Looking at the problem through the eyes of customers Why Gavin thought that Green&Blue could compete in the existing market for bird feeders Taking things apart and understanding how things are put together to help you come up with new solutions Gavin and his wife quitting good jobs to take a leap of faith in a business they believed in The advantage of having some ignorance before diving into a market - Gavin and his wife didn't know the details of fulfilling product How they presold the product (without using the Internet) to retailers before getting into manufacturing Getting a feel for product costs by having conversations with your suppliers and soliciting samples Shelving ideas if the profit margin isn't there Why they chose to manufacture locally in the UK How ceramic products are made - and understanding how our own products are manufactured  Forming relationships with manufacturers Why Green&Blue  doesn't use a "one stop shop" approach to manufacturing Taking care to make and package the best product possible - same as any product we would all love to receive The legwork needed in pitching retailers in the beginning - looking at lifestyle magazines and identifying retailers The two tradeshows that they attend now and the outreach possible  The best part of retail - reorders Keys to maintaining good relationships with retailers - product quality, customer service, product news, soliciting feedback The advantage of tradeshows and proper follow-up Deciding to sell more than one item - the process in designing, manufacturing and getting a product into customer's homes is addicting Talking to existing customers and advocates of current products about new designs The different types of bees and their role in our environment  Selling the Bee Brick to business clients and working within the construction industry Realizing that they cannot make a change alone - partnering with concrete casting companies Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website: Greenandblue.co.uk Special: Use the code startup to apply a 15% discount on the entire product range (valid for 2017) Social Media Twitter: @GreenandBlueUK Facebook: facebook.com/GreenandBlueUK Instagram: instagram.com/greenandblueuk Thanks for listening! What did you think? Let me know in the comments below, or leave me a voicemail at (681) 321-1115.  Subscribe Ge the latest episodes delivered to you automatically:  iTunes | Android | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed

Paul began Potratz, a brand experience, engagement, and digital agency, in Schenectady, NY in 2003. Since then, Potratz has grown to have 37 employees and clients across the U.S., Canada, and Denmark. His recent project, The Growth Mindset, is a mentor, marketing, and leadership association for modern day entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs. In this episode, we learn about The fist thing that you must do when creating a branding and advertising strategy "How will your product or service improve the consumer's life?" Finding your target audience using social media and asking them questions What to do if your message isn't resonating with the audience Creating a 90-day branding and promotion strategy on a minimal budget Using what your target market says about your product to create call to actions and one-liners Creating a basic website or Facebook page and growing your audience and posting consistently Targeting "Social Lions" in your group and turning them into evangelists  Using a chat box on your website - managed vs self-hosted Using surveys to substitute for two-way communication on our websites Trying A/B testing surveys - messaging and location on the site to optimize the response rate Asking yourself - "Who will the survey benefit?" The response will tell you how long to make it and how to incentivize it How to focus a $1000 budget for advertising - Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest Investing in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool Doing something to help the recipient of emails and newsletters - making them useful The old way of marketing - interruption advertising The new way of marketing - educating and telling stories Using data from your CRM to target Facebook ads and posts Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website: paulpotratz.com Social Media Twitter: twitter.com/paulpotratz Facebook: facebook.com/PaulPotratz Instagram: instagram.com/paulpotratz Books The Go-Giver, A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure by Grant Cardone Tools Hotjar - Site analysis and feedback tool Thanks for listening! What did you think? Leave me a note in the comments! Do you want to see similar episodes or have suggestions for future guests? Please review The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics I cover. I read them all! Subscribe Ge the latest episodes delivered to you automatically:  iTunes | Android | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed

Paul began Potratz, a brand experience, engagement, and digital agency, in Schenectady, NY in 2003. Since then, Potratz has grown to have 37 employees and clients across the U.S., Canada, and Denmark. His recent project, The Growth Mindset, is a mentor, marketing, and leadership association for modern day entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs. In this episode, we learn about The fist thing that you must do when creating a branding and advertising strategy "How will your product or service improve the consumer's life?" Finding your target audience using social media and asking them questions What to do if your message isn't resonating with the audience Creating a 90-day branding and promotion strategy on a minimal budget Using what your target market says about your product to create call to actions and one-liners Creating a basic website or Facebook page and growing your audience and posting consistently Targeting "Social Lions" in your group and turning them into evangelists  Using a chat box on your website - managed vs self-hosted Using surveys to substitute for two-way communication on our websites Trying A/B testing surveys - messaging and location on the site to optimize the response rate Asking yourself - "Who will the survey benefit?" The response will tell you how long to make it and how to incentivize it How to focus a $1000 budget for advertising - Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest Investing in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool Doing something to help the recipient of emails and newsletters - making them useful The old way of marketing - interruption advertising The new way of marketing - educating and telling stories Using data from your CRM to target Facebook ads and posts Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website: paulpotratz.com Social Media Twitter: twitter.com/paulpotratz Facebook: facebook.com/PaulPotratz Instagram: instagram.com/paulpotratz Books The Go-Giver, A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure by Grant Cardone Tools Hotjar - Site analysis and feedback tool Thanks for listening! What did you think? Leave me a note in the comments! Do you want to see similar episodes or have suggestions for future guests? Please review The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics I cover. I read them all! Subscribe Ge the latest episodes delivered to you automatically:  iTunes | Android | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed

  In this episode, I talk about... Finding that deep, core motivation that continues to pull us closer to our goals How I found my mine and why it took me over a decade Why motivational wallpapers, Facebooks posts, and Instagram feeds scratch the surface Addressing procrastination and information overload Prioritizing tasks and our roles in life  Connecting what we do every day to our goals Pushing through our limiting beliefs Why the lack of time, money, or skills shouldn't stop us Fear of failure How failure can help us grow and make our businesses stronger What I fear more than failing Take Action Finding Motivation 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. Keep that daily motivation by starting small and setting realistic goals. Get a win as easily as possible to encourage your brain to continue with this new habit. ' Raise the bar once you’ve created a habit - usually takes 3 weeks for a daily ritual to become a habit. Do something small every day and progress on meaningful work.  Reduce the negativity in your life as much as you can. Surround yourself with people that will help you reach your goals. Create an accountability partner with someone going through the same thing. Tackling Limiting Beliefs No time? There is no better time than today, even if only to create a list of tasks that you need to do and prioritize them.   What tasks aren’t helping you achieve your goals? Replace those with a chunk of time that you dedicate to working on your idea. No money? You can do a lot on your own, even if it’s only to prove that a market exists – something that many people fail to do. No skills? Learn new skills that can transfer to launching a product or running a business. Talk to your target market about your ideas and start making a list of potential customers to reach out to. Changing Mindset Make small, conscious changes to your mindset and re-write some negative thoughts. If your job is frustrating you, try to find areas of it that can transfer to running a small business. Instead of just a job, maybe look at it as paid training with free tuition. Don’t look at failure as the end – look at it as data. Start a project and invest some money into it, just so you can learn something. Risk a set amount of money that you would be willing to lose and walk away from. This takes work, every single day.  Most problems out there have a solution, so chances are that if we get stuck, we can also get unstuck. Feed motivation daily. Starve procrastination. Starve limiting beliefs like the lack of time, money, or skills. You’ll get there if you get out of your way, this could be your year. Links and resources mentioned in this episode How to Build a Prototype on a Budget TPS010 - I have an Idea,  Now What? TPS012 - How 7 Founders and Validated their Ideas and Tested Their Market Software [16:42] Hourglass Desktop Timer (Windows) [19:30] Jungle Scout Amazon Sales Tool (Chrome Extension) [19:30] Unicorn Smasher Amazon Sales Tool (Chrome Extension) [23:50] Inkscape Vector Graphics Tool like Adobe Illustrator [23:50] GIMP Raster Graphics Tool like Adobe Photoshop Thanks for listening! What did you think? Leave me a note in the comments! Do you want to see similar episodes or have suggestions for future guests? Please review The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics I cover. I read them all! Subscribe Ge the latest episodes delivered to you automatically:  iTunes | Android | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed

  In this episode, I talk about... Finding that deep, core motivation that continues to pull us closer to our goals How I found my mine and why it took me over a decade Why motivational wallpapers, Facebooks posts, and Instagram feeds scratch the surface Addressing procrastination and information overload Prioritizing tasks and our roles in life  Connecting what we do every day to our goals Pushing through our limiting beliefs Why the lack of time, money, or skills shouldn't stop us Fear of failure How failure can help us grow and make our businesses stronger What I fear more than failing Take Action Finding Motivation 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. Keep that daily motivation by starting small and setting realistic goals. Get a win as easily as possible to encourage your brain to continue with this new habit. ' Raise the bar once you’ve created a habit - usually takes 3 weeks for a daily ritual to become a habit. Do something small every day and progress on meaningful work.  Reduce the negativity in your life as much as you can. Surround yourself with people that will help you reach your goals. Create an accountability partner with someone going through the same thing. Tackling Limiting Beliefs No time? There is no better time than today, even if only to create a list of tasks that you need to do and prioritize them.   What tasks aren’t helping you achieve your goals? Replace those with a chunk of time that you dedicate to working on your idea. No money? You can do a lot on your own, even if it’s only to prove that a market exists – something that many people fail to do. No skills? Learn new skills that can transfer to launching a product or running a business. Talk to your target market about your ideas and start making a list of potential customers to reach out to. Changing Mindset Make small, conscious changes to your mindset and re-write some negative thoughts. If your job is frustrating you, try to find areas of it that can transfer to running a small business. Instead of just a job, maybe look at it as paid training with free tuition. Don’t look at failure as the end – look at it as data. Start a project and invest some money into it, just so you can learn something. Risk a set amount of money that you would be willing to lose and walk away from. This takes work, every single day.  Most problems out there have a solution, so chances are that if we get stuck, we can also get unstuck. Feed motivation daily. Starve procrastination. Starve limiting beliefs like the lack of time, money, or skills. You’ll get there if you get out of your way, this could be your year. Links and resources mentioned in this episode How to Build a Prototype on a Budget TPS010 - I have an Idea,  Now What? TPS012 - How 7 Founders and Validated their Ideas and Tested Their Market Software [16:42] Hourglass Desktop Timer (Windows) [19:30] Jungle Scout Amazon Sales Tool (Chrome Extension) [19:30] Unicorn Smasher Amazon Sales Tool (Chrome Extension) [23:50] Inkscape Vector Graphics Tool like Adobe Illustrator [23:50] GIMP Raster Graphics Tool like Adobe Photoshop Thanks for listening! What did you think? Leave me a note in the comments! Do you want to see similar episodes or have suggestions for future guests? Please review The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics I cover. I read them all! Subscribe Ge the latest episodes delivered to you automatically:  iTunes | Android | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed

Khierstyn Ross is a product launch specialist that's helped creators raise more than $1.1M through Indiegogo and Kickstarter. She's also the founder and host of Crowdfunding Uncut, a podcast that deconstructs the successes that go into funding campaigns. In this episode, we learn about Raising money for building a prototype vs raising money for the full production run An early crowdfunding failure - getting the positioning wrong, and how Khierstyn corrected this to have a $600k funding success Two ways of failing: the wrong product and/or the wrong audience Making sure to speak the same language as your market Understanding and building an audience before you launch through in-person surveys Why it's hard to test your idea by just throwing up a landing page and driving traffic Using analytics (even on video) to see when you are losing your audience's attention The next step to take after you have a prototype and design - before you take on crowdfunding Kickstarter and Indiegogo's popularity algorithm - and how it can work for and against you Why you need a lot of momentum in the first few days of a campaign, and why marketing an underperforming campaign during this time may not always help Keeping backers engaged before the campaign launches, and throughout the campaign and what questions to ask your target audience Mistakes campaigns make after launching Questions that you need to answer in your FAQ How to approach a campaign if you're an introvert Using short 30 second videos to capture interest, and including them in Facebook ads to grow a list Using Reddit AMAs (Ask Me Anything) posts to demo the product and solicit questions Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website: crowdfundinguncut.com Social Media Twitter: @khierstynross Facebook: facebook.com/crowdfundinguncut Instagram: instagram.com/khierstyn Books DotCom Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Growing Your Company Online Paperback – by Russell Brunson Thanks for listening! What did you think? Leave me a note in the comments! Do you want to see similar episodes or have suggestions for future guests? Please review The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics I cover. I read them all! Subscribe Ge the latest episodes delivered to you automatically:  iTunes | Android | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed

Jill Bong is an entrepreneur, homesteader, and inventor of Chicken Armor - a different chicken saddle. She is also the author of over a dozen books on homesteading and self-reliant living. In this episode, we learn about Why Jill and her husband created their product despite established competition in the space Differentiating the product from competitors The design drivers - few components, washable, easy to manufacture, and low cost The process of working with material suppliers Keeping startup costs low - "We almost had no choice, we had to work with a shoestring budget, or almost no budget in this case" Why it's rare to come up with your final product on your first try and the iterative part of product design process Taking a year (multiple seasons) to test the product Jill's experience getting laughed out of a gardening forum - and landing her first user who was also a business owner with a similar experience Selling Chicken Armor on eBay to validate the market Handling customer objections and their perception of quality through money back guarantees and up-front education Why Jill and her husband abandoned pursuit of a patent Why they haven't scaled up to large scale manufacturing and distribution or branched out into other designs and target markets When sales actually picked up and Jill's solution to marketing and outreach (especially for unique products) The product sales as a result of mentions in large broad publications versus small targeted outlets Their most successful marketing tactic - pitching to the editors of publications and appealing to their audience worked better than influential bloggers and magazine ads Some of the other passive income streams that Jill has started How to know when you should continue validating your market, and when to quit Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website chickenarmor.com byjillb.com Social Media Twitter: @chickenarmor Facebook: facebook.com/chickenarmor Instagram:  Pinterest: pinterest.com/chickenarmor Google Plus: +Chickenarmorsaddles Thanks for listening! What did you think? Leave me a note in the comments! Do you want to see similar episodes or have suggestions for future guests? Please review The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics I cover. I read them all! Subscribe Ge the latest episodes delivered to you automatically:  iTunes | Android | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed

Elizabeth Versace worked with an industrial engineer and pioneered the Cocooncap stainless steel drinkware cap to be leak free and spill proof. Ecococoon has been in business since 2007 and they sell online and to retailers and wholesalers around the world. In this episode, we learn about  Why Lizzy thought there was a need for another drinkware product and why she didn't want to launch a private-labeled product The business case for starting the company with an existing product instead of a new design Targeting the emotions (nostalgia) of customers when releasing a new product How Lizzy makes decisions based on instinct instead of pure analytics - she launched her first product without any market testing Funding development of the Ecococoon cap through bootstrapping and personal savings The product development process for creating the Ecococoon cap The design challenge - evacuating air from a stainless steel bottle that cannot be squeezed The essential design features (driven by consumer needs) required in the new cap design The process of hiring an industrial designer The changes Libby and her designer had to make to the bottle and lid after changing manufacturers and tooling Testing the various iterations of the product, and problems with inlet valve The frustrating 18-month process of purchasing a one-way valve used in IV drips from a medical company in the USA and setting up manufacturing to incorporate the valve into the cap Incorporating a safety mechanism  into the cap just in the case the valve was to fall out Editing ideas to simplify the design Why Lizzy was confident using a manufacturer abroad to insert her proprietary valve and assemble her drinkware  Her biggest struggle - not having enough cash to get through to manufacturing How having an amazing product is the key to customer referrals "There's a lot of really great ideas out there, and I guess it's just a matter of reinventing and making them better and doing the best you can to create a really great product." Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website:  ecococoon.com.au Ecococoon on Amazon US Social Media Twitter: @ecococoon Facebook: facebook.com/ecococoon Pinterest: pinterest.com/ecococoon Instagram: instagram.com/ecococoon  Update from David M. Frankel of The Perky Collar The Product Startup - Episode 2: The Perky Collar with David M. Frankel Website:  perkyllc.com Perky Collar on Amazon    Thanks for listening! What did you think? Leave me a note in the comments! Do you want to see similar episodes or have suggestions for future guests? Please review The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics I cover. I read them all! Subscribe Ge the latest episodes delivered to you automatically:  iTunes | Android | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed

Josh Smith is a forester turned designer turned perfumer. In the last year of his industrial design degree, he started Libertine Fragrance as a way to learn the other side of product development that his industrial design degree didn't teach him. In this episode, we learn  How Josh started working with fragrances with minimal knowledge of the space, by reading online blogs and resources Libertine Fragrance was an experiment that took off from learning new things His early struggles - working out the legal side of his business and altering the business plan based on regulatory issues How he bootstrapped his business (his investment was $500) and how the business has paid for its own expansion Starting the business with infinite possibilities (near infinite scents) and breaking down other brand's successes An early challenge: Educating customers on unisex scents Starting out by emulated the successes of others, while still being unique The advantages of starting small and agile, and not having to place a large order with a factory How Josh uses building blocks to experiment with scents, without a deep knowledge of chemistry  Scaling the business to use a contract manufacturer on the more popular scents How Libertine Fragrance got a review by a world-renown perfume critic One of the harder aspects of growing the business - segmenting the audience Getting to the point of hiring his first contract employee Turning down wholesale offers to sell to customers direct through pop-up shops and consignment retailers Projecting future sales during the holidays Tradeshows - being selective and attending events with the greatest return Online sales vs. pop-up store sales Challenges with quality control in the perfume industry The challenges of bootstrapping - upgrading when able and putting out a product that is "good enough Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website: libertine-fragrance.com Social Media Facebook: facebook.com/libertinefragrance Instagram: instagram.com/libertine_fragrance Twitter: @Libertine_Frag Thanks for listening! What did you think? Leave me a note in the comments! Do you want to see similar episodes or have suggestions for future guests? Please review The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics I cover. I read them all! Subscribe Ge the latest episodes delivered to you automatically:  iTunes | Android | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed

Adam force is the founder of Change Creator, a digital magazine and premium resource for social entrepreneurship. I invite Adam on the show today because I’ve always wanted to make a larger impact on the world and wanted to explore this tug of war relationship between pure capitalism and social responsibility. Through his magazine and podcast, Adam teaches how to build a business that positively impacts the world and doing meaningful work.  In this episode, we learn about Most social entrepreneurs are inspired by their travels - and use their experiences to focus their thoughts and re-evaluate their path in life, their connection to people and to nature The businesses he tried that failed over four years - rainforest protection, hemp water bottles How Adam uses his skills around business development, user interface design, and branding How giving to a cause is different than solving a lasting problem and changing lives "How do I change the system so the root cause of the problem is eliminated?" Having a focused impact on smaller problems - you don't need to find a cure for cancer or end world hunger Gavin Armstrong - Lucky Fish, curing Vitamin D deficiency in Cambodia (and the world) using a fish made from sustainably-sourced iron Changing a cultural behavior to address to root of a problem Common characteristics of social entrepreneurs - courage, persistence, love for travel and experiencing new things Kenton Lee - Shoes that Grow Jacquie Berglund  - Finnegans Beer Company Adam's failed attempts: Using existing research and overcoming challenges with his initial product - hemp water bottles  Why the environmentally friendly bottles weren't wasn't a fit for Adam, and why he moved on into a conscious news blog  Figuring out the direction to go, based on his own skillset When to quit versus push through? Going through life and work with tunnel vision, and breaking out of that Defining success for yourself Finding mentors and peers to learn from Creating content to drive traffic- what is your audiences greatest fear or greatest wish (the end result)? Don't be afraid to continually assess yourself, and take a self-inventory of your values and things that frustrate you about the world Align the problem you want to solve with who you are as a person and what you believe in Invest in yourself and show up every day Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website changecreatormag.com Social Media Twitter: @Change_Creator Facebook: facebook.com/changecreator Google Plus: plus.google.com/115393230880446045338 Books Making Good by Billy Parish Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by  T. Harv Eker Thanks for listening! What did you think? Leave me a note in the comments! Do you want to see similar episodes or have suggestions for future guests? Please review The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics I cover. I read them all! Subscribe Ge the latest episodes delivered to you automatically:  iTunes | Android | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed

Lisa Ruiz is the founder of Credible Products and has been featured on the Home Shopping Network. She was a former police officer and decided to take over the family janitorial cleaning supply. She saw an opportunity in the consumer marketplace creating cleaning products for home users that would give the same results that professional customers enjoyed. In this episode, we learn about Lisa's background and some of the first things Lisa did when taking over the family business  Her outlook on her products - "It's bad enough that you have to clean, you might as well make it fun" How Lisa tested her products against the competitors and stayed objective to improve her product's performance Creating a product line - glass cleaner, carpet cleaner, heavy duty degreaser, grout cleaner, and deodorizer  Lisa's approach to protecting her ideas, patenting and trademarking what she can and publicly disclosing ingredients to put her customers at ease How Lisa designed the labels and changed the packaging (and even scent) of her products to make sure they stand out in a crowded market Why she manufacturers all products in her warehouse in the US and does a lot of the quality inspection Instilling a sense of ownership in employees and showing your appreciation for their efforts Keeping up with "doing it all" Running a business based on customer service instead of just price and quality Getting into The Home Shopping Network (HSN) and the testing and requirements Working with HSN marketing reps and buyers What really keeps her going - reviews from people around the world about her product making an impact in the world HSN requirements - tax, legal and insurance Choosing to drop ship vs HSN fulfillment The sales process: HSN gives you an order, you produce it, then you host a show, then you sell it  Based on sales, HSN advises you on the next steps and gives you access to your sales metrics HSN purchases product from you, then resells it for however much they think they can profit (not a cut) Negotiating with HSN buyers, setting up price breaks and being aware of what they need The advice HSN provided for packaging and demonstrations Holding a long-term view of the business What she views as essential qualities in a business owner Coming up with a way to show the product benefits (like glass cleaner) visually  How HSN restructures selling goals dependant on the airtime of your demo Her biggest problem - getting started into HSN (it took her over a year to get a meeting with a buyer) HSN is protecting their customers    Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website: credibleproducts.com HSN.com - Credible Cleaning Social Media Twitter: @PinkcredibLisa Facebook Youtube Thanks for listening! What did you think? Leave me a note in the comments! Do you want to see similar episodes or have suggestions for future guests? Please review The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics I cover. I read them all! Subscribe Ge the latest episodes delivered to you automatically:  iTunes | Android | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed

Brandon T. Adams invented the Arctic Stick to cool bottled beverages while he was in college. He pushed that product through concept, design, manufacturing, and funding. We also get into some crowdfunding tips as Brandon runs Keys to the Crowd and consults with clients launching products and services on crowdfunding platforms. Show Notes Brandon won a class competition with his idea, graduated college, and raised some money from friends and family to launch the product After securing a mentor, he solicited over $26k through crowdfunding for the manufacturing production of the Arctic Stick  Mistakes that were made early on: issues with the manufacturing tooling and marketing that won him the cover of Inventor's Digest Don't make expensive mistakes - find someone who has done this before and learn for them Bootstrap it - if you will pay everyone for everything you will run through your budget quickly Think creatively - try not to complicate things Consider licensing if you want to get to market quicker How Brandon focused on the crowdfunding aspect to help other people grow their business His FUND Formula that he teaches: Forethought + Utilize market plan + Narrative + Deliver value Three main mistakes most people make on their crowdfunding campaigns: Lack of preparation - spend hours building your audience, finding influencers Lack of promotion - ads, email lists, newspaper / magazine journalists, podcasts, Snapchat, Facebook Live Understand product value - reward levels need to be a good deal for backers Raising 30-40% of your funding goal in the first 48 hours is critical Leverage the audience you have, give exclusive perks or experiences and reach out to influencers Know what you are raising the money for and where is it directly going Customize perk levels by asking people what they will pay for a specific pledge level and design your campaign around that About 5 to 10% of your total raise amount should go into marketing, ads, and retargeting Create a really good video to captivate your audience and show the pain People invest in the team or individual, before the product What to do if you're an introvert who is launching a campaign How to get influencers on board - a link back to your site, a free reward level, or provide them with affiliate income Indegogo vs Kickstarter Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website: keystothecrowd.com arcticstick.com brandontadams.com Social Media Twitter: @brandontadams18 and @KeysToTheCrowd Facebook: facebook.com/btadams18 Podcast University of Young Entrepreneurs Thanks for listening! What did you think? Leave me a note in the comments! Do you want to see similar episodes or have suggestions for future guests? Please review The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics I cover. I read them all! Subscribe Ge the latest episodes delivered to you automatically:  iTunes | Android | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed

Tanya Heath is the creator of a multi-height shoe with removable heels. She got her idea on her first day at work in a Paris management consultancy where she was taunted by colleagues because she changed from flats to heels at work. Now every woman can create a unique pair of shoes that reflects her style and life with the simple click of a button and change of a heel. In this episode, we learn about Why creating a multi-height shoe was both a design and engineering problem (it took 2-1/2 years of research and development to solve) How she used feedback and testing to improve on the designs, early in the development process Getting feedback, prior to Instagram and Snapchat - and Tanya's struggle to get accepted in her own market Testing by trying to sell the new design, and asking questions if customers didn't buy - through department stores and boutiques  How Tanya built her network through media coverage and contests Selling a product using ethical and local production at a high price point How the product became a luxury product due to Tanya's commitment to quality and her values Manufacturing a new design in low volumes, with little reputation, and a new brand Making the decision to purchasing a heel factory How Tonya self-funded and ran the company for four years without sales and used debt once her reputation grew Working hard to differentiate the brand from fad products Narrowing down the colors, heel heights and shapes through the company's internal design guidelines - "Power", "Liberty", and "Seduction" Listening to customers and trying their ideas - even when Tanya didn't like them herself Going to tradeshows and fairs to spot trends Designing to French aesthetics vs International aesthetics Copes, patent infringement and even someone impersonating to be her Why Tonya doesn't consider herself to have a positive mindset (despite her success) Her support network, and the positive side of coming home and doing things with her kids Raising children and teaching them valuable life skills through her business  Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website: tanyaheath.com Social Media Twitter: @tanya_heath Facebook: TanyaHeathParis Instagram: TanyaHeathParisFrance Pinterest: TanyaHeathParis Youtube: ConceptFootwear Thanks for listening! What did you think? Leave me a note in the comments! Do you want to see similar episodes or have suggestions for future guests? Please review The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics I cover. I read them all! Subscribe Ge the latest episodes delivered to you automatically:  iTunes | Android | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS Feed

Robson Splane created the ProRise Seat Assist after hip replacement surgery related to a climbing accident and years of martial arts. Robson is an industrial designer who has over 30 years experience in design with 70 national patents and 20 international patents to his name. During the interview, we talk about how he developed the ProRise Seat Assist allowing senior citizens, wounded veterans, and post-surgical individuals to rise from their seats independently. In this episode, we learn about  How Robson reinvented himself from working as an industrial designer to consulting, to founding his own (designer-owned) product-based business Why he turned down a large licensing deal after 1-1/2 years of negotiations to manufacture, market and sell the product himself How the company chose its product line by identifying markets that were doing well in the 2008 downturn and growing products in those industries That the baby boomers are one of the largest markets in the US with 100M people over age 50 and how many countries will have as much as 40% of their population in this age bracket within the next decade Why he developed his own seat assist based on his experience recovering from a hip replacement Developing prototypes - the ProRise took over 20 iterations to perfect  The importance of building real-life physical models over digital / 3D mockups - even when pursuing licensing deals  Making an internal video commercial and showing the physical prototype and development team as soon as possible to investors and buyers  Building confidence - selling your strengths and not holding back information Getting licensing deals for products that are not yet patented - using a provisional patent application and non-disclosure agreements Why it's better (and not just for your wallet) to have the licensee fund the cost of the patent  Adding license clauses to get the manufacturing and sales rights back if the licensee stops producing the product within a specific timeframe Partnering with a manufacturer who funded the upfront tooling and initial product costs Manufacturing locally vs abroad in China Selling to the US Government and using manufacturers from countries that belong to the World Trade Organization Working with manufacturers - they must be able to read engineered drawings The importance of having Quality Assurance on site at the manufacturer  The growing middle class in China and its effect on manufacturing exports Getting funding through outside investors Avoiding online "Inventor's Kits" Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website: tryprorise.com Email: splanedesign (at) gmail.com Thanks For Listening! Thank you for joining me. Please leave me a note or feedback in the comments below.  If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. If you want to see more episodes like this one, please leave your honest review for The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics we cover. I read all of them! They also help with finding guests - some guests are reluctant to come on a show with low or no ratings.  Subscribe to The Product Startup Podcast Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Google Play Music Subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed)  

Terry Lin, the founder of Forever Home Blankets. The company sells high-quality blankets for people to use at home, the office, or on the road. For every blanket sold, one is donated to an animal shelter in need. Terry raised $3,500 on Kickstarter to get the first batch of inventory in Vietnam. In this episode, we learn  Why Terry left his job as a Wall Street trader About following your interests, listening to yourself,  and aligning your passion with a business in a tangible way How Terry got into social entrepreneurship - by volunteering at an animal rescue to get his head out of his main business The first business he started - Men's Wallets, and why it was easy to start with blankets How he started, first using an Instagram account, and then launching a Kickstarter Narrowing down your target audience, getting information from social media, and using the findings in your marketing How Terry narrowed down the blanket features that people were looking for and animal shelters could use  Attributing blanket sales to specific shelters The long road to Kickstarter success, and why maybe Indegogo may have been a better choice Using influencers on Instagram to help promote Finding manufacturers  and getting better pricing on smaller orders Starting out, why selling through e-commerce than selling through brick and mortar stores Packaging products so they take up less space during shipment and differentiate the product on the market Fulfilling orders  through third-party fulfillment versus yourself Freight costs and delays when moving product across the world Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website: foreverhomeblankets.com Social Media Facebook: facebook.com/foreverhomeblankets Instagram: instagram.com/foreverhomeblankets Youtube: That's Pawesome Books Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin Thanks For Listening! Thank you for joining me. Please leave me a note or feedback in the comments below.  If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. If you want to see more episodes like this one, please leave your honest review for The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics we cover. I read all of them! They also help with finding guests - some guests are reluctant to come on a show with low or no ratings.  Subscribe to The Product Startup Podcast Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Google Play Music Subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed)  

Tamar Lucien is one of the founders of MentalHappy - a service that sends a personalized Cheerbox with an assortment of tools, treats, handmade crafts and a personal note to help the recipient feel better. Tamar was inspired to help others feel good with MentalHappy after her own moments with life's lows - a failing business and a failed relationship. In this episode, we learn about Why Tamar started Mental Happy and created her first Cheerbox (including how she confirmed interest) with only $250 of available credit on her American Express card Refining the types of products that should go into a Cheerbox - even iterating the logo How Mental Happy uses customer feedback to refine the product Where Tamar sources the local products that go into Cheerboxes How Tamar got the name Cheerbox, the product versus Mental Happy, the brand Customer education - honing your message and measuring if your marketing is clear through customer referrals Creating a genuine, personable experience for customers Packing and fulfilling orders locally versus using third-party fulfillment The first roles that Tamar filled first - and why she had to let everyone in the production department go How Mental Happy treats Customer Service, and why everyone in the company handwrites notes to customers Handling special requests Managing finances and growing the business enough to solicit outside investment Focusing on your super power - your unique skill that gives you an edge Growing the business - creating a community and subscription-based product or service How Tamar uses meditation, salt baths, and exercise to clear her head and redirect her focus Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website: mentalhappy.com Social Media Twitter: @bementalhappy Facebook: facebook.com/MentalHappyHumans Instagram: instagram.com/mentalhappy National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): nami.org Thanks For Listening! Thank you for joining me. Please leave me a note or feedback in the comments below.  If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. If you want to see more episodes like this one, please leave your honest review for The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics we cover. I read all of them! They also help with finding guests - some guests are reluctant to come on a show with low or no ratings. Subscribe to The Product Startup Podcast Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Google Play Music Subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed)  

Chloë Thomas is the author and creator of eCommerce MasterPlan, a business that helps eCommerce entrepreneurs make better decisions. She is the host of the eCommerce MasterPlan podcast - the number one eCommerce podcast in the UK.   In this episode, we learn about The first steps to take when approaching marketing - know your audience Choosing to sell on Amazon vs your own e-commerce site, and considering SEO and keyword conversion The types of products that fly on social media and command building your own e-commerce site versus products with more direct competition Multi-channel retail: when should an online seller consider face-to-face sales, and how to kick off the process with minimal risk Why everyone selling a product must have a website and how to capture emails if you don't have anything to give away The trap of offering discount codes and setting benchmarks before initiating giveaways The importance of building trust and a relationship with your online customer (through content) and why you need to work harder online than in person Create a private area for customers to give you feedback and increasing likeliness that they will buy Using a chat box on your site to help generate revenue The hierarchy of data, and focusing on purchasing actions over browsing actions, and customer intent Delivering on your promise when trading an email for more information, and creating email sequences to help educate your customers The top mistakes people mail with emails that they send to customers Learning from customer feedback and creating word clouds to customize your copy The problem with A/B testing, and how you should test your marketing message  Social media strategy for tough markets - fantastic photography and choosing the right e-commerce platform Approaching Instagram, Youtube stars, and bloggers to advertise your brand Links and resources mentioned in this episode Website: ecommercemasterplan.com Social Media Twitter: @chloe_ecmp or @eComMasterPlan Facebook: eCommerce MasterPlan LinkedIn: Chloë or eCommerce MasterPlan Google+: eCommerce MasterPlan Tools Gmail Canned Responses Boomerang for Gmail Book Customer Persuasion: How to Influence your Customers to Buy More and why an Ethical Approach will Always Win by Chloe Thomas TPS005 - Mat Hofma and Erik Polumbo with Mini Materials Thanks For Listening! Thank you for joining me. Please leave me a note or feedback in the comments below.  If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. If you want to see more episodes like this one, please leave your honest review for The Product Startup Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews help me gauge interest in the show and influence the topics we cover. I read all of them! They also help with finding guests - some guests are reluctant to come on a show with low or no ratings.  Subscribe to The Product Startup Podcast Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Google Play Music Subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes feed)