David Bynum spent a decade in footwear product design watching how a few component swaps could spin a shoe into a whole new product. Then COVID hit, he started tinkering, and Switchkraft was born — a Portland company making maximal modular multi-tools for adults who want their inner child back.The pitch: therapeutic play. The reality: 2 million possible configurations on the customizer, all 3D-printed and hand-assembled in a North Portland micro-factory, all on-demand. The growth engine: TikTok virality and a community that helps decide what to build next.This conversation gets into modular product design, the dopamine feedback loop of building in public, why "meaningful" is a trap they teach you in design school, and what it takes to keep your content fresh when most founders are stuck reposting the same product video.LINKS:Switchkraft — https://switchkraft.zoneCustom kARTIFACT (configurator) — https://switchkraft.zone/products/custom-kartifactSwidget — https://switchkraft.zone/products/swidgetSwitchkraft on Instagram — https://instagram.com/switchkraftSwitchkraft on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/company/switchkraftDavid Bynum on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/bynumdav/FIND RICK TUROCZY ON THE INTERNET AT…- https://patreon.com/turoczy- https://linkedin.com/in/turoczy- Portland Oregon startup news on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/portland-oregon-startup-news-silicon-florist/id1711294699- Portland Oregon startup news Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2cmLDH8wrPdNMS2qtTnhcy?si=H627wrGOTvStxxKWRlRGLQ- Startup Stories on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1Tk7bbzaNYowGouI9ucKC3- Startup Stories on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/startup-stories-with-silicon-florist/id1849468494- The Long Con on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-long-con/id1810923457- The Long Con on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/48oglyT5JNKxVH5lnWTYKA- https://bsky.app/profile/turoczy.bsky.social- https://siliconflorist.substack.com/- https://pdxslack.comABOUT SILICON FLORIST ----------For nearly two decades, Rick Turoczy has published Silicon Florist, a blog, newsletter, and podcast that covers entrepreneurs, founders, startups, entrepreneurship, tech, news, and events in the Portland, Oregon, startup community. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a startup or tech enthusiast, or simply intrigued by Portland's startup culture, Silicon Florist is your go-to source for the latest news, events, jobs, and opportunities in Portland Oregon's flourishing tech and startup scene. Join us in exploring the innovative world of startups in Portland, where creativity and collaboration meet.ABOUT RICK TUROCZY ----------Rick Turoczy has been working in, on, and around the Portland, Oregon, startup community for nearly 30 years. He has been recognized as one of the “OG”s of startup ecosystem building by the Kauffman Foundation. And he has been humbled by any number of opportunities to speak on stages from SXSW to INBOUND and from Kobe, Japan, to Muscat, Oman, including an opportunity to share his views on community building on the TEDxPortland stage (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj98mr_wUA0). All because of a blog. Weird.https://siliconflorist.com#pdx #portland #oregon #startup #entrepreneur
