
65 episodes

Product Startup Kevin Mako of Mako Design + Invent
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- Entrepreneurship
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5.0 • 46 Ratings
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The product development industry's #1 podcast. From invention idea to getting onto store shelves, and everything in between. Hear how inventors, product startups, & small manufacturers created their inventions and launched their physical product businesses. Learn from the industry's top industrial designers, mechanical engineers, PCB designers, consumer product managers, manufacturers, patent attorneys, hardware investors, and more. Learn about industrial design / product design, prototyping, 3d printing, additive manufacturing, product manufacturing, marketing, selling, patenting, logistics, and product business scaling. Now hosted by Kevin Mako, one of the keynote leaders of the startup product development industry in North America, founder of Mako Design + Invent, and Masters of Engineering lecturer.
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065: Hardware Funding from Seed Financing to Millions
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 Links
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
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. -
064: Preparing and Executing Your Product's First Production Run
Mike ran a design firm in Hong Kong back in the 90s, then was A Senior Design Lead at Sunbeam, then a manager at Hewlett Packard, and then spent 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 best execute on 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 Links
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
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. -
063: Hardware Startup Tips from a 22 Year Apple Exec
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 Links
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
Michael Hagelo 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. -
062: Smoothing the Buying Process When Marketing Your New Product
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 Links
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
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: https://www.facebook.com/KevMakoPage/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/
Thanks for tuning in! See you next time. -
061: 5 Sales Channels a Home Inventor Mom Used to Launch Her Invention
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 Links
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
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/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KevMako/
Thanks for tuning in! See you next time. -
060: How to Professionally Licence Your New Product
Tom shares valuable knowledge on how inventors, startups, and small manufacturers can licence their inventions and products to get into the market - How licencing 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 licencing partners and brands?
Protecting your intellectual property, and when to do it in the licencing 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 Links
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
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: 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.
Customer Reviews
Great show!
I just found this show and I’m ready to start episode nine. Thank you for all the insights into the process of getting a product to market. There is a great array of different businesses and guests with so many ideas and the host has given some great ideas to the guests as well. As someone who has no experience in sales or marketing this resource will be invaluable.
Great Tips and Advice for Your Business
This podcast is perfect for someone is who is trying to get their business up and running, especially if you are developing new products. There are a variety of interviews with entrepreneurs who share their honest advice and experiences with the audience about business startup and product development. This podcast is honestly a hidden gem!
A pure gold mine!!
So many great lessons for product startups and even product developers. I take this podcast with me everyday on my walk... This podcast not only provides great content but it is extremely engaging. thank you!
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