180: Hardware Startup Tips for Non-Technical Founders
Graeme Whitehead, a corporate Vice President and non-technical founder, explains how he designed, manufactured, and sold the CNCT Cooler, an ultra-high-end cooler for Tesla storage spaces, as a side hustle. He details the importance of identifying knowledge gaps, collaborating with Mako Design + Invent to achieve specific industrial design and mechanical engineering goals, and navigating manufacturing pushback. Whitehead also discusses leveraging rotational molding for quality, sourcing US-based manufacturers, and gaining traction by shipping free units to influencers without contracts.