# S2E07 A Coach for Entrepreneurs who Want to Launch Tangible Products to the Marketplace | Callye Keen

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2021-02-12
- Length: 39m
- Episode: 7
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-12-s2e07-a-coach-for-entrepreneurs-who-want-to-launch-tangible-products-to-the-mark
- Listen: https://teampipeline.us/a-coach-for-entrepreneurs/

## Summary

Callye Keen, founder of RedBlueCollective, explains how he coaches entrepreneurs to launch physical products by combining product development with business strategy. He highlights the common mistake of technical founders obsessing over engineering while neglecting marketing, recommending books like 'StoryBrand' and 'Expert Secrets' to bridge that gap. Keen also advises engineers to gain practical manufacturing experience, such as working in a machine shop, to understand production constraints and limitations.

## Chapters

- [0:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-12-s2e07-a-coach-for-entrepreneurs-who-want-to-launch-tangible-products-to-the-mark#t=29) Introduction and RedBlueCollective Overview
- [2:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-12-s2e07-a-coach-for-entrepreneurs-who-want-to-launch-tangible-products-to-the-mark#t=137) Success Story: Most Curls and Blackstar Fund
- [3:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-12-s2e07-a-coach-for-entrepreneurs-who-want-to-launch-tangible-products-to-the-mark#t=217) Coaching vs. Consulting for Entrepreneurs
- [8:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-12-s2e07-a-coach-for-entrepreneurs-who-want-to-launch-tangible-products-to-the-mark#t=518) Common Mistakes of Technical Founders
- [10:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-12-s2e07-a-coach-for-entrepreneurs-who-want-to-launch-tangible-products-to-the-mark#t=638) Recommended Books: StoryBrand and Expert Secrets
- [19:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-12-s2e07-a-coach-for-entrepreneurs-who-want-to-launch-tangible-products-to-the-mark#t=1172) The Value of Context and Accountability in Coaching
- [24:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-12-s2e07-a-coach-for-entrepreneurs-who-want-to-launch-tangible-products-to-the-mark#t=1497) Advice for Students and Side Hustles
- [27:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-12-s2e07-a-coach-for-entrepreneurs-who-want-to-launch-tangible-products-to-the-mark#t=1677) B2B vs. DTC Sales Strategies
- [32:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-12-s2e07-a-coach-for-entrepreneurs-who-want-to-launch-tangible-products-to-the-mark#t=1954) Golden Nugget: Working in Manufacturing

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- RedBlueCollective (company)
- Most Curls (company)
- Blackstar Fund (company)
- Glossier (company)
- StoryBrand (other)
- Expert Secrets (other)
- Misfit Brand Academy (other)
- Shopify (company)
- Udemy (company)
- Pipeline Design & Engineering (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [180: Hardware Startup Tips for Non-Technical Founders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-06-15-180-hardware-startup-tips-for-non-technical-founders) (Product Startup)
- [Hardware Entrepreneurs: 3 Critical Mistakes You Must Avoid](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2022-06-21-hardware-entrepreneurs-3-critical-mistakes-you-must-avoid) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [116: How to Turn an Invention into a Product Business](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-03-02-116-how-to-turn-an-invention-into-a-product-business) (Product Startup)
- [S3 E7: Building Bootstrapped Hardware That Sells with Christian Reed](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2026-01-13-s3-e7-building-bootstrapped-hardware-that-sells-with-christian-reed) (The Builder Circle)
- [Introducing: It's only a Prototype Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/its-only-a-prototype/2025-04-09-introducing-its-only-a-prototype-podcast) (It's Only a Prototype)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-02-12-s2e07-a-coach-for-entrepreneurs-who-want-to-launch-tangible-products-to-the-mark. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Being an Engineer.