Hardware Podcasts

353: The emotional weight of bank accounts

Making It · 6 May 2022 · 1h 05m

What this episode covers

Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss their recent trip to Maker Central in Birmingham, England, highlighting the stress of COVID testing and the emotional weight of running a one-person business. They highlight Matt Denton's 3D-printed Lego go-kart and David's detailed engine build video, while Jimmy shares his progress on a rowboat mold and Bob discusses his work on a canoe. The hosts also recommend the documentary Street Gang and creators Jenny and Davis and Hollywood Hunter, before discussing the financial pressures of podcasting and potential live events.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Products
BB-8, Castle Grayskull, Ghostbusters, Back to the Future
Also
Maker Central, Matt Denton, Street Gang, Jenny and Davis, Hollywood Hunter, Sesame Street

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Thoroughly Considered · 42m

    59: I’ve Always Wanted to Do a Bleep

    Dan Provost and Tom Gerhardt of Studio Neat discuss the challenges of running a small physical product business during the early pandemic, including their upcoming Kickstarter launch and the importance of diversifying revenue streams beyond advertising. Myke Hurley of Relay FM shares how his podcast network is adapting to economic uncertainty by expanding membership models and creating new content like 'Dithering'. The hosts also engage in a detailed debate about the industrial design compromises of Apple's Magic Mouse and the original Apple Pencil, analyzing how resource allocation and form factor constraints lead to controversial design choices.

    Direct-to-consumer & e-commerceIndustrial & consumer product design
    6 chapters

  • Thoroughly Considered · 49m

    134: Kevin Kelly Remains Undefeated

    Dan Provost, co-founder of Studio Neat, discusses his new custom guitar company, Offkilter Guitars, detailing the transition from hobbyist to small business, including sourcing parts from Warmouth and managing a fragmented manufacturing process. Myke Hurley shares insights from his successful Kickstarter campaign for 'Designed in California,' a historical podcast series with Jason Snell, explaining how pre-selling memberships helped fund ambitious production goals and overcome subscription fatigue.

    Crowdfunding & preordersStarting a product company
    8 chapters

  • Thoroughly Considered · 40m

    3: Onward

    Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost of Studio Neat discuss the failure of their Obi Kickstarter campaign and how it led to a strategic pivot toward smaller, lower-risk products. They detail the development of the Apple TV Remote Stand, which they manufactured in-house using a desktop CNC router, and the iClip for Apple Watch, produced via Shapeways. The hosts analyze the financial and operational lessons learned from these contrasting approaches to product design, manufacturing, and timing.

    Crowdfunding & preordersDesign for manufacturing & NPI
    5 chapters

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 20m

    Kickstarter, IndieGoGo & Ignite - Jasperated Jimswinger Jobbery

    Hosts Chris Gammell and Dave Jones discuss the challenges of crowdfunding physical products, using the failed MuOptics thermal camera campaign as a primary example of 'shonky' hardware that lacked a working prototype. They analyze the economics of ultra-low-cost consumer electronics, such as a $12 cell phone, to illustrate the disparity between industrial and consumer hardware markets. The episode also covers the launch of the BeagleBone Black, the hosts' own t-shirt crowdfunding campaign, and a review of listener-submitted workbenches.

    Crowdfunding & preordersPricing, margins & unit economics
    9 chapters

  • Thoroughly Considered · 45m

    25: Q&A

    Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost, founders of Studio Neat, answer listener questions about their backgrounds at Frog Design and Potion, their transition from side hustle to full-time business, and their philosophy on maintaining a small, agile company. They discuss specific product challenges, such as the physics of the Neat Ice Kit, the limitations of CAD simulation for simple mechanisms, and the frustration with the AirPress packaging. The conversation also covers their marketing strategies, the tension between transparency and secrecy in product development, and their experiences managing Kickstarter backer expectations.

    Crowdfunding & preordersStarting a product company
    10 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Making It. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.