# 147: What “Tether Golf” Can Teach You about Supply Chain with Co-founders Jesse Darley and Randy Koplin

- Show: [Manufacturing Happy Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour)
- Published: 2023-08-01
- Length: 45m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-08-01-147-what-tether-golf-can-teach-you-about-supply-chain-with-co-founders-jesse-dar
- Listen: http://manufacturinghappyhour.com

## Summary

Jesse Darley and Randy Koplin, co-founders of Tether Golf, discuss their journey from previous ventures like Beer Cap Maps and MaskTite to launching a tethered putting game. They emphasize the importance of local supply chains, specifically working with Milwaukee-based manufacturers like Jonco Industries and Rockford Specialties, to maintain agility and strong relationships. The founders share lessons on co-founder dynamics, balancing perfectionism with velocity, and leveraging Amazon’s marketplace while managing risk through direct-to-consumer channels.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-08-01-147-what-tether-golf-can-teach-you-about-supply-chain-with-co-founders-jesse-dar#t=0) Introduction: Jesse Darley and Randy Koplin on Tether Golf
- [3:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-08-01-147-what-tether-golf-can-teach-you-about-supply-chain-with-co-founders-jesse-dar#t=228) Factory Tour: Jonco Industries and Local Manufacturing
- [6:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-08-01-147-what-tether-golf-can-teach-you-about-supply-chain-with-co-founders-jesse-dar#t=362) Tether Golf Gameplay and Product Description
- [9:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-08-01-147-what-tether-golf-can-teach-you-about-supply-chain-with-co-founders-jesse-dar#t=590) Past Ventures: MaskTite and Beer Cap Maps
- [13:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-08-01-147-what-tether-golf-can-teach-you-about-supply-chain-with-co-founders-jesse-dar#t=831) Building a Local Supply Chain: Finding Vendors
- [18:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-08-01-147-what-tether-golf-can-teach-you-about-supply-chain-with-co-founders-jesse-dar#t=1113) Vendor Selection Checklist: Scale, Trust, and Capabilities
- [20:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-08-01-147-what-tether-golf-can-teach-you-about-supply-chain-with-co-founders-jesse-dar#t=1228) Lessons from Past Products: Fulfillment and IP
- [23:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-08-01-147-what-tether-golf-can-teach-you-about-supply-chain-with-co-founders-jesse-dar#t=1380) Amazon Strategy and Learning Resources
- [27:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-08-01-147-what-tether-golf-can-teach-you-about-supply-chain-with-co-founders-jesse-dar#t=1667) Co-founder Dynamics: Maximizers vs. Satisficers
- [35:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2023-08-01-147-what-tether-golf-can-teach-you-about-supply-chain-with-co-founders-jesse-dar#t=2111) Future of Tether Golf: Retail and Iterations

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Tether Golf (product)
- Beer Cap Maps (product)
- MaskTite (product)
- Jonco Industries (company)
- Rockford Specialties (company)
- Amazon (company)
- Pubcast Worldwide (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [YETI: Roy and Ryan Seiders. How Two Brothers Turned a $400 Cooler Into a $2 Billion Brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-08-24-yeti-roy-and-ryan-seiders-how-two-brothers-turned-a-400-cooler-into-a-2-billion) (How I Built This)
- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 1 - Rich Brilliant Willing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2013-08-19-afterschool-podcast-episode-1-rich-brilliant-willing) (Core77 Podcast)
- [Concept to Market in One Year with Allen Walton of SpyGuy.com [Part 2]](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-02-18-concept-to-market-in-one-year-with-allen-walton-of-spyguy-com-part-2) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [Suitsupply: Fokke de Jong](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-05-01-suitsupply-fokke-de-jong) (How I Built This)
- [Aviator Nation: Paige Mycoskie](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-01-01-aviator-nation-paige-mycoskie) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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