# Five Biggest Mistakes Hardware Startups Make with Customers with Dave Millman of BizDev Global

- Show: [Predictable Designs Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast)
- Published: 2020-01-07
- Length: 38m
- Episode: 2
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-01-07-five-biggest-mistakes-hardware-startups-make-with-customers-with-dave-millman-of

## Summary

Dave Millman of BizDev Global joins host John Teel to outline five critical mistakes hardware startups make regarding customer engagement. Millman, a former hardware engineer and applications engineer with experience at IBM and work with Steve Wozniak, argues that founders must validate ideas and seek early partners before building. He warns against assuming customers will change their behavior to fit a product, citing the high drop-off rates in healthcare wearables due to charging requirements, and advises against the 'second product syndrome' where companies assume they know what customers want without asking.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-01-07-five-biggest-mistakes-hardware-startups-make-with-customers-with-dave-millman-of#t=0) Introduction and Guest Background
- [2:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-01-07-five-biggest-mistakes-hardware-startups-make-with-customers-with-dave-millman-of#t=155) Mistake 1: Not Validating Ideas with Customers
- [8:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-01-07-five-biggest-mistakes-hardware-startups-make-with-customers-with-dave-millman-of#t=489) Mistake 2: Not Seeking Early Customer Partners
- [17:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-01-07-five-biggest-mistakes-hardware-startups-make-with-customers-with-dave-millman-of#t=1020) Mistake 3: Leaving Sales to 'Sales Guys'
- [19:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-01-07-five-biggest-mistakes-hardware-startups-make-with-customers-with-dave-millman-of#t=1180) Mistake 4: Assuming Customers Will Change Behavior
- [27:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-01-07-five-biggest-mistakes-hardware-startups-make-with-customers-with-dave-millman-of#t=1627) Mistake 5: Not Asking What to Build Next

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch

## Mentioned

- BizDev Global (company)
- Steve Wozniak (other)
- Steve Jobs (other)
- Apple (company)
- Samsung (company)
- Motorola (company)
- IBM (company)
- Blockbuster (company)
- Evernote (product)
- Apple Watch (product)
- Apple II (product)
- Apple III (product)
- PLA (material)
- ABS (material)
- ST microcontrollers (chip)
- Hardware Academy (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [IDology #11 - Most common mistakes in product development](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/idology/2023-03-28-idology-11-most-common-mistakes-in-product-development) (IDology)
- [S2E51 The Hardware Academy | John Teel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-12-03-s2e51-the-hardware-academy-john-teel) (Being an Engineer)
- [#063 - Your (hardware) product is not your product - think in terms of business models, with your host Balint Horvath, Switzerland](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2018-10-24-063-your-hardware-product-is-not-your-product-think-in-terms-of-business-models) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [219: Hiring Your First Team Members at a Hardware Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2024-03-28-219-hiring-your-first-team-members-at-a-hardware-startup) (Product Startup)
- [Ep. 39 - Starting a Hardware Company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2025-05-15-ep-39-starting-a-hardware-company) (Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast)

## Citing this page

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