# 6 Facts About Product Development That Hardware Startups Underestimate with Dave Millman of SalesDev.Global

- Show: [Predictable Designs Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast)
- Published: 2020-06-06
- Length: 49m
- Episode: 20
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-06-06-6-facts-about-product-development-that-hardware-startups-underestimate-with-dave

## Summary

Dave Millman of SalesDev.Global joins host John Teel to discuss six common pitfalls for hardware startups, emphasizing that PCBs and enclosures almost always require multiple revisions due to issues like antenna placement and snap-fit failures. Millman advises using development kits for early validation to save money, while warning that enclosure costs are driven by mold complexity, cavities, and side actions, often leading to budget overruns. He also highlights that schedules are frequently underestimated due to optimistic assumptions, debugging unknowns, and shipping delays between global suppliers.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-06-06-6-facts-about-product-development-that-hardware-startups-underestimate-with-dave#t=0) Introduction: Dave Millman and SalesDev.Global
- [1:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-06-06-6-facts-about-product-development-that-hardware-startups-underestimate-with-dave#t=92) PCB Revisions and Antenna Issues
- [6:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-06-06-6-facts-about-product-development-that-hardware-startups-underestimate-with-dave#t=400) Product Updates and Cost Reductions
- [11:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-06-06-6-facts-about-product-development-that-hardware-startups-underestimate-with-dave#t=714) The Value of Development Kits
- [20:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-06-06-6-facts-about-product-development-that-hardware-startups-underestimate-with-dave#t=1204) Enclosure Iterations and Injection Molding
- [28:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-06-06-6-facts-about-product-development-that-hardware-startups-underestimate-with-dave#t=1696) Underestimating Mold and Certification Costs
- [38:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-06-06-6-facts-about-product-development-that-hardware-startups-underestimate-with-dave#t=2310) Schedule Delays and Debugging Unknowns

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Logistics & fulfilment](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/logistics-and-fulfillment)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- SalesDev.Global (company)
- Texas Instruments (company)
- Analog Devices (company)
- PlayStation 3 (product)
- Arduino (product)
- Raspberry Pi (product)
- STM32 (chip)
- Fiverr (other)

## 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)
- [186: Sleeping on the Factory Floor](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-02-09-186-sleeping-on-the-factory-floor) (Embedded.fm)
- [I've bitten myself](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-21-ive-bitten-myself) (The Amp Hour)
- [Pull The Trigger](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-02-19-pull-the-trigger) (The Amp Hour)
- [216: 5 Key Tips For Starting Your Product Development Journey](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2024-03-11-216-5-key-tips-for-starting-your-product-development-journey) (Product Startup)

## Citing this page

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