Hardware Podcasts

Hard Earned Lessons Learned with Wayne Frick of ChirpSounds – Part 2

Predictable Designs Podcast · 22 Jun 2020 · 40m · Episode 22

What this episode covers

Wayne Frick of ChirpSounds details the operational and technical hurdles of bringing his long-range Bluetooth bird call device to market, specifically focusing on supply chain complexities and component selection. He explains the challenges of sourcing a certified, weatherproof 18650 battery and selecting a UV-stable plastic that allowed for cost-effective painting rather than custom compounding. Frick also discusses the critical importance of building an audience and maintaining cash flow through strategic production scaling and manufacturer financing rather than relying on crowdfunding.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
ChirpSounds, Texas Instruments, Samsung, Shenzhen Power, Protolabs, 3D Hubs
Products
Amazon Dot
Also
Wayne Frick, John Teel, Hardware Academy

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 04m

    Year End, 2017

    Dave Jones of AEV discusses the logistical and financial challenges of fulfilling his successful Kickstarter for the AEV Multimeter, including component supply issues and complex international shipping. Chris Gammell of Contextual Electronics critiques the Raspberry Pi Foundation's push for commercial use of their boards and discusses the rising cost of prototyping services. The hosts also reflect on industry trends, including the failure of Patreon's fee hike, the stagnation of 3D printing in manufacturing, and the lack of scalable open-source hardware companies.

    Crowdfunding & preordersLogistics & fulfilment
    7 chapters

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 08m

    Sipping Coulombs

    Dave Jones of EEVblog and Chris Gammell of Contextual Electronics discuss the business realities of hardware, including the bankruptcy of Chip Board and the supply chain constraints facing Jones's own multimeter production. They analyze the economics of low-cost single-board computers like Raspberry Pi and the challenges of designing for long battery life, using a hypothetical keychain device to illustrate power budgeting with primary lithium cells and BLE. The conversation also covers the culture of Defcon badges, debunking pseudoscientific wireless charging claims, and the importance of validating product requirements early.

    Batteries & low-power designSourcing & supply chain
    9 chapters

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 10m

    A 2013 Recap - Year-end Yarn Yakking

    Hosts Chris Gammell of Contextual Electronics and Dave Jones of EEVblog discuss a wide range of hardware engineering topics, including the complexities of part numbering, version control in production, and the challenges of sourcing obsolete components. Jones details his experience with a Kickstarter campaign for his Microcurrent device, highlighting the impact of currency exchange rates on unit economics and the decision to manufacture locally in Australia. The conversation also covers the technical limitations of a new 10 GHz USB sampling oscilloscope, the decline of the hobbyist kit market due to cheap contract manufacturing, and the value of lab notebooks for patent defense.

    Sourcing & supply chainPricing, margins & unit economics
    7 chapters

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 03m

    Adafruit, Chip heist, Hackerspaces - The Kit Conniption

    Hosts Chris Gammell and Dave Jones discuss the challenges of building a kit business, with Jones advising that lowering the bill of materials (BOM) cost is critical to achieving the high margins necessary for viability. They debate the use of Kickstarter for hardware, with Jones warning against taking customer money before the product is proven, and discuss licensing options like the Open Source Hardware License versus Creative Commons for protecting intellectual property while allowing community contribution.

    Pricing, margins & unit economicsCrowdfunding & preorders
    6 chapters

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 13m

    An Interview with Christina Cyr

    Christina Cyr, CEO of Detour and creator of the Circle Phone, discusses the development of a circular, dual-display smartphone and her recent experience exhibiting at CES. She details the challenges of sourcing components from large vendors like Qualcomm, navigating complex tariff codes for batteries and LCDs, and the financial realities of hardware startups, including high NRE costs and the difficulty of getting support for low-volume production. Cyr also shares lessons learned from her first Kickstarter campaign, particularly regarding market validation and the pitfalls of gendered marketing assumptions.

    Validation & product-market fitSourcing & supply chain
    6 chapters

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