# 032: Success in Small Niches with Jill Bong of Chicken Armor

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2016-12-20
- Length: 40m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-12-20-032-success-in-small-niches-with-jill-bong-of-chicken-armor
- Listen: https://theproductstartup.com/tps032-success-small-niches-jill-bong-chicken-armor/

## Summary

Jill Bong, founder of Chicken Armor, explains how she and her husband designed a vinyl chicken saddle to solve a specific problem for their 80-chicken flock, prioritizing washability and low cost over complex components. They validated the market by selling on eBay and pitching targeted homesteading publications, while deliberately avoiding expensive patent protection and large-scale manufacturing to maintain their lifestyle-focused business model. Bong details their iterative prototyping process, which involved testing multiple material samples and designs over a year, and highlights their success in niche marketing through editorial coverage rather than paid ads.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-12-20-032-success-in-small-niches-with-jill-bong-of-chicken-armor#t=0) Introduction: Filip Valica and listener question on IP
- [3:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-12-20-032-success-in-small-niches-with-jill-bong-of-chicken-armor#t=226) Jill Bong introduces Chicken Armor and the problem it solves
- [5:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-12-20-032-success-in-small-niches-with-jill-bong-of-chicken-armor#t=323) Prototyping process: materials, budget, and iterative testing
- [13:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-12-20-032-success-in-small-niches-with-jill-bong-of-chicken-armor#t=797) Handling customer objections and abandoning patent protection
- [16:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-12-20-032-success-in-small-niches-with-jill-bong-of-chicken-armor#t=971) Business model: staying small, in-house manufacturing, and lifestyle focus
- [20:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-12-20-032-success-in-small-niches-with-jill-bong-of-chicken-armor#t=1239) Marketing strategy: targeted publications vs. mass media and ads
- [28:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-12-20-032-success-in-small-niches-with-jill-bong-of-chicken-armor#t=1719) Sales channels: eBay, Etsy, Amazon, and fulfillment
- [31:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-12-20-032-success-in-small-niches-with-jill-bong-of-chicken-armor#t=1909) Diversifying income: self-publishing books and print-on-demand T-shirts

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Chicken Armor (product)
- eBay (other)
- Etsy (other)
- Amazon (other)
- Mako Design + Invent (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Concept to Market in One Year with Allen Walton of SpyGuy.com [Part 1]](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-02-17-concept-to-market-in-one-year-with-allen-walton-of-spyguy-com-part-1) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [Chicken Salad Chick: Stacy Brown](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-07-02-chicken-salad-chick-stacy-brown) (How I Built This)
- [Parachute Home: Ariel Kaye](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-05-parachute-home-ariel-kaye) (How I Built This)
- [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)
- [Shep and Ian Murray: Vineyard Vines. A Stale Product Transforms into a Lifestyle Brand.](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-04-27-shep-and-ian-murray-vineyard-vines-a-stale-product-transforms-into-a-lifestyle-b) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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