# 034: Staying Motivated & Overcoming Lack of Money, Time & Skills

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2017-01-03
- Length: 34m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-01-03-034-staying-motivated-overcoming-lack-of-money-time-skills
- Listen: http://theproductstartup.com/tps034-staying-motivated-overcoming-money-time-skills/

## Summary

Filip Valica, founder of Mako Design + Invent, discusses overcoming the limiting beliefs of lacking money, time, and skills when launching a product startup. He shares his personal journey from a corporate engineer to founding Mako Design + Invent, emphasizing the importance of deep core motivation and using failure as data to validate ideas. Valica outlines practical strategies for managing time, such as blocking calendars and saying no, and advocates for a DIY approach using tools like Canva, Inkscape, and Jungle Scout to minimize upfront costs. He argues that perfectionism is the enemy of progress and encourages founders to start small, iterate, and surround themselves with supportive communities to avoid burnout.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-01-03-034-staying-motivated-overcoming-lack-of-money-time-skills#t=0) Introduction: Filip Valica and the Product Startup Podcast

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Mako Design + Invent (company)
- Indiegogo (other)
- Kickstarter (other)
- Shark Tank (other)
- SCORE (other)
- Jungle Scout (tool)
- Unicorn Smasher (tool)
- Amazon (company)
- WordPress (tool)
- Canva (tool)
- Inkscape (tool)
- Gimp (tool)
- Small Business Administration (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Live From HIBT Summit: Payal Kadakia, Tristan Walker, and Perry Chen on Innovation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-22-live-from-hibt-summit-payal-kadakia-tristan-walker-and-perry-chen-on-innovation) (How I Built This)
- [Making It #006 : How do I quit my job, and do what you do?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2015-01-02-making-it-006-how-do-i-quit-my-job-and-do-what-you-do) (Making It)
- [10 Years of How I Built This:  A Decade of Innovation, Risk and Reinvention](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-10-05-10-years-of-how-i-built-this-a-decade-of-innovation-risk-and-reinvention) (How I Built This)
- [S2E37 Defied the odds:  A Physical Product Development Firm That Focuses on Startups & Small Businesses, Mako Design + Invent –Kevin Mako](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-08-23-s2e37-defied-the-odds-a-physical-product-development-firm-that-focuses-on-startu) (Being an Engineer)
- [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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